Jovial Senators Print E-mail
Carlisle Patriot - December 27th, 1844

 JOVIAL SENATORS
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      When the Scottish Parliament met in 1669, the members were, in many instances, affected by wine, and more than once obliged to adjourn, because the Royal Commissioner was too intoxicated to behave properly in the chair..
     The pensioner Parliament, too jovial in their good humour on the hail fellow system, during seasons of bad temper, were found as quarrelsome as boon companions in their cups.
     Marvel chuckles, in his letters to the grave citizens of Hull, "over the pretty ridiculous figure the house cut, when they were taken by Sir Thomas CLIFFORD, after presenting an address, speaker, mace, and all, into the royal cellars, to drink to his majesty's health."
     Quarrels were plentiful sown by such convivialities; and we read sometimes of blows being exchanged in the house by TRELAWNEY and ASH, who called each other rebel and papist. At the wish of the house, the speaker invited the disputants to dinner, taking engagements from them to proceed no further.
  ~ Townsend's House of Commons.
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