] This is the business of the courts in Westminster-hall, viz. the Court of Chancery, the Courts of King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer; the courts of the respective corporations, the sheriffs, and other inferior courts; the last resort, in all civil cases, being to the House of Peers.
Its Ecclesiastical Government.
] Is in the archbishops and bishops, who administer justice in their respective courts by their chancellors, officials, archdeacons, and other officers.
Of the Convocation.
] Whenever a parliament is called, the King always convokes a national synod of the clergy, to consider of the state of the church.
The clergy of the province of Canterbury, of the generality, assemble in St. Paul's cathedral, in London, and from thence adjourn to the chapter-house, or Westminster.
In this province there are two houses, the upper and the lower; the former consists of 22 bishops, of whom the archbishop is president; the latter consists of all the deans, archdeacons, the proctors of every chapter, and two proctors for the clergy of each diocese; in all 166.
The archbishop of York may hold a convocation of his clergy at the same time; but neither the one nor the other has been suffered to enter upon business for many years, though they are always regularly summoned to meet with every parliament, being looked upon as an essential part of the constitution.
Of the Parliament.
] Every parliament is summoned by the King's writs to meet forty-eight days before they assemble. A writ is directed to every particular lord, spiritual and temporal, commanding him to appear at a certain time and place, to treat and advise of certain weighty affairs relating both to church and state.