Standing Orders Of The House Of Lords


APPENDIX

The Act 31° Hen. 8. c. 10

FOR PLACING OF THE LORDS*[2]
  
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; therefore, the King's Most Royal Majesty, although it appertaineth unto His Prerogative Royal to give such Honour, Reputation, and placing to his Councillors, 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.
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. None shall sit on either side of the Cloth of Estate (except only the King's children).
  
II. And, forasmuch, as the King's Majesty is justly and lawfully Supreme Head in Earth under God of the Church of England.… Place of King's Vice­gerent in ecclesiastical jurisdiction. [Repealed 1948.]
  
III. And it is also enacted, That next to the said Vice-gerent shall sit the Archbishop of Canterbury; and then next to him, on the same form and side, shall sit the Archbishop of York; and next to him, on the same form and side, the Bishop of London; and next to him, on the same side and form, the Bishop of Durham; and next to him, on the same side and form, the Bishop of Winchester; and then all the other Bishops of both Provinces of Canterbury and York, shall sit and be placed on the same side, after their ancienties, as it hath been accustomed. Placing of the Archbishops and Bishops.
  
IV. And, forasmuch as such other Personages which now have and hereafter shall happen to have other great offices of the Realm; that is to say, the offices of the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, the Lord President of the King's most Honourable Council, the Lord Privy Seal, the Great Chamberlain of England, the Constable of England, the Marshal of England, the Lord Admiral, the Grand Master, or Lord Steward, of the King's most Honourable Household, the King's Chamberlain, and the King's Secretary, have not heretofore been appointed and ordered for the placing and sitting in the King's most High Court of Parliament, by reason of their Offices: It is, therefore, now ordained and enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, the Lord President of the King's Council, and the Lord Privy Seal, being of the degree of Barons of Parliament, or above, shall sit and be placed, as well in this present Parliament as in all other Parliaments hereafter to be holden, on the left side of the said Parliament Chamber, on the higher part of the form of the same side, above all Dukes, except only such as shall happen to be the King's son, the King's brother, the King's uncle, the King's nephew, or the King's brothers' or sisters' sons. Also of the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, the Lord President of the Council, and the Lord Privy Seal.
  
V. And it is also ordained and enacted by authority aforesaid, That the Great Chamberlain, the Constable, the Marshal, the Lord Admiral, the Great Master, or Lord Steward, and the King's Chamberlain shall sit and be placed after the Lord Privy Seal in manner and form following; that is to say, every of them shall sit and be placed above all other personages, being of the same estates and degrees that they shall happen to be; that is to say, the Great Chamberlain first, the Constable next, the Marshal third, the Lord Admiral the fourth, the Grand Master or Lord Steward the fifth, and the King's Chamberlain the sixth. Also of the Great Chamberlain, the Constable, the Marshal, the Lord Admiral, the Lord Steward and the King's Chamberlain.
  
VI. And it is also enacted by authority aforesaid, That the King's Chief Secretary, being of the degree of a Baron of the Parliament, shall sit and be placed afore and above all Barons not having any of the offices aforementioned; and if he be a Bishop, that then he shall sit and be placed above all other Bishops not having any of the offices above remembered. And the King's Chief Secretary being a Baron.
  
VII. And it is also ordained and enacted by authority aforesaid, That all Dukes not aforementioned, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons, not having any of the offices aforesaid, shall sit and be placed after their ancienty, as it hath been accustomed. Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscount and Barons to be placed after their ancienty.
  
VIII. And it is further enacted, That if any person or persons which at any time hereafter shall happen to have any of the said offices of Lord Chancellor, Lord Treasurer, Lord President of the King's Council, Lord Privy Seal, or Chief Secretary, shall be under the degree of a Baron of the Parliament, by reason whereof they can have no interest to give any assent or dissent in the said House, that then, in every such case, such of them as shall happen to be under the said degree of a Baron shall sit and be placed at the uppermost part of the sacks, in the midst of the said Parliament Chamber, either there to sit upon one form or upon the uppermost sack, the one of them above the other in order as is above rehearsed. Places of Great Officers under the degree of a Baron.
  
IX. …Places in Trial by Peers.
[Repealed 1948.]
  
X. And be it also enacted by authority aforesaid, That as well in all Parliaments as in all other Assemblies and Conferences of Council, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, the Lord President, the Lord Privy Seal, the Great Chamberlain, the Constable, the Marshal, the Lord Admiral, the Grand Master, or Lord Steward, the King's Chamberlain, and the King's Chief Secretary shall sit and be placed in such order and fashion as is above rehearsed and not in any other place, by authority of this present Act. Places of Great Officers in other Assemblies.





* 2   This was ordered to be added to the Book of Standing Orders by way of Appendix, 9 February 1825. Back


 
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