Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/181

Ch. 2. houe, or his menial ervants, is a high contempt of parliament, and there punihed with the utmot everity. It has likewie peculiar penalties annexed to it in the courts of law, by the tatutes 5 Hen. IV. c. 6. and 11 Hen. VI. c. 11. Neither can any member of either houe be arreted and taken into cutody, nor erved with any proces of the courts of law; nor can his menial ervants be arreted; nor can any entry be made on his lands; nor can his goods be ditrained or eied; without a breach of the privilege of parliament.

privileges however, which derogate from the common law, being only indulged to prevent the member’s being diverted from the public buines, endure no longer than the eion of parliament, ave only as to the freedom of his peron: which in a peer is for ever acred and inviolable; and in a commoner for forty days after every prorogation, and forty days before the next appointed meeting ; which is now in effect as long as the parliament ubits, it eldom being prorogued for more than four-core days at a time. As to all other privileges which obstruct the ordinary coure of jutice, they ceae by the tatutes 12 W. III. c. 3. and 11 Geo. II. c. 24. immediately after the diolution or prorogation of the parliament, or adjournment of the houes for above a fortnight; and during thee recees a peer, or member of the houe of commons, may be ued like an ordinary ubject, and in conequence of uch uits may be dipoeed of his lands and goods. In thee caes the king has alo his prerogative: he may ue for his debts, though not arret the peron of a member, during the itting of parliament; and by tatute 2 & 3 Ann. c. 18. a member may be ued during the itting of parliament for any midemenor or breach of trut in a public office. Likewie, for the benefit of commerce, it is provided by tatute 4 Geo. III c. 33, that any trader, having privilege of parliament, may be erved with legal proces for any jut debt, (to the amount of 100l.) and unles he makes atisfaction within two months, it hall be deemed an act of bankruptcy; and that commiions of bankrupt