Part 1 The parliaments of England: membership, attendance and represenation; functions 1 - High Court and Great Council; functions 2 - the power of the purse; procedure; the parliamentary trinity. Part 2 Parliaments and politics: early Stuart parliaments, 1603-40; revolutionary parliaments, 1640-60; Restoration parliaments, 1600-89; conclusion; appendix 1 - glossary; appendix 2 - dates of parliamentary sessions, 1604-89; appendix 3 - sessional totals of public and private acts, 1604-89; appendix 4 - Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers of the Great Seal, 1603-89; appendix 5 - speakers of the House of Commons, 1603-89; appendix 6 - clerks of parliaments, 1603-89; appendix 7 - clerks of the House of Commons, 1603-89; appendix 8 - outline map of the Palace of Westminster in the 17th century.