PRECEDENTS RELATING TO PARLIAMENTARY OATHS.
CASE of Attorney General Sir Francis Bacon, Commons Journals, Vol. 1, page 459, 11th April, 1614, continued from page 456, 8th April.
Eligibility of the Attorney General to sit in Parliament. By 46 Edward III., 1372, no practising barrister could be Knight of the Shire.
Page 459.—“The precedents to disable him ought to be showed on the other side.”
Page 460.—“Their Oath their own consciences to look unto, not we to examine it.”
At that date each Member had to make Oath that he was duly qualified.
1. Question whether he shall for this Parliament remain of the House or not:—Resolved, He shall.
2. Question.—Whether any Attorney General shall after this Parliament serve as a Member of this House:—Resolved, No.
CASE of John Wilkes, Esquire, Commons Journal, 38, page 977, 3rd May, 1782.
The House was moved, that the entry in the Journal of the House, of the 17th day of February, 1769, of the Resolution, “That John Wilkes, Esquire, having been in this Session of Parliament expelled this House, was and is incapable of being elected a Member to serve in this present Parliament,” might be read, and the same being read accordingly;