Duration of English parliaments before 1660

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This article augments the List of parliaments of England to be found elsewhere (see link below) and to precede Duration of English, British and United Kingdom parliaments from 1660, with additional information which could not be conveniently incorporated in them.

The definition of which bodies should be classified as parliaments becomes increasingly problematic before the accession of the Tudor monarchs, starting with King Henry VII. Different sources may vary in the number of Parliaments in a particular reign.

The "No." columns in the tables below contain the number counting forward from the accession of particular monarchs of England before 1660 (or the Commonwealth and Protectorate regimes of the 1650s). The "-Plt" columns count backwards from the parliament elected in 2005. This is not the conventional way of numbering parliaments.

The "Duration" column is calculated from the date of the first meeting of the parliament to that of dissolution, using a year-month-day format.

## Origin of parliament

[edit]

Parliament grew out of the Curia Regis, which was a body which advised the king on legislative matters. It had come into existence after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It replaced the earlier Anglo-Saxon institution of the Witenagemot, which had a similar mix of important clerical and lay members, but different powers.

The Curia Regis (known in English as the council or court) was composed of prominent church leaders (archbishops, bishops and some abbots) and the king's feudal tenants-in-chief (in effect the landowning aristocracy, the earls and barons).

The point at which some meetings of the prelates and lay magnates became known as parliaments is difficult to define precisely.

The term parliamentum was used in the general sense of a meeting at which negotiations took place. The word began to be used to refer to meetings of the council in the 1230s and 1240s. The earliest known official use was by the Court of King's Bench which in November 1236 adjourned a case to be heard at a parliamentum at Westminster due on the following 13 January.

A meeting of the council was held at Merton Abbey in 1236. This gathering became known as the Parliament of Merton. It passed certain legislation, which constitutes the first entry in the official collection of the statutes of England, published in the nineteenth century.

It may be that the meeting at Merton involved no innovation, but owes its prominence to the chance survival of some records which were copied into a collection of statutes from the second half of the fourteenth century.

The list of parliaments in this article commences with a meeting in London in 1242, which was summoned in 1241. This again may not have represented any real innovation, but rather is given prominence by the chance survival of records. Powell and Wallis confirm that a copy of the writ of summons has survived, possibly the earliest still in existence. Dramatic political events at the meeting were recorded by the chronicler Matthew Paris, so it is known that the king asked for a tax, which the council (retrospectively dubbed a parliament) refused to grant. It is unlikely that the gathering was seen by contemporaries as any different from the similar meetings of the Curia Regis that had been held since the Conquest, but as a list of parliaments must start at some time this was the meeting chosen by the source from which this list is drawn.

## List of parliaments from 1241

[edit]

The English civil year started on 25 March until 1752. The years used in this article have been converted to the new style where necessary. Old style dates are a year earlier than the new style for dates between 1 January and 24 March. No attempt has been made to compensate for the eleven days which did not occur in September 1752, both in England and Scotland, as well as in other British controlled territories, when the day which followed 2 September was 14 September. This was done to bring Britain and its empire fully into line with the Gregorian calendar.

There were some meetings before 1241 which are sometimes called parliaments, notably the Parliament of Merton in 1236.

Early parliaments did not, so far as is known, include representatives of the communities (or commons) of England. They were composed of important church officials and landowners, whom the king summoned individually to advise him, similar to the group of men which eventually became known as the House of Lords.

The sheriffs of the English counties were ordered to send knights of the shire to attend a number of parliaments before 1265, but they were not required to have them chosen by election. No such summonses are known to have required the attendance of citizens of cities or burgesses of other boroughs. Records of this sort of summons survive for the Oxford Parliament, which was the seventh parliament of King Henry III, assembled 27 October 1258 and presumed dissolved when writs de expensis were issued on 4 November 1258, and for the same king's sixteenth parliament, summoned on 4 June 1264 and assembled on 22 June 1264, although the date of dissolution is unknown.

