bishops were indeed peers, they would be free to send petitions. Since there was no doubt that the petition was actually sent, while the court still ruled the bishops not guilty, it appears that it was taken for granted that the bishops were counsellors of the Crown.

Nevertheless, the Standing Orders of the House of Lords provide, "Bishops to whom a writ of summons has been issued are not Peers but are Lords of Parliament."

Number

In the early history of the Parliament of England,

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