prayers at the end of the Bible, and praying extempore before and after
sermon: and though these are things indifferent, yet things for aught they
at present know may be started, which may be said to be the practice of
the Church which would not be fit to allow. For the Lords' priviledges,
Mr. Walter told them how tender their predecessors had been of the
priviledges of the Lords; but, however, where the peace of the kingdom
stands in competition with them, they apprehend those priviledges must
give place. He told them that he thought, if they should owne all to be
the priviledges of the Lords which might be demanded, they should be led
like the man (who granted leave to his neighbour to pull off his horse's
tail, meaning that he could not do it at once) that hair by hair had his
horse's tail pulled off indeed: so the Commons, by granting one thing
after another, might be so served by the Lords. Mr. Vaughan, whom I could
not to my grief perfectly hear, did say, if that they should be obliged in
this manner to, exempt the Lords from every thing, it would in time come
to pass that whatever (be [it] never so great) should be voted by the
Commons as a thing penall for a commoner, the contrary should be thought a
priviledge to the Lords: that also in this business, the work of a
conventicle being but the work of an hour, the cause of a search would be
over before a Lord Lieutenant, who may be many miles off, can be sent for;
and that all this dispute is but about L100; for it is said in the Act,
that it shall be banishment or payment of L100. I thereupon heard the
Duke of Lenox say, that there might be Lords who could not always be ready
to lose L100, or some such thing: They broke up without coming to any end
in it. There was also in the Commons' House a great quarrel about Mr.
Prin, and it was believed that he should have been sent to the Towre, for
adding something to a Bill (after it was ordered to be engrossed) of his
own head--a Bill for measures for wine and other things of that sort, and
a Bill of his owne bringing in; but it appeared he could not mean any hurt
in it. But, however, the King was fain to write in his behalf, and all