This important privilege of raising, or withholding the supplies, is the very life and soul of the House of Commons: upon it their very being may be said to exist; for, at a dissolution of the Parliament (at all times in the power of the King), the Commons completely vanish; whereas the Lords, being an hereditary body, still exist. Aware, therefore, of the advantages which they derive from the power of granting the supplies to the Crown, the Commons have, at all times, watched over this privilege with the most fostering and anxious solicitude. Hence the warmth, nay, the resentment, with which they have so often rejected the amendments proposed by the Lords to their money bills; nay, such is the indignation shown by the Commons at any, the most distant, attempt of the Lords, to encroach upon this right, that when any money bill is returned by them with the slightest alteration, it is treated with great contempt; and such have sometimes been literally kicked out of the House, without so much as being examined*.

When a money bill, therefore, is, at any time, altered by the Lords, it is now usual for the Speaker to state to the House, "that the bill containing an objectionable clause, the House cannot, consistently with its ancient privilege, do otherwise than reject it;"—and it is then rejected accordingly. Another almost invaluable privilege of the Commons is the

by the people, and, when elected, are only a temporary body. Hence, there would be great danger from a power in the Lords to raise the supplies upon the people; therefore it is sufficient for their own safety, and for the public service, that they possess the right of rejecting any Tax Bill, should the Commons appear to them to be too lavish and improvident in their grants.

The last time the Lords contended with the Commons respecting their right to alter a money bill, was in 1671, during the reign of Charles II., when the altercations between the two Houses ran so high, that the King was compelled to prorogue the Parliament; notwithstanding he thereby lost the intended supplies. In 1772, they rejected the amendments made by the Lords to the Corn and Game Bills, on the ground" that the Lords had no right to alter a Bill by which money was to be levied on the subject."-Ever since, this momentous privilege of the Commons has remained undisputed.

power which they possess of impeaching public delinquents; —even the highest Lords in the kingdom, both Spiritual and Temporal. In fact, the House of Commons is the grand inquest of the realm, summoned from all parts to present public grievances and delinquents to the King and Lords, to be redressed and punished by them; and to this purpose, the Lords sit in their robes on the bench, and covered, as the Judges of the Land do in other judicatories. They swear and examine witnesses, and at length pass sentence; whilst the Members of the Commons' House stand uncovered at their Lordships' bar to produce witnesses, manage evidence, &c.

On such occasions it is always customary for the Commons to appoint a manager of the impeachment, whose business it is to precede the House in their passage to the bar of the Lords; there to act as their spokesman, and to impeach the delinquent, "in the name of all the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland." The Speaker of the House is not obliged to take upon himself this ungracious office.

The last instances of impeachment by the Commons, were those of Warren Hastings, in 1787, managed by Mr. Burke; and of Viscount Melville, in 1805, managed by Mr. Whitbread.

THE ORDER

OF

DIGNITY AND PRECEDENCE

TO BE OBSERVED

IN THE HOUSE OF PEERS,

(SUPPOSING ALL THE LORDS TO BE PRESENT,)

ACCORDING TO THEIR RANK AND CREATION".

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE,

Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, the Right Honourable Henry, BARON BROUGHAM AND VAUX.

DEPUTY SPEAKERS,

The Right Honourable BARONS, TENTERDEN and WYNFORD.

PRINCES OF THE ROYAL BLOOD.

2. His Royal Highness, Prince Ernest-Augustus, DUKE OF CUMBERLAND, creation April 23, 1799. Eodem Regno. Aged 59. 3. H. R. H. Prince Augustus-Frederick, DUKE OF SUSSEX, cre. Nov. 27, 1801. Eod. Reg.

Aged 57.

4. H. R. H. Prince Adolphus-Frederick, DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE, ere. Nov. 27, 1801. Eod. Reg.

Aged 56.

5. H. R. H. Prince William-Frederick, DUKE OF GLOUCEster, cre. Nov. 14, 1764. Eod. Reg.

Aged 54.

The Princes of the Royal Blood sit in the House of Peers by virtue only of their dukedoms: they are called Royal Dukes, by way of distinction and eminence, as being the brothers, sons, or cousins of the King. For other particulars, see page 6.

It is necessary here to observe that the Great Officers and Secretaries of State take precedence of all Lords of their own rank; and that the Lord Chancellor, the Lord President of the King's Council, and the Lord Privy Seal, sit above all Peers except the Princes of the Royal Family and the Archbishop of Canterbury.—The Archbishop of York permits the Lord Chancellor, only, to take precedence of him.

B

ARCHBISHOPS.

