ns of parliament seem fully to
satisfy the words, and still more the spirit, of this act, and of 36 E.
III. c. 10; which however are repealed by implication from the
provisions of 6 Will. III. c. 2. But it was very rare under the
Plantagenet dynasty for a parliament to continue more than a year.

It has been observed that this provision "had probably in view the
administration of justice by the king's court in parliament." Report of
L. C. p. 301. And in another place:--"It is clear that the word
parliament in the reign of Edward I. was not used only to describe a
legislative assembly, but was the common appellation of the ordinary
assembly of the king's great court or council; and that the legislative
assembly of the realm, composed generally, in and after the 23rd of
Edward I., of lords spiritual and temporal, and representatives of the
commons, was usually convened to meet the king's council in one of these
parliaments." p. 171.

Certainly the commons could not desire to have an annual parliament in
order to make new statutes, much less to grant subsidies. It was,
however, important to present their petitions, and to set forth their
grievances to this high court. We may easily reconcile the anxiety so
often expressed by the commons to have frequent sessions of parliament,
with the individual reluctance of members to attend. A few active men
procured these petitions, which the majority could not with decency
oppose, since the public benefit was generally admitted. But when the
writs came down, every pretext was commonly made use of to avoid a
troublesome and ill-remunerated journey to Westminster. For the subject
of annual parliaments see a valuable article by Allen in the 28th volume
of the Edinburgh Review.

[92] This article is so expressed as to make it appear that the
grievance was the high price of commodities. But as this was the natural
effect of a degraded currency, and the whole tenor of these articles
relates to abuses of government, I think it must have meant what I have
said in the text.

[93] Prynne's 2nd Register, p. 68.

[94] Id. p. 75.

[95] Madox, Firma Burgi, p. 6; Rot. Parl. vol. i. p. 449.

[96] Rot. Parl. vol. i. p. 430.

[97] It is however distinctly specified in stat. 7 Edw. II. and in 12
Edw. II., and equivalent words are found in other statutes. Though often
wanting, the testimony to the constitution of parliament is sufficient
and conclusive.

[98] Rot. Parl. vol. i. p. 281.

[9