Montfort's Parliament of 1265 was the first parliament of England to include representatives chosen by the counties (or shires), the cities, and the boroughs, groups who eventually became the House of Commons, although to begin with Lords and Commons met all together,

In 1320 it became the invariable practice to summon the Commons to Parliament. If the Commons were not summoned to an early parliament, this is indicated in a footnote. The normal place for parliaments to meet was in Westminster. If a different location is known, it is indicated in a note. Unusual features of the dates of summons, attendance or dissolution of a parliament are included in a note.

## Parliaments of King Henry III

[edit]

King Henry III reigned between 18/19 October 1216 and 16 November 1272.

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Presiding officer¹ | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st² | 14 December 1241 | n/a | 27 January 1242 | ... | ... | n/a | 347 | ...
2nd² | ... | n/a | 9 February 1248 | ... | ... | n/a | 346 | ...
3rd² | 11 February 1254 | n/a | 26 April 1254 | ... | ... | n/a | 345 | ...
4th² | ... | n/a | 18 April 1255 | ... | ... | n/a | 344 | ...
5th² | ... | n/a | 9 June 1258 | ... | ... | n/a | 343 | ...
6th² | ... | n/a | 13 October 1258 | ... | ... | n/a | 342 | ...
7th | ... | n/a | 27 October 1258 | 4 November 1258 | 0-0-9 | Peter de Montfort | 341 | a
8th² | ... | n/a | 9 February 1259 | ... | ... | n/a | 340 | ...
9th² | ... | n/a | 13 October 1259 | ... | ... | n/a | 339 | ...
10th² | ... | n/a | >30 April 1260 | ... | ... | n/a | 338 | b
11th² | ... | n/a | 8 July 1260 | ... | ... | n/a | 337 | ...
12th² | ... | n/a | 13 October 1260 | ... | ... | n/a | 336 | ...
13th² | ... | n/a | c.23 February 1261 | ... | ... | n/a | 335 | b
14th² | ... | n/a | 9 September 1263 | >18 September 1263 | 0-0-10+ | n/a | 334 | c
15th² | ... | n/a | 13 October 1263 | ... | ... | n/a | 333 | ...
16th | 4 June 1264 | n/a | 22 June 1264 | ... | ... | n/a | 332 | d
17th | 14 December 1264 | 1264/65 | 20 January 1265 | 15 February 1265 | 0-0-27 | unknown | 331 | e
18th² | ... | n/a | 14 September 1265 | ... | ... | n/a | 330 | ...
19th² | ... | n/a | 9 February 1267 | ... | ... | n/a | 329 | ...
20th² | ... | n/a | 13 October 1268 | ... | ... | n/a | 328 | ...
21st² | ... | n/a | 24 June 1269 | ... | ... | n/a | 327 | ...
22nd² | ... | n/a | c.13 October 1270 | ... | ... | n/a | 326 | b
23rd² | ... | n/a | c.>29 September 1272 | ... | ... | n/a | 325 | b

Notes:-

1 The presiding officer of the House of Commons was initially known as the "Prolocutor" and sometimes as the Parlour, but the term most often used was "Speaker" and this became the title always used from the 1540s onwards.
2 No commoners were summoned.

* (a) 7th: This Parliament was at Oxford. It is sometimes known as the Mad Parliament. Knights of the shire (representing counties) were the only commoners summoned. They were not required to be chosen by election. The date writs de expenses were issued is assumed to be the date of dissolution.
* (b) The exact date when the Parliament assembled is unknown.
* (c) The exact date when the Parliament was dissolved is unknown.
* (d) 16th: Knights of the shire were the only commoners summoned. They were not required to be chosen by election.
* (e) 17th: It is sometimes known as Montfort's Parliament. This is the first Parliament to which representatives of cities and boroughs were summoned, as well as knights of the shire. It is also the first Parliament to which the representatives were required to be chosen by election. The date writs de expenses were issued is assumed to be the date of dissolution.

## Parliaments of King Edward I

[edit]

King Edward I reigned between 20 November 1272 - 7 July 1307.

