Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 6.djvu/561

A.D.1818.]

assemble, this did not apply to the decease of the king; and should this take place before the day fixed for the assembling of the new parliament, the old parliament—even though formally dissolved—would re-assemble: therefore, on the 10th of June—the very day after the passing of the supplementary alien bill—the prince regent came down to the house of lords, prorogued parliament, and then immediately the lord chancellor pronounced it dissolved. The members of the commons were taken by surprise. No such sudden dismissal had taken place since 1625, when Charles I.