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Only the commissioners from Plymouth, having brought mission to conclude, desired respite to advise with their Court, which was granted, and at the second meeting of the c sioners for the confederation, held at Boston in September fol the commissioners for the jurisdiction of Plymouth delivered order of their General Court, dated the 29th [day] of August by which it appeared that these Articles of Confederation wer approved, and confirmed by the said court and all their tow and their commissioners authorized to ratify them by their su tions, which they accordingly did, the 7th day of September, 1

by the courts. The members of the first Parliament Protectorate, meeting in 1654, refused to accept the ment and insisted upon their right to prepare a consti In spite of this rebuff, Cromwell for some time tried to accordance with the Instrument, until the growing diff of his position led him to adopt a more arbitrary policy document is notable as the only written constitution Great Britain has ever had in actual operation. It is extreme interest as the first example of a constitution attempts to mark off strictly the powers of the legislati executive departments. In this respect the Instrumen be regarded as the forerunner of our own and all later tutions. Articles I-VIII, XXII-XXIV, XXVII, X XXXIII, XXXV, XXXVI, and XLI-XLII contain th essential provisions.

INSTRUMENT OF GOVERNMENT, 1653

The Government of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging

I. That the supreme legislative authority of the Commor of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the dominions thereu longing, shall be and reside in one person, and the people ass in Parliament: the style of which person shall be the Lord Pr of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

II. That the exercise of the chief magistracy and the a tration of the government over the said countries and dom 1 Cobbett's Parliamentary History of England, vol. iii, pp. 1417-1426. 1806-1820.

said countries and dominions in all things by the advice of th and according to these presents and the laws.

IV. That the Lord Protector, the Parliament sitting, pose and order the militia and forces, both by sea and lan peace and good of the three nations, by consent of Parliam that the Lord Protector, with the advice and consent of t part of the council, shall dispose and order the militia for aforesaid in the intervals of Parliament.

V. That the Lord Protector, by the advice aforesaid, sh in all things concerning the keeping and holding of a go spondency with foreign kings, princes, and states; and also, consent of the major part of the council, have the power of peace.

VI. That the laws shall not be altered, suspended, abrog repealed, nor any new law made, nor any tax, charge, or im laid upon the people, but by common consent in Parliame only as is expressed in the thirtieth article.

VII. That there shall be a Parliament summoned to Westminster upon the third day of September, 1654, and that sively a Parliament shall be summoned once in every third be accounted from the dissolution of the present Parliament.

VIII. That neither the Parliament to be next summon any successive Parliaments, shall, during the time of five r to be accounted from the day of their first meeting, be adj prorogued, or dissolved, without their own consent.

IX. That as well the next as all other successive Parli shall be summoned and elected in manner hereafter expressed is to say, the persons to be chosen within England, Wales, t of Jersey [and] Guernsey, and the town of Berwick-upon-Tw sit and serve in Parliament, shall be, and not exceed, the nur

ine aistribution of the persons to be chosen for Scotia Ireland, and the several counties, cities, and places therein, according to such proportions and number as shall be agre and declared by the Lord Protector and the major part of the before the sending forth writs of summons for the next Parlia

XI. That the summons to Parliament shall be by writ ur Great Seal of England, directed to the sheriffs of the seve respective counties, with such alteration as may suit with the government, to be made by the Lord Protector and his counci the Chancellor, Keeper, or Commissioners of the Great Se seal, issue, and send abroad by warrant from the Lord Pr If the Lord Protector shall not give warrant for issuing of summons for the next Parliament, before the first of June, for the triennial Parliaments, before the first day of August i third year, to be accounted as aforesaid; that then the Cha Keeper, or Commissioners of the Great Seal for the time bein without any warrant or direction, within seven days after first day of June, 1654, seal, issue, and send abroad writs of su (changing therein what is to be changed as aforesaid) to the and respective sheriffs of England, Scotland, and Ireland, f moning the Parliament to meet at Westminster, the third September next; and shall likewise, within seven days after first day of August, in every third year, to be accounted from solution of the precedent Parliament, seal, issue, and sen abroad several writs of summons (changing therein what i changed) as aforesaid, for summoning the Parliament to Westminster the sixth of November in that third year. T said several and respective sheriffs shall, within ten days after ceipt of such writ as aforesaid, cause the same to be proclain published in every market town within his county upon the

1 Here follows the apportionment.

other head officer of such city, town, borough, or place, within days after the receipt of such writ and writs; which the said m sheriffs, and officers respectively are to make publication of, the certain day for such elections to be made in the said city, or place aforesaid, and to cause elections to be made accordin XII. That at the day and place of elections the sheriff of county, and the said mayors, sheriffs, bailiffs, and other head o within their cities, towns, boroughs, and places respectively take view of the said elections, and shall make return into the cery, within twenty days after the said elections, of the persons e by the greater number of electors, under their hands and sea tween him on the one part and the electors on the other part; w shall be contained, that the persons elected shall not have po alter the government as it is hereby settled in one single person Parliament.

XIII. That the sheriff, who shall wittingly and willingly any false return, or neglect his duty, shall incur the penalty thousand marks of lawful English money; the one moiety Lord Protector, and the other moiety to such person as will s the same.

XIV. That all and every person and persons, who have advised, assisted, or abetted in any war against the Parliament, the first day of January, 1641 (unless they have been since in the ice of the Parliament and given signal testimony of their good tion thereunto), shall be disabled and incapable to be elected, give any vote in the election of any members to serve in the Parliament, or in the three succeeding triennial Parliaments.

XV. That all such, who have advised, assisted, or abette rebellion of Ireland, shall be disabled and incapable forever elected, or give any vote in the election of any member to se

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