NOTED PARLIAMENTS. 1258. Mad Parliament. 1265. Leicester's Parliament. 1350. Blessed Parliament. 1388. Wonderful and Merciless Parliament. 1614. Addled Parliament. 1640. Short Parliament. 1640. Long Parliament. 1648. Rump, or Pride's Purge Parliament. 1653. Little, or Barebones' Parliament. 1660. First Convention Parliament. 1689. Second Convention Parliament. On three occasions the Parliament assumed the prerogative of nominating a King, viz., in the case of Henry IV., of Henry VII., and of William III. On two occasions Parliament was summoned without a royal warrant, and was hence called a 'Convention '-in 1660 to bring about the Restoration; and in 1689 by letters from William of Orange to establish his own title to the Crown. EIGHT KINGS WERE KILLED. 1. William II. Supposed to have been shot by Sir W. Tyrrel. 2. Richard I. By Gourdon, before the Castle of Chaluz. Murdered in Berkeley Castle, by Morti 3. Edward II. mer's orders. 4. Richard II. Supposed to have been starved to death in Pontefract Castle. 5. Henry VI. Supposed to have been murdered in the Tower. 6. Edward V. Murdered in the Tower, by Richard Duke of Glo'ster's orders. 7. 8. Richard III. Slain at Bosworth. Charles I. Beheaded before Whitehall. THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION. The Constitution of England is a Limited Monarchy, comprising King, Lords, and Commons, each having peculiar powers. The Sovereign is invested with exclusive authority: 1. To convoke, prorogue, or dissolve Parliament. 2. To wage war, make peace, or conclude treaties with foreign States. 3. To create different ranks of nobility, to appoint officers in the army and navy, all ministers of state, bishops, and deans. 4. To pardon those who break the law. The House of Lords is composed of Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal. The former comprise the Archbishops and Bishops; the latter, Dukes, Marquises, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons. It is the highest court of law in the kingdom, and to it appeals from inferior courts can be made. A Peer who has committed any crime can be tried only by Peers. The House of Commons consists of members who are returned by Cities, Boroughs, Counties, and the Universities. The Chairman of the House of Commons is called The Speaker. When a bill has passed both Houses three times, the Sovereign is requested to assent to it. On receiving the royal assent, the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament. Money raised annually, for the purpose of defraying the different public expenses, is called the Revenue. The Annual Financial Statement given in the House of Commons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer concerning the National Debt, expenditure, income, and taxation, is called the Budget. Taxes levied on articles imported or exported are called Customs; while those imposed on articles made for home use are known by the name of Excise. The expenditure for the support of the Sovereign or the royal Household is designated the Civil List. As a standing army is illegal, the Mutiny Act is passed every year, by which it becomes lawful to maintain that force. The Sovereign is by law bound to be a Protestant. As the control of the supplies is in the hands of the Commons, they can by that means check the power of the Sovereign, who, by unconstitutional measures, such as raising taxes without the consent of Parliament, forfeits the allegiance of his subjects. By the Septennial Act, the dissolution of Parliament must take place every seven years. The accession of a Sovereign to the throne must be followed by a new Parliament before the expiration of six months. KINGS OF ENGLAND SINCE THE CONQUEST. FROM WILLIAM I., 1066, TO VICTORIA, A.D. 1837. 1066 William I. Son of Ro- 62 Accident. Matilda of Flanders. bert, Dukeof 1. Matilda of Scotland. 2. Adelais of Louvain. Matildaof Boulogne. Eleanor of Guienne. Shot...... Berengaria of Na varre. 1. Aviza. 2. Isabella. Eleanorof Provence. 1. Eleanor of Castile. 2.Margaretof France 43 Murdered Isabella of France. 64 ......... 1307 Edward II. Son 1327 EdwardIII. Son 1377 Richard II. Grandson Houseof Lancaster PhilippaofHainault. 33 Murdered, 1. Anne of Bohemia. 2. Isabella of Valois. 1. Mary Bohun. 1399 Henry IV. Grandson of 45 XV 1413 Henry V. Son |