n their Bill of Test in both houses and are not yet come to
the question of committing it."

After prolonged discussion the Oath Bill was sent to the Commons, where
doubtless it must have passed, had not a furious privilege quarrel over
Sir John Fagg's case made prorogation in June almost a necessity. In
October Parliament met again, and at once resolved itself into a
Committee upon Religion to prevent the growth of Popery. This time the
king made almost an end of the Parliament by a prorogation which lasted
from November 1675 until February 1677--a period of fifteen months.

On the re-assembling of Parliament the Duke of Buckingham fathered the
argument much used during the long recess, that a prorogation extending
beyond twelve months was in construction of law a dissolution.

For the expression of this opinion and the refusal to recant it the
Duke of Buckingham and three other lords were ordered to the Tower, the
king being greatly angered by the duke's request that his cook might be
allowed to wait on him. On this incident Marvell remarks: "Thus a
prorogation without precedent was to be warranted by an imprisonment
without example. A sad instance! Whereby the dignity of Parliament and
especially of the House of Peers did at present much suffer and may
probably more for the future, _for nothing but Parliament can destroy
Parliament_. If a House shall once be felon of itself and stop its own
breath, taking away that liberty of speech which the King verbally, and
of course, allows them (as now they had done in both houses) to what
purpose is it coming thither?"[206:1]

The character of this House of Commons did not improve with age.

Marvell writes in the _Growth of Popery_:--

"In matters of money they seem at first difficult, but having been
discoursed with in private, they are set right, and begin to
understand it better themselves, and to convert their brethren: for
they are all of them to be bought and sold, only their number makes
them cheaper, and each of them doth so overvalue himself, that
sometimes they outstand or let slip their own market.

"It is not to be imagined, how small things, in this case, even
members of great estates will stoop at, and most of them will do as
much for hopes as others for fruition, but if their patience be tired
out, they grow at last mutinous, and revolt to the country, till some
better occasion offer.

"Among these are some men of the