Page:A short English constitutional history for law students (IA shortenglishcons00hamm).pdf/25

2. The King can do no wrong. 3. The King can never be a minor. 4. Crown not affected by ordinary acts of Parliament, etc. Wehnust now deal with those prerogatives which relate to the summoning, provoguing, and dissoleing of Parliament. Although the act in question is done by the Crown, it is always on the advice of some Cabinet. a. Summons to Parliainent. i, The Provisions of Oxford said that there should be three Parliaments a year. ii. A statute of Edward III. said Parliament ae meet “once a year or more if necd e.”" iii, The Yorkists summoned Parliament irregu- larly, iv. Under the later Tudors and James [., Parliament was more or less regularly summoned. vy. Charles I. between 1629-1640 summoned no Parliament at all. vi. Charles II. summoned no Parliament at the end of hts reign for four years. vii, ‘fhe Triennial Act, 1694, said the interval between one Parliament and the summen- ing of another was not to exceed three years. vill. In these days it is absolutely necessary for Parliament to meet every year io pass a. The Army Act; and b. The Annual Appropriation Act. Other- wise discipline could not be maintained in the royal forces and the great bulk of the country’s taxes could not be legally collected or expended. b. Provoguing of Parliament, ‘Yuis may be eflected in either of two ways :— i. The Sovercign may come in person to the House of Lords; or ti, It may be accomplished by the Lord Chancellor in the exercise of a “special commission” issued to him by the Crown.