Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/205

Ch. 2. well as duty, to make only uch laws as are good. The utmot extent of time that the ame parliament was allowed to it, by the tatute 6 W. & M. c. 2. was three years; after the expiration of which, reckoning from the return of the firt ummons, the parliament was to have no longer continuance. But by the tatute 1 Geo. I. t. 2. c. 38. (in order, profeedly, to prevent the great and continued expenes of frequent elections, and the violent heats and animoities conequent thereupon, and for the peace and ecurity of the government then jut recovering from the late rebellion) this term was prolonged to even years; and what alone is an intance of the vat authority of parliament, the very ame houe, that was choen for three years, enacted it’s own continuance for even. So that, as our contitution now tands, the parliament mut expire, or die a natural death, at the end of every eventh year; if not ooner diolved by the royal prerogative.