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Presiding officer¹ | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 16 February 1275 | 1275 | 25 April 1275 | ... | ... | unknown | 324 | a
2nd | 1 September 1275 | 1275 | 13 October 1275 | 24 October 1275 | 0-0-12 | unknown | 323 | b
3rd² | ... | n/a | c.3 May 1276 | ... | ... | n/a | 322 | c
4th² | ... | n/a | >29 September 1276 | ... | ... | n/a | 321 | c
5th² | ... | n/a | 1 May 1278 | ... | ... | n/a | 320 | ...
6th² | ... | n/a | 8 July 1278 | ... | ... | n/a | 319 | ...
7th² | ... | n/a | 29 September 1278 | ... | ... | n/a | 318 | ...
8th² | ... | n/a | c.16 April 1279 | ... | ... | n/a | 317 | c
9th² | ... | n/a | c.20 October 1279 | ... | ... | n/a | 316 | c
10th² | ... | n/a | c.12 May 1280 | ... | ... | n/a | 315 | c
11th² | ... | n/a | c.>29 September 1280 | ... | ... | n/a | 314 | c
12th² | ... | n/a | c.11 May 1281 | ... | ... | n/a | 313 | c
13th² | ... | n/a | c.>29 September 1281 | ... | ... | n/a | 312 | c
14th² | ... | n/a | 4 May 1285 | ... | ... | n/a | 311 | ...
15th² | ... | n/a | c.>14 April 1286 | ... | ... | n/a | 310 | c
16th² | ... | n/a | c.24 April 1286 | ... | ... | n/a | 309 | c
17th² | ... | n/a | >25 December 1289 | ... | ... | n/a | 308 | c
18th² | ... | n/a | >13 January 1290 | ... | ... | n/a | 307 | c
19th | 13 June 1290 | 1290 | 15 July 1290 | ... | ... | unknown | 306 | d
20th | ... | 1290 | 27 October 1290 | ... | ... | unknown | 305 | ...
21st | ... | 1290/91 | 7 January 1291 | ... | ... | unknown | 304 | ...
22nd | ... | 1291/92 | 8 January 1292 | ... | ... | unknown | 303 | ...
23rd² | ... | n/a | 2 June 1292 | ... | ... | n/a | 302 | e
24th² | ... | n/a | 13 October 1292 | 17 November 1292 | 0-1-4 | n/a | 301 | e
25th | ... | ?1293 | >29 March 1293 | ... | ... | unknown | 300 | c
26th | ... | 1293 | 13 October 1293 | ... | ... | unknown | 299 | ...
27th | ... | 1293 | >25 December 1293 | ... | ... | unknown | 298 | c
28th² | 24 June 1295 | n/a | 1-4 August 1295 | ... | ... | n/a | 297 | c
29th | 30 September 1295+ | 1295 | 27 November 1295 | 4 December 1295 | 0-0-8 | unknown | 296 | f
30th | 26 August 1296 | 1296 | 3 November 1296 | 29 November 1296 | 0-0-27 | unknown | 295 | g
31st² | 26 January 1297 | n/a | 24 February 1297 | ... | ... | n/a | 294 | ...
32nd² | ... | n/a | 8 July 1297 | ... | ... | n/a | 293 | ...
33rd | 6 October 1297 | 1297 | 15 September 1297 | 14 October 1297 | 0-1-5 | unknown | 292 | h
34th | 15 March 1298 | March 1298 | 30 March 1298 | ... | ... | unknown | 291 | i
35th | 10 April 1298 | 1298 | 25 May 1298 | ... | ... | unknown | 290 | j
36th² | 6 February 1299 | n/a | 8 March 1299 | ... | ... | n/a | 289 | ...
37th² | 10 April 1299 | n/a | 3 May 1299 | ... | ... | n/a | 288 | ...
38th² | 21 September 1299 | n/a | 18 October 1299 | ... | ... | n/a | 287 | ...
39th | 29 December 1299 | 1299/00 | 6 March 1300 | 20 March 1300 | 0-0-15 | unknown | 286 | k
40th | 26 September 1300 | 1300/01 | 20 January 1301 | 30 January 1301 | 0-0-8/11 | unknown | 285 | l
41st² | 2 June 1302 | n/a | 1 July 1302 | ... | ... | n/a | 284 | ...
42nd | 14 July 1302 | 1302 | 14 October 1302 | 21 October 1302 | 0-0-8 | unknown | 283 | m
43rd | 12 November 1304 | 1304/05 | 28 February 1305 | 20 March 1305 | 0-0-21 | unknown | 282 | k
44th² | 15 July 1305 | n/a | 15 September 1305 | ... | ... | n/a | 281 | ...
45th | 5 April 1306 | 1306 | 30 May 1306 | 30 May 1306 | 0-0-1 | unknown | 280 | n
46th | 3 November 1306 | 1306/07 | 20 January 1307 | 19 March 1307 | 0-1-27 | unknown | 279 | o

