1 Bl. Com. 188; 2. Dissolution effected by the demise of the crown: At common law, immediately upon the death of the reigning sovereign; by statutes 7 & 8 Wm. III, and 6 Anne, six months afterwards, unless sooner prorogued or dissolved by the successor. (1 Bl. Com. 188.) 3h. Dissolutions effected by length of time; W. C. 1. Doctrine at common law. The duration of parliament was only limited by the pleasure or death of the King, although it was required, at least by very early statutes (4 Edw. III, and 36 Edw. III), to be assembled every year. (1 Bl. Com. 189, n (83); Id. 153.) 2. Doctrine by Stat., 6 Wm. & M. c. 2, and 16 Car. II, c. 1. That a new parliament shall be called within three years after the determination of the former, and that the sittings shall not be intermitted above three years at the most. (1 Bl. Com. 153, and n (6).) 3. Doctrine by Stat. 1 Geo. I. That a parliament may endure seven years. (4 Bl. Com. 189.) CHAPTER III. OF THE KING AND HIS TITLES. 2. The King, or Supreme Executive power. So much as is necessary to be known touching the King may be stated under the heads following, namely: (1), The title to the crown; (2), The King's royal family; (3), The King's councils; (4), The King's duties; (5), The King's prerogative; (6), The King's revenue. (1 Bl. Com. 190.); W. C. 18. The title to the Crown. Out of regard to the publie tranquility, the rule of succession to the throne ought to be clear and indisputable. To that end, the crown is by common law and constitutional custom, hereditary; and this in a manner peculiar to itself; but that right of inheritance may from time to time be changed or limited by act of parliament; under which limitations, the crown still continues hereditary. (1 Bl. Com. 190-'91.) W. C. 1h. The attributes of the succession to the Crown. W. C. 1. The crown is in general hereditary, or descendible た to the next heir, on the death or demise of the last occupant of the throne. Succession by election, which would otherwise be the most natural and expedient mode of succession, proves upon experiment to give too much scope to faction, intrigue and violence. (1 Bl. Com. 191 & seq.) 21. Mode of descent of the Crown. In general the same as in case of lands, preferring males to females, and amongst males, the eldest; but a similar preference of the eldest exists as to the crown amongst females also, the régal functions being indivisible. Nor is the half-blood excluded. (1 BI. Com. 193-4.) 31. The hereditary right to the Crown is not indefeasible. Parliament (consisting of King, Lords and Commons), may alter the line of descent, exclude the immediate heir, and vest the inheritance in any one else. (1 Bl. Com. 195.) 4. However the Crown be limited or transferred, it is still hereditary in the wearer. 1 Bl. Com. 196. 2. Historical view of the succession to the Crown of England. 1 Bl. Com. 196, & seq.; 2 Steph. Com. 441, & seq. CHAPTER IV. OF THE KING'S ROYAL FAMILY. 2. The King's Royal Family. 1 Bl. Com. 217, & seq.; 2 Steph. Com. 465, & seq.; W.C. 1. The Queen; Wherein of 11. The queen regent, regnant, or sovereign. Has the same powers, prerogatives, rights, dignities and duties as if she had been a king; e. g., Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Anne, and Queen Victoria. (1 Bl Com. 217, & seq.) 2'. The Queen-consort. The wife of the reigning king, by virtue of her marriage, has divers prerogatives above other women; e. g., she is a public person, distinct from the king; pays no toll, is liable to no amercement in any court; but is still the King's subject, not his equal; she has many pecuniary advantages, and in point of security of life and limb has the same pro tection as the King. If accused of treason, she is tried by the peers of parliament. (1 Bl. Com. 218, & seq.) The husband of a queen regnant is her subject, as George of Denmark to Queen Anne, and Prince Albert to Queen Victoria. (1 Bl. Com. 222.) 3. The Queen-dowager. The Queen-dowager is the widow of the King, and enjoys most of the privileges belonging to her as queen-consort. (1 Bl. Com. 223.) 