6. His Grace, the Right Honourable and Most Reverend Father in God, WILLIAM, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.

consecrated in 1813.

7. His Grace the Rt. Hon. and Most Rev. Father in God, EDWARD LORD ARCHBISHOP OF YORK. cons. 1791. 8. F. R. P. His Grace, the Rt. Hon. and Most Rev. Father in God, POWER-LE-POER, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF TUAM, and LORD BISHOP OF ARDAGH.

cons. 1802. The title of ARCHBISHOP was first adopted in the East, about the year 340; but the dignity was at first merely honorary, being given to all bishops of great or capital cities. Hence, they were likewise styled Metropolitans, Primates, or Chief Bishops, having generally several Suffragan Bishops in the surrounding territory, subject to their inspection and control in spiritual matters. England is divided into two Archbishoprics, or spiritual provinces, viz. Canterbury and York; and the personages who fill these sees have no further style of distinction from each other, as metropolitans, than that the Archbishop of York is designated as Primate of England, whilst he of Canterbury takes for part of his style the pleonasmal title of "Primate of ALL England*." Besides their provincial jurisdiction, each Archbishop has his own peculiar Diocese.

The Archbishop of Canterbury had formerly jurisdiction over Ireland in spiritual matters, and was styled a Patriarch. He likewise enjoyed certain special rights which generally belong to sovereign princes only such as being the patron of the bishopric of Rochester, the regal privilege of making knights, coining money, &c. &c. He is still the first peer of England, ranking immediately after the Princes of the Royal Family, and having precedence of all dukes and great officers of the Crown. He is addressed by the ducal title of "His Grace," and designates his appointment to his spiritual station and functions to be "By divine Providence," as the temporal sovereign of these realms does " By the grace of God." It is still the peculiar privilege of the Archbishop of Canterbury to crown the Kings and Queens of England. He has likewise, by the Commons' Laws, the power of probates of all wills and testaments within his own province; also, to grant licences and dispensations in all cases formerly sued for in the court of Rome, and not repugnant to the laws of God; and among others, special licences to marry at any time or place. He holds several courts of judicature, as the Courts of Arches and of * See APPENDIX for a curious account of a contest between these Dignitaries.

Audience, the Prerogative Court, and the Court of Peculiars. He has, of course, the inspection of the bishops of his own province, as well as of the inferior clergy, and may deprive them of their livings and benefices on proper cause being shown: and he can likewise exercise the right of conferring all the degrees usually taken at the Universities. But, in the latter case, University graduates, by various Acts of Parliament, &c., are entitled to certain privileges not extended to what is termed a Lambeth degree :-for example, a qualification for dispensation to hold two livings at the same time, is confined, by the 21st Henry the Eighth, to Cambridge and Oxford.

The Archbishop of York has the same power and dignity in his own province, as his Right Honourable and Most Reverend Brother has in that of Canterbury. He is the third peer of the realm, and has precedence of all dukes not of the royal blood, and of all officers of state except the Lord High Chancellor. He is addressed by the ducal title of "Grace;" and his archiepiscopal appointment is stated in all public acts and documents to be " By divine permission." It is his privilege and duty to crown the Queen Consort of these realms.

In Ireland there are four Archbishops, one of whom, by turns, sits each session in the House of Peers as a Lord of Parliament; and is accompanied by three Bishops, who in the same manner take their annual turns to represent their own body. The Irish Archbishops possess the same power, privileges, and dignities, in their own country and provinces, as do the English ones in England. The three Archbishops are styled Right Honourable, from their offices as Privy Councillors; the two first in England, and the latter in Ireland.

DUKES.

9. His Grace, the Most Noble Bernard-Edward, Duke of Norfolk, creation, June 28, 1483. Riccardo Tertio regnante. Aged 65. 10. His Grace, the Most Noble Edward-Adolphus, DUKE OF SOMERSET, cre. Feb. 16, 1546. Edwardo Sexto reg. 11. His Grace, the Most Noble Charles, DUKE OF RICHMOND, cre. Aug. 9, 1675. Carolo Secundo reg.

Aged 55.

Aged 39.

12. His Grace, the Most Noble George-Henry, DUKE OF GRAFTON, cre. Sept. 11, 1675. Eodem Regno.

Aged 70.

13. His Grace, the Most Noble Henry-Charles, DUKE OF BEAUFort, cre. Dec. 2, 1682. Eod. Reg.

Aged 63.

14. His Grace, the Most Noble William-Aubrey-de-Vere, DUKE OF ST. ALBANS, cre. Jan. 10, 1683. Eod. Reg.

Aged 29.