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13. &. 8. Great Officers of the Crown being always ready to act according to the pleasure of the Kings, & it being hardly possible that the Temporal Peers & Burgesses should be so chosen as to unite against the Crown, therefore the Kings had the total direction of the Lords of Articls, & there being an equal number of Lay & Spiritual Lords, namely 55. the King was sure of the Majority, besides the Barons little car'd what was determin'd in Parliament, they entir'ly relying upon their Swords.

James VI. had many disputes with the Clergy & depriv'd them of the right of setting in Parliament; but in 1598. an Act was pass'd by which those on whom the King conferr'd the Vacant Bishopricks & Abbeys were to have a Seat in Parliament; the General Assembly of Ecclesiasticks after several consulations agreed that Ministers Might accept of Seats