Lecture XV.--Page 388 Philosophical examination of the electoral system in England in the fourteenth century. The system was the natural result of facts. Who were the electors? Four principles which determine the solution of this question. Lecture XVI.--Page 401 Subject of the lecture. Continuation of the philosophical examination of the electoral system in England in the fourteenth century. Characteristics of the elections. Examination of the principle of direct or indirect election. Lecture XVII.--Page 418 Origin of the division of the English Parliament into two Houses. Its original constitution. Reproduction of the classifications of society in the Parliament. Causes which led the representatives of counties to separate from the barons, and coalesce with the representatives of boroughs. Effects of this coalition. Division of the Parliament into two Houses in the fourteenth century. Lecture XVIII.--Page 425 Examination of the division of the legislative power into two Houses. Diversity of ideas on this subject. Fundamental principle of the philosophic school. Source of its errors. Characteristics of the historic school. Cause of the division of the British Parliament into two Houses. Derivation of this division from the fundamental principle of representative government. Its practical merit. Lecture XIX.--Page 448 Power and attributes of the British Parliament in the fourteenth century. At its origin, and subsequent to its complete development, the Parliament retained the name of the Great Council of the kingdom. Difference between its attributes and its actual power at these two epochs. Absorption of almost the entire government by the Crown; gradual resumption of its influence by the Parliament. Lecture XX.--Page 454 Condition and attributes of the Parliament during the reign of Edward II. (1307-1327). Empire of favourites. Struggle of the barons against the favourites. Aristocratic factions. Petitions to the king. Forms of deliberations on this subject. Deposition of Edward II. {xix} Lecture XXI.--Page 463 Of petitions during the early times of representative government. Regulations on the subject. Transformation of the right of petition possessed by the Houses of Parliament into the right of proposition and initiative. Petitions ceased to be addressed to the king, and are presented to Parliament. Origin of the right of inquiry. Necessity for representative government to be complete. Artifices and abuses engendered by the right of petition. Lecture XXII.--Page 476 Condition of the Parliament under Edward III. Progress of the power of the Commons. Their resistance to the king. Regularity of the convocation of Parliament.