For the Lords'
priviledges, Mr. Waller 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 own 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 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 ever 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 100l.
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