VII.  Of the Laws and Institutions of the Saxons 291

BOOK III.

Chap.  I. View of the State of Europe at the Time of the Norman
          Invasion 327

II.  Reign of William the Conqueror 335

III.  Reign of William the Second, surnamed Rufus 364

IV.  Reign of Henry I 375

       V. Reign of Stephen 386

      VI.  Reign of Henry ii 394

     VII.  Reign of Richard I 425

    VIII.  Reign of John 437

      IX.  Fragment.—­An Essay towards an History of the Laws of
          England 475

FRAGMENTS AND NOTES

OF

Speeches.

During the period of Mr. Burke’s Parliamentary labors, some alterations in the Acts of Uniformity, and the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, were agitated at various times in the House of Commons.  It appears from the state of his manuscript papers, that he had designed to publish some of the Speeches which he delivered in those discussions, and with that view had preserved the following Fragments and detached Notes, which are now given to the public with as much order and connection as their imperfect condition renders them capable of receiving.  The Speeches on the Middlesex Election, on shortening the Duration of Parliaments, on the Reform of the Representation in Parliament, on the Bill for explaining the Power of Juries in Prosecutions for libels, and on the Repeal of the Marriage Act, were found in the same imperfect state.

SPEECH

ON

THE ACTS OF UNIFORMITY

FEBRUARY 6, 1772.

NOTE.

The following Speech was occasioned by a petition to the House of Commons from certain clergymen of the Church of England, and certain of the two professions of Civil Law and Physic, and others, praying to be relieved from subscription to the Thirty-Nine Articles, as required by the Acts of Uniformity.  The persona associated for this purpose were distinguished at the time by the name of “The Feathers Tavern Association,” from the place where their meetings were usually held.  Their petition was presented on the 6th of February, 1772; and on a motion that it should be brought up, the same was negatived on a division, in which Mr. Burke voted in the majority, by 217 against 71.