The Corporation evaded the payment of the said daily allowance to their two members for a whole year or more: but it was not forgotten by the parliament, who sometime after the siege, appear to have put them again in mind of it. Accordingly we find that the following memorandum stands yet in the corporation-books—“Nov. 24. (1643,) ordered that _five shillings per diem_ be paid to John Percevall and Tho. Toll, burgesses in this parliament, from the time they went to parliament to this day.” Thus the affair ended; and our representatives, it is presumed, continued to receive the like allowance afterwards, till the restoration. But it does not appear, or is at all likely to have been the case any longer, as to this town, though it might elsewhere. {768} At the period of which we are speaking, it was, probably, pretty general. Had it been universal, and so continued to this day, it would, no doubt, have been a very happy circumstance for these kingdoms. Our House of Commons, in that case, would have felt more for the country than it has generally done in these latter times: not to say that the people too had been then more careful in the choice of their representatives. As to the two last _elections_, already glanced at, that for the _short_ and that for the succeeding _long_ parliament, they appear to have differed from each other in this, that the former was the act or deed of the _corporation alone_, and the latter that of the _whole body of freemen_, as is the case (at least _nominally_) at present. Succeeding elections seem to have exhibited similar diversity. In Cromwell’s _first_ parliament, that of 1653, it does not appear that Lynn had any representatives. It is therefore likely that there was here then no previous election. In the _second_ protectoral parliament, which met in 1654, this town was represented as usual; but how the election was conducted does not seem very clear, though it appears most probable that the freemen at large had no share in it, as may perhaps be concluded from the following memorandum in the town-books— “1654 July 21. Ordered that 4_l._ 15_s._ expended by Mr. Mayor on the day of the election of the burgesses to serve in parliament _for this corporation_ be paid by the chamberlain.” That the election for the members sent to the 3rd protectoral parliament (that of 1656,) was managed by the corporation _solely_ seems pretty evident from the following note in the town books— “1656. August 18th. This day general John Desborow and major general Philip Skippon are chosen _in this house_ to serve as burgesses for this borough in his Highness next parliament upon the 17th September next, according to a precept directed to Mr Mayor from the Sherife, and ordered that _their charges be paid by this House_.”