House of Lords Precedence Act 1539
| Year | 1539 |
(31 Hen. 8) C A P. X.
'FOrasmuch as in all great Councils and Congregations of Men, having sundry Degrees and Offices in the Commonwealth, it is very requisite and convenient that an Order should be had and taken for the placing and sitting of such Persons as been bounden to resort to the same, to the Intent that they, knowing their Places, may use the same without Displeasure or Let of the Council; (2) therefore the King's most Royal Majesty, although it appertaineth unto his Prerogative Royal to give such Honour, Reputation and Placing to his Councellors, and other his Subjects, as shall be seeming to his most excellent Wisdom, is nevertheless pleased and contented, for an Order to be had and taken in this his most high Court of Parliament, that it shall be enacted by Authority of the same, in Manner and Form as hereafter followeth.
II None shall sit on either Side of the Cloth of Estate.
II. First, it is enacted by Authority aforesaid, That no Person or Persons, of what Estate, Degree or Condition soever he or they be of, (except only the King's Children) shall at any Time hereafter attempt or presume to sit or have Place at any Side of the Cloth of Estate in the Parliament Chamber, neither of the one Hand of the King's Highness, nor of the other, whether the King's Majesty be there personally present, or absent. '(2) And forasmuch as the King's Majesty is justly and lawfully supreme Head in Earth, under God, of the Church ofEngland , and for the good Exercise of the said most Royal Dignity and Office, hath made Thomas Lord Crumwel and Lord Privy Seal, his Vicegerent, for good and due Ministration of Justice to be had in all Causes and Cases touching the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, and for the Godly Reformation and Redress of all Errors, Heresies and Abuses in the said Church:' (3) It is therefore also enacted by Authorityaforesaid, That the said LordCrumwel , having the said Office of Vicegerent, and all other Persons which hereafter shall have the said Office of the Grant of the King's Highness, his Heirs or Successors, shall sit and be placed, as well in this present Parliament, as in all Parliaments to be holden hereafter, on the Right Side of the Parliament Chamber, and upon the same Form that the Archbishop of Canterbury sitteth on, and above the same Archbishop and his Successors, and shall have Voice in every Parliament to assent or dissent, as other the Lords of the Parliament.
III How Bishops shall be placed in the...
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