But to return to the Matter in Hand. Our Commonwealth being constituted by the Laws of our Ancestors, upon the Bottom above-mention'd, and participating of all the three Kinds of Government; it was ordain'd, that once every Year (and as much oftner as important Occasions should make it necessary) a _Solemn General Council_ shou'd be held: Which for that Reason, was called a _Parliament_ of the _Three Estates_. By that Word was meant a Convention or Meeting of Men out of several Parts of the Country to one Place, there to confer and deliberate concerning the Publick Welfare: And therefore all Conferences (tho' between Enemies) in order to a Peace or Truce are always in our Chronicles called by the Name of _Parliaments_. Now of this Council, the _King_ sitting in his Golden Tribunnal, was _chief_; next to him were the _Princes_ and _Magistrates_ of the Kingdom; in the third Place were the _Representatives_ of the several Towns and Provinces, commonly called the _Deputies_: For as soon as the Day prefix'd for this Assembly was come, the _King_ was conducted to the Parliament House with a Sort of Pomp and Ceremony, more _adapted to popular Moderation_, than to _Regal Magnificence_: which I shall not scruple to give a just account of out of our own Publick Records; it being a Sort of _Piety_ to be pleas'd with the Wisdom of our Ancestors; tho' in these most profligate Times, I doubt not but it wou'd appear ridiculous to our flattering Courtiers. The King then was seated in a _Waggon_, and drawn by _Oxen_, which a _Waggoner_ drove with his _Goad_ to the Place of Assembly: But as soon as he was arrived at the Court, or rather indeed the Venerable _Palace of the Republick_, the Nobles conducted the King to the Golden Throne; and the rest took their Places (as we said before) according to their Degrees. This _State_, and in this _Place_, was what was called _Regia Majestas, Royal Majesty_. Of which we may even at this Day observe a signal Remain in the King's Broad Seal, commonly called the _Chancery_ Seal. Wherein the King is not represented in a _military Posture_ a Horse-back, or in a _Triumphant Manner_ drawn in his Chariot by Horses, but sitting in his Throne _Robe'd_ and _Crown'd_, holding in his Right Hand the Royal Sceptre, in his Left the Sceptre of Justice, and presiding in his _Solemn Council_. And indeed, in that Place only it can be said that _Royal Majesty_ does truly and properly reside, where the great Affairs of the Commonwealth are transacted; and not as the unskilful Vulgar use to profane the Word; and whether the King plays or dances, or prattles with his Women, always to stile him YOUR MAJESTY.