Notes:-

1 The presiding officer of the House of Commons was initially known as the "Prolocutor" and sometimes as the Parlour, but the term most often used was "Speaker" and this became the title always used from the 1540s onwards.
2 No commoners were summoned.

* (a) 1st: For the first time since 1264-65 the representatives of the communities of the Realm are known to have been summoned to Parliament.
* (b) 2nd: The knights of the shires only were summoned to this Parliament. Date of grant of supply is deemed to be the date of dissolution.
* (c) The exact date when the Parliament assembled is unknown.
* (d) 19th: Knights only summoned 13-14 June 1290. Assembled 23 April 1290 Lords and 15 July 1290 Commons. After this Parliament it became fairly usual for the representatives of the counties, cities and boroughs to be summoned to attend Parliament and from 1320 they were always included.
* (e) This Parliament included Scottish members.
* (f) 29th: Model Parliament summoned 30 September, 1 and 3 October 1295. This is the traditional start of the regular participation of the Commons in Parliament. Date of grant of supply is deemed to be the date of dissolution.
* (g) Date of grant of supply is deemed to be the date of dissolution.
* (h) 33rd: Summoned 30 September 1297 (peers) and 6 October 1297 (knights of the shire). Assembled 9 October 1297 Lords and 15 October 1297 Commons. Met in London. Date of grant of supply is deemed to be the date of dissolution.
* (i) 34th: Met in York.
* (j) 35th: Summoned 10, 11 and 13 April 1298.
* (k) Date of issue of Writs de expensis is deemed to be the date of dissolution.
* (l) 40th: Met in Lincoln. Dissolved 27-30 January 1301 (when writs de expensis were issued).
* (m) 42nd: Summoned 14, 20 and 24 July 1303. Met in London. Date of issue of Writs de expensis deemed to be the date of dissolution.
* (n) 45th: Assembled and dissolved 30 May 1306. Date of issue of Writs de expensis is deemed to be the date of dissolution.
* (o) 46th: Met in Carlisle. Deemed dissolved when writs de expensis were issued 20 January 1307 (burgesses only) and 19 March 1307 (knights only).

## Parliaments of King Edward II

[edit]

King Edward II reigned between 7 July 1307 – 20 January 1327.

