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Habeas Corpus Act
Jests Home
BISHOP BURNET relates a curious circumstance respecting the origin of
that important statute, the Habeas Corpus Act. It was carried, says
he, by an odd artifice in the House of Lords. Lord Grey and Lord Norris
were named to be the tellers. Lord Norris was not at all times attentive
to what he was doing; so a very fat lord coming in, Lord Grey counted
him for ten, as a jest at first; but seeing Lord Norris had not observed
it, he went on with this misreckoning of ten; so it was reported to
the House, and declared that they who were for the bill were the
majority, and by this means the bill passed.
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