of a law, as was neceſſary by the civil law with regard to the emperors edicts: becauſe every man in England is, in judgment of law, party to the making of an act of parliament, being preſent thereat by his repreſentatives. However, a copy thereof is uſually printed at the king’s preſs, for the information of the whole land. And formerly, before the invention of printing, it was uſed to be publiſhed by the ſheriff of every county; the king’s writ being ſent to him at the end of every ſeſſion, together with a tranſcript of all the acts made at that ſeſſion, commanding him “ut ſtatuta illa, et omnes articulos in eiſdem contentos, in ſingulis locis ubi expedire viderit, publice proclamari, et firmiter teneri et obſervari faciat.” And the uſage was to proclaim them at his county court, and there to keep them, that whoever would might read or take copies thereof; which cuſtom continued till the reign of Henry the ſeventh[1].
An act of parliament, thus made, is the exerciſe of the higheſt authority that this kingdom acknowleges upon earth. It hath power to bind every ſubject in the land, and the dominions thereunto belonging; nay, even the king himſelf, if particularly named therein. And it cannot be altered, amended, diſpenſed with, ſuſpended, or repealed, but in the ſame forms and by the ſame authority of parliament: for it is a maxim in law, that it requires the ſame ſtrength to diſſolve, as to create an obligation. It is true it was formerly held, that the king might in many caſes diſpenſe with penal ſtatutes[2]: but now by ſtatute 1 W. & M. ſt. 2. c. 2. it is declared, that the ſuſpending or diſpenſing with laws by regal authority, without conſent of parliament, is illegal.
VII. There remains only, in the ſeventh and laſt place, to add a word or two concerning the manner in which parliaments may be adjourned, prorogued, or diſſolved.