2h. The Prince of Wales, or heir apparent to the crown, his royal consort, and the princess-royal, or eldest daughter of the King. These are all by law peculiarly protected, because next in succession to the crown. (1 Bl. Com. 223, & seq.) 3h. The king's younger children and grandchildren. Being out of the immediate line of succession, they are entitled only to a certain degree of precedence before all peers and public officers. (1 Bl. Com. 224, & seq.; 2 Steph. Com. 472, & seq.) 4h. More remote relations of the king. Entitled not even to place or precedence, except what belongs to them by their personal rank or dignity. (1 Bl. Com. 225.) CHAPTER V. OF THE COUNCILS BELONGING to the King. 3'. The Councils belonging to the King; W. C. The councils belonging to the King consist of (1), The high court of Parliament; (2), The peers of the realm; (3), The judges; and (4), The Privy Council; W. C. 1. The High Court of Parliament. Already treated of, Ante, p. 68, 1o, &c. 2h. The Peers of the Realm. By virtue of their peerage they are hereditary counsellors of the crown, and may be called together by the King to impart their advice, either in time of parliament or when no parliament is sitting. (1 Bl. Com. 227, & seq.) 3. The Judges of the Courts of Law, for law-matters. 1 Bl. Com. 229. 4h. The Privy Council. Called, by way of eminence, the Council, and described by Sir Edward Coke as a noble, honorable, and reverend assembly of the King, such as he wills to be of his privy council. And as the King's will solely constitutes a privy councillor, so his will regulates the number, which anciently was about twelve, but having been inconveniently increased, it was by Charles II (in 1679) limited to thirty, and has since been again augmented, and is now indefinite. The inconvenience is obviated by ordinarily summoning to advise the sovereign those only who hold the principal offices of State, who are styled Cabinet-ministers. (1 Bl. Com. 230, & n (2); 2 Steph. Com. 480.); W. C. 1'. The Qualifications of a Privy Councillor. Must be a natural-born subject of England. (2 Steph. Com. 481; 1 Bl. Com. 230.) 21. The duty of a Privy Councillor. 1 Bl. Com. 230; 2 Steph. Com. 481. To advise the King honestly; to be secret; to avoid corruption; firmly to maintain the resolves of the council; and in all things to act the part of a good and true counsellor. 3. The power of the Privy Council. 1 Bl. Com. 231; 2 Steph. Com. 481. W. C. 1. To enquire into all offences against the government, and to commit the offenders. But not to punish them, nor to place them beyond the reach of the writ of habeas corpus. (1 Bl. Com. 231; 2 Steph. Com. 481.) 2k. To exercise certain judicial powers; W. C. 1. Mode of Administering the Judicial Power. This judicial power is administered by a committee of privy councillors, called the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, who hear the allegations and proofs, and report to the King in council, by whom the judgment is finally given. The Judicial Committee consists of the lord president of the council, the lord chancellor, the occupants of certain judicial offices for the time being, and all members of the council who have been president, chancellor, or who have held any of the said judicial offices. (2 Steph. Com. 482-23.) W. Č. 2. Cases wherein the Privy Council has Judicial Power. 2 Steph. Com. 482. W. C. 1. Colonial causes arising out of the jurisdiction of the kingdom. 2. Appeals from the lord-chancellor, in matters of lunacy, or idiocy. 3. Appeals from the Ecclesiastical and Maritime Courts. 4. Applications to prolong the terms of patents for new inventions, and to license the re-publication of books under the copyright act. 5. Questions between two provinces out of the realm; and claims asserted to an island or province, as a feudal principality. Upon principles of feudal sovereignty. 6. Appeals from the Colonial Courts. CHAPTER VI. OF THE KING'S DUTIES. 45. The King's Duties. The principal duty of the King is to govern his people according to law. Nec regibus infinita aut libera potestas, was the constitution of our German ancestors, according to Tacitus. And this is strongly expressed, not only by Bracton and Fortescue, but also in the Year-books (19 Hen. VI, 63)—“ La ley est le plus haute inheritance que le roy ad: car par la ley il même et touts ses sujets sont nelés, etsi le ley ne fuit, nul roi, et nul inheritance sera." It is also preserved and sanctioned by the terms of the coronation-oath: "I solemnly promise and swear to govern the people of this kingdom of England, and the dominions thereto belonging, according to the statutes in parliament agreed on, and the laws and customs of the same," &c. (1 Bl. Com. 233, & n (1), & seq.) CHAPTER VII. OF THE KING'S PREROGATIVE. 5. The King's Prerogative. The word prerogative signifies that special pre-eminence which the King has, in right of his royal dignity, above all other persons, and out of the ordinary course |