or House of Commons, a denomination given to the lower house of parliament. See Parliament.

The commons consist of all such men of any property in the kingdom as have not seats in the house of lords, every one of whom has a voice in parliament, either personally or by his representatives. In a free state, every man, who is supposed a free agent, ought to be in some measure his own governor; and therefore a branch at least of the legislative power should reside in the whole body of the people. And this power, when the territories of the state are small, and its citizens easily known, should be exercised by the people in their aggregate or collective capacity, as was wisely ordained in the petty republics of Greece, and the first rudiments of the Roman state. But this will be highly inconvenient when the public territory is extended to any considerable degree, and the number of citizens is increased. Thus when, after the social war, all the burghers of Italy were admitted free citizens of Rome, and each had a vote in the public assemblies, it became impossible to distinguish the spurious from the real voter, and from that time all elections and popular deliberations grew tumultuous and disorderly; which paved the way for Marius and Sylla, Pompey and Caesar, to trample on the liberties of their country, and at last to dissolve the commonwealth. In so large a state as ours, therefore, it is very wisely contrived, that the people should do that by their representatives which it is impracticable to perform in person; representatives chosen by a number of minute and separate districts, wherein all the voters are or may be easily distinguished. The counties are therefore represented by knights, elected by the proprietors of lands; the cities and boroughs are represented by citizens and burgesses, chosen by the mercantile or supposed trading interest of the nation; much in the same manner as the burghers in the diet of Sweden are chosen by the corporate towns, Stockholm sending four, as London does with us, other cities two, and some only one. The number of English representatives is 513, of Scots 45; in all 558; and every member, though chosen by one particular district, when elected and returned, serves for the whole realm: for the end of his coming thither is not particular, but general; not barely to advantage his constituents, but the commonwealth; to advise his majesty, as appears from the writ of summons, "de communi consilio super negotiis quibusdam arduis et urgentibus, regem, statum, et defensionem regni Angliae et ecclesiae Anglicanae concertentibus." And therefore he is not bound, like a deputy in the United Provinces, to consult with, or take the advice of, his constituents upon any particular point, unless he himself thinks it proper or prudent so to do.

The peculiar laws and customs of the house of commons relate principally to the raising of taxes, and the elections of members to serve in parliament. See Taxes and Elections.

Debtor Commons. See College of Civilians.

Proctor of the Commons. See Proctor.