(31 Hen 8 c 10)
An Acte for the placing of the [Lords] in the [Parliament][The short title was given to this Act by the Statute Law Reform Act 1948, s 5, Sch 2, The words in square brackets have been given modern spellings in Halsbury's Statutes.]
Forasmouche as in all great counsells and congregacions of men, having sundrie degrees and offices in the [commonwealth], yt is verie requisite and convenient that order shulde be had and taken for the placinge and sittinge of suche [persons] as bene bounde to resort to the same, to thentent that they knowinge their places maye use the same without displeasure or lett of the Counsell; therfore the Kinges most royall Majestie [althoughe] it apperteyneth unto his [prerogative] royall to give such honour [reputation] and placinge to his counsellors and other his [subjects] as shalbe semynge to his most excellent wisdome, ys nevertheles pleased and contented for an order to be had and taken in this his moste Highe Courte of Parliament, that it shall be enacted by auctoritie of the same in manner and forme as hereafter followeth; first it is enacted by auctoritie aforsaide that noe [person] or [persons] of what estate degree or [condition] soever he or they be of, excepte onlie the [King's] children, shall at any tyme hereafter attempte or [presume] to sytt or have place at any side of the clothe of estate in the pliament chamber, nother of the one hand of the [King's] Highnes nor of the other, whether the [King's] Majestie be there [personally present] or absent.
And forasmuche as the [King's] Majestie is justly and laufullie supreme hed in erthe, under God, of the Churche of Englande ... [repealed].
And [enacting words repealed] that next to the saide vicegerent, shall sitt the archebisshopp of Canterburie, and then next him on the same fourme and syde shall sytt the archebisshop of York and next to him on the same fourme and syde the bisshopp of London, and next to him on the same syde and fourme the bisshop of Duresme, and next to him on the same syde and fourme the bysshopp of Winchester; and then all the other bisshoppes of both [provinces] of Canterburie and Yorke shall sytt and be placed on the same side after their auncyentes as it hath bene accustomed.
And forasmuche as suche other [personages which] now have and herefater shall happen to have other great offices of the realme, that is to say, the offices of the lorde chauncellour, the lorde tresorer, the lorde president of the [King's] most honorable counsell, the lorde privey seale, the great chamberleyn of Englande, the constable of Englande, the marciall of Englande, the lorde admyrall, the graunde maister or lorde stewarde of the [King's] most honorable householde, the Kinges chamberleyn, and the Kinges secretarie, hathe not heretofore bene appointed and ordered for the placinge and sittinge in the [King's] most Highe Courte of Parliament by reason of their offices, it is therefore nowe ordeyned and enacted by thauctoritie aforesaide that the lorde chauncellour, the lorde treasourer, the lorde precident of the [King's] counsell and the lorde privey seale beinge of the degree of barons of the Parliament, or above, shall sytt and be placed, aswell in this [present] Parliament as in all other [Parliaments] hereafter to be holden, on the lyfte syde of the saide parliament chamber on the higher parte of the fourme of the same side, above all dukes, excepte onlie suche as shall happen to be the Kinges sonne, the Kinges brother, the Kinges uncle, the Kinges nephewe or the Kinges brothers or sisters sonnes.
And [enacting words repealed] that the great chamberleyn, the constable, the marciall, the lorde admyrall, the great maister or lorde stewarde and the Kinges chamberleyn, shall sytt and be placed after the lorde privie seale in manner and forme followinge that is to saye; everie of them shall sitt and be placed above all other [personage] being of the same estates and degrees that they shall happen to be; that is to say, the great chamberleyn first, the constable next, the marciall thirde, the lorde admyrall the fourth, the graunde maister or lorde stewarde the fiveth, and the [King's] chamberleyn the sixt.
And [enacting words repealed] that the Kinges chief secretory beinge of the degre of a baron of the Parliament shall sytt and be placed afore and above all baronys, not havinge eny of the offices aforemencioned; and if he be a bisshoppe, that then he shall sytt and be placed above all other bisshopps, not havinge any of the offices above remembred.
And [enacting words repealed] that all dukes not afore mencioned, marquesses earles [viscounts] and not havinge anye of the offices aforesaide, shall sytt and be placed after ther [ancients] as it hathe been accustomed.
And [enacting words repealed] that if any [person] or [persons which] at any tyme hereafter shall happen to have anye of the saide offices of lorde chauncelor, lorde treasorer, lorde precident of the [King's] counsell, lorde privey seale or chief secretorie, shalbe under the degree of a baron of the Parliament, by reason whereof they can have no interest to give any assent or dissent in the saide House, that then in everie case suche of them as shall happen to be under the saide degree of a baron, shall sitt and be placed at the uppermost parte of the sakkes in the middes of the saide parliament chamber, eyther there to sytt uppon one fourme or uppon the uppermost sakk, the one of them above the other in order as is above rehersed.
9 [Repealed]
And ... that aswell in all [Parliaments] as in all other assemblies and [conferences] of counsell, the lorde chauncelor, the lorde tresorer, the lorde precident, the lorde privey seale, the great chamberleyn, the constable, the marciall, the lorde admyrall, the graunde maister or lorde stewarde, the Kinges chamberleyn, and the [King's] chief secretorie, shall sytt and be placed in suche order and fashion above rehersed, & not in any other place by auctoritie of this [present] Acte.