Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 269

ticularized the East India Company, the Turkey Company,
Hudsons Bay Company & other Companys, and the Proprie-
tors of all the Publick ffunds, none of whom sent members to
Parliament tho' Laws were every day made respecting them
in their particular Capacitys, to regulate their respective
Trades, to reduce the Interest of the National Debt and the
Like. That the writs Issued to the Earls of Chester might
be to Demand Free Gifts & Benevolences to the Crown, a
Custom w^ch much prevailed in antient times tho' afterwards
Condemned. But from the Acts giving Representatives to
both the Countys of Chester & Durham it appeared they paid
Taxes before they Sent Members to Parliament, the fact Stood
admitted by the acts w^ch did not dispute the right but only Com-
plained of the hardships. That as the Countys had been rep-
resented at different times so the Crown had Granted Char-
ters to different Burroughs at different times to send Members
to Parliam^t, some now sending Members who did not formerly,
& vice versa. That Hen: 8. Sent a Writ to Calais to return
a Member, but it appeared they were taxed in Parliament
before That the Provinces of Gascoyne, Tournay &c. were
constantly Taxed in Parliam^l & yet were never Represented.
That after the Conquest of Wales they were Taxed by the
Legislative Authority of England before they had any rep-
resentatives in Parliam^t That in several Subsidiary Laws
passed as well before as after they had representatives they
were constantly Excepted w^ch proved their Comprehension in
the Laws & the reason of the Exemption in their favour was
that they paid another Tax called the Mises. That If the
Clergy taxed themselves it was owing to the Pope's Bulls &
not the want of Representation, for the same reason the
French Clergy to this day pay their 15^ths & Free Gifts & it did
not appear but that in those days they might Vote for Mem-
bers of Parliam^l nor when they ceased to Tax themselves, but
it appeared that the Bishops & Mitred Abbotts had their Seat
in Parliament. That the great writers in Cha^s the 1^sts time
against Ship Money the Kings Commissions and other Illegal
Exertions of the Prerogative never doubted of the Authority of
Parliament to tax the whole Community, the doctrine of Rep-
resentation never entred into their heads & he Cited Greys
Debates to shew they asserted the right of Taxing Colonies.
That the right of Representation was not claimed in the
Petition of Rights at the great AEra of the Revolution.
That the Sovereignty of the British Parliam^t extended to all
the Dominions belonging to the Crown of Great Britain that
is such as had been Conquered by English Arms, not to
Hanover w^ch did not fall within that Praedicament. That the
Colonies Migrated as Colonies & settled upon the terms of