282 General History of Europe 467. Growth of the Powers of Parliament. The Parliament early took the stand that the king must agree to "redress of grievances" before it would grant him any money. This meant that the king had to promise to remedy any acts of himself or his officials of which Parliament complained before it would agree to let him raise the taxes. Instead of following the king about and meeting wherever he might happen to be, the Parliament from the time of Edward I began to hold its sessions in the city of West- minster, now a part of London, where it still continues to meet. Under Edward's successor, Edward II, Parliament solemnly declared (in 1322) that important matters relating to the king and his heirs, the state of the realm and of the people, should be considered and determined upon by the king "with the assent of the prelates, earls and barons, and the commonalty [that is, com- mons] of the realm." Five years later, Parliament showed its power by deposing the inefficient king, Edward II, and declaring his son, Edward III, the rightful ruler of England. The new king, who was carrying on an expensive war with France, needed much money and consequently summoned Par- liament every year, and, in order to encourage its members to grant him money, he gratified Parliament by asking its advice and listening to its petitions. He passed no new law without adding "by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and of the commons." 468. House of Lords and House of Commons. At this time the separation of the two houses of Parliament took place, and ever since the "lords spiritual and temporal" that is, the bishops and higher nobles have sat by themselves in the House of Lords ; and the members of the House of Commons, including the country gentlemen (knights) and the representatives elected by the more important towns, have met by themselves. Parliament thus made up is really a modern, not a medieval, institution, and we shall hear much of it later.
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