Habeas Corpus Act


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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