The Chapter House of Westminster was built in 1250, by Henry III., on the site of the earlier Chapter House belonging to the Abbey, as founded by Edward the Confessor. It was, from its beauty, called "The Incomparable Chapter House." It has been used for three purposes. I. It was the chamber in which the Abbot and Monks, in the times of the ancient monastery, held their "Chapter," or meeting for discussion and business; their meetings were held once a week. The Abbot and the four chief officers of the convent sat in the ornamented stalls opposite the entrance. The Monks sat on the stone seats round. The culprits, if there were any, knelt to receive their judgment before the Abbot's seat, and were scourged before the central pillar. II. Almost from the time of its first erection, it was used for the sittings of the House of Commons. The House of Commons came into existence in 1265, and at first sat in Westminster Hall with the House of Lords; but in 1282 they parted, and from that time for nearly 300 years its meetings were held in the precincts of Westminster Refectory (now destroyed), but usually in the Chapter House, which was lent to the Commons by the Abbot for that purpose. The Speaker probably sat in the Abbot's stall, and the Members of Parliament in the seats of the Monks, and on the floor of the house. To the central pillar were attached placards and notices relating to the business or the conduct of the Members. Here were the debates on all the Acts of Parliament, passed from the time of Edward I. till the Reformation. There also were, from time to time, convened other assemblies for special purposes. Henry V., in 1421, summoned a meeting of 60 Abbots and Priors, and 300 Monks to discuss the reform of the Benedictine order; and Wolsey, as Cardinal Legate, in 1523, summoned the convocations of Canterbury and York, in order to be on a spot beyond the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The last Parliament which is known to have sat here was that which was assembled on the last day of the reign of Henry VIII. It will be seen that this building, from having for three centuries been the seat of the House of Commons, has been the scene of the chief acts which laid the foundation of civil and religious liberty of England, and was the cradle of representative and constitutional government, of Parliament, Legislative Chambers, and Congress throughout the world.