Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/116

xcviii xcviii • INTRODUCTION. iNTROD. together, reported to their several departments. Every question, it may be presumed, underwent a careful examination ; as the legislature, we are told, was usually divided into two parties, " the one maintaining the rights of the monarch, the other, those of the nation," corresponding nearly enough with those of our day. It was in the pow- er of any member to defeat the passage of a bill, by opposing to it his veto or dissent, formally regis- tered to that effect. He might even interpose his negative on the proceedings of the house, and thus put a stop to the prosecution of all further business during the session. This anomalous privilege, tran- scending even that claimed in the Polish diet, must have been too invidious in its exercise, and too pernicious in its consequences, to have been often resorted to. This may be inferred from the fact, that it was not formally repealed until the reign of Philip the Second, in 1592. During the interval of the sessions of the legislature, a deputation of eight was appointed, two from each arm, to preside over public affairs, particularly in regard to the revenue, and the security of justice ; with authori- ty to convoke a cortes extraordinary, whenever the exigency might demand it. ^° it« powers. The cortes exercised the highest functions wheth- er of a deliberative, legislative, or judicial nature. 40 Capmany, Practica y Estilo, son, misinterpreting^ a passage of pp. 44 et seq. — Martel, Forma de Ulancas, (Comnientarii, p. 375,) Celebrar Cortes, cap. 50, CO et states, that a "session of Cortes seq. — Fuerosy Obscrvancias, tom. continued forty days." (History i. fol. 229. — Blancas, Modo de of Charles V., vol. i. p. 140.) It Proccder, fol. 2 -4. — Zurita, An- usually lasted months, ales, tom. iii. fol. 321. — Robert-