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Presiding Officer¹ | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 26 August 1307 | 1307 | 13 October 1307 | 16 October 1307 | 0-0-4 | unknown | 278 | a
2nd | 19 January 1308 | 1308 | 3 March 1308 | ... | ... | unknown | 277 | ...
3rd² | 10 March 1308 | n/a | 28 April 1308 | ... | ... | n/a | 276 | ...
4th² | 16 August 1308 | n/a | 20 October 1308 | ... | ... | n/a | 275 | ...
5th | 4 March 1309 | 1309 | 27 April 1309 | 13 May 1309 | 0-0-17 | unknown | 274 | a
6th² | 11 June 1309 | n/a | 27 July 1309 | ... | ... | n/a | 273 | ...
7th² | 26 October 1309 | n/a | 8 February 1310 | 12 April 1310 | 0-2-4 | n/a | 272 | ...
8th | 16 June 1311 | 1311 | 8 August 1311 | 18 December 1311 | 0-4-10 | unknown | 271 | b
9th | 3 June 1312 | 1312 | 20 August 1312 | 16 December 1312 | 0-3-27 | unknown | 270 | a
10th | 8 January 1313 | 1313 | 18 March 1313 | 9 May 1313 | 0-1-22 | unknown | 269 | a
11th | 23 May 1313 | 1313 | 8 July 1313 | 27 July 1313 | 0-0-20 | unknown | 268 | a
12th | 26 July 1313 | 1313 | 23 September 1313 | 15 November 1313 | 0-1-23 | unknown | 267 | a
13th | 29 July 1314 | 1314 | 9 September 1314 | 27/28 September 1314 | 0-0-19/20 | unknown | 266 | a
14th | 24 October 1314 | 1314/15 | 20 January 1315 | 9 March 1315 | 0-1-17 | unknown | 265 | a
15th | 16 October 1315 | 1315/16 | 27 January 1316 | 20 February 1316 | 0-0-25 | unknown | 264 | c
16th | 24-25 August 1318 | 1318 | 20 October 1318 | 9 December 1318 | 0-1-19 | unknown | 263 | a
17th | 20 March 1319 | 1319 | 6 May 1319 | 25 May 1319 | 0-0-20 | unknown | 262 | a
18th² | 6 November 1319 | n/a | 20 January 1320 | ... | ... | n/a | 261 | ...
19th | 5 August 1320 | 1320 | 6 October 1320 | 25/26 October 1320 | 0-0-20/21 | unknown | 260 | a
20th | 15 May 1321 | 1321 | 15 July 1321 | 22 August 1321 | 0-1-7 | unknown | 259 | a
21st | 14 March 1322 | 1322 | 2 May 1322 | 19 May 1322 | 0-0-18 | unknown | 258 | a
22nd | 18 September 1322 | 1322 | 14 November 1322 | 29 November 1322 | 0-0-16 | unknown | 257 | d
23rd | 20 November 1323 | 1323/24 | 23 February 1324 | 18 March 1324 | 0-0-25 | unknown | 256 | a
24th | 6 May 1325 | 1325 | 25 June 1325 | ... | ... | unknown | 255 | e
25th | 10 October 1325 | 1325 | 18 November 1325 | 5 December 1325 | 0-0-18 | unknown | 254 | a
26th | 28 October 1326 | 1326/27 | 7 January 1327 | ... | ... | William Trussell | 253 | f

Notes:-

1 The presiding officer of the House of Commons was initially known as the "Prolocutor" and sometimes as the Parlour, but the term most often used was "Speaker" and this became the title always used from the 1540s onwards.
2 No commoners were summoned.

* (a) The date writs de expenses were issued is assumed to be the date of dissolution.
* (b) 8th: Met in London. The date writs de expenses were issued is assumed to be the date of dissolution.
* (c) 15th: Met in Lincoln. The date writs de expenses were issued is assumed to be the date of dissolution.
* (d) 15th: Met in York. The date writs de expenses were issued is assumed to be the date of dissolution.
* (e) 24th: Only MPs for the Cinque Ports were summoned. Met in London. The date writs de expenses were issued is assumed to be the date of dissolution.
* (f) 26th: This Parliament continued after the deposition of the King into the next reign. See 1st Parliament of King Edward III of England for further details and duration.

## Parliaments of King Edward III

[edit]

King Edward III reigned between 25 January 1327 – 21 June 1377.

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Presiding Officer¹ | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | ... | ... | ... | 9 March 1327 | 0-2-2 | William Trussell | 253 | a
2nd | 7 August 1327 | 1327 | 15 September 1327 | 23 September 1327 | 0-0-9 | William Trussell | 252 | b
3rd | 10 December 1327 | 1327/28 | 7 February 1328 | 5 March 1328 | 0-0-28 | unknown | 251 | c
4th | 5 March 1328 | 1328 | 24 April 1328 | 14 May 1328 | 0-0-21 | unknown | 250 | d
5th | 28 August 1328 | 1328 | 16 October 1328 | 22 February 1329 | 0-4-6 | unknown | 249 | e
6th | 25 January 1330 | 1330 | 11 March 1330 | 21 March 1330 | 0-0-11 | unknown | 248 | d
7th | 23 October 1330 | 1330 | 26 November 1330 | 9 December 1330 | 0-0-14 | unknown | 247 | f
8th | 16 July 1331 | 1331 | 30 September 1331 | 9 October 1331 | 0-0-10 | unknown | 246 | b
9th | 27 January 1332 | 1332 | 16 March 1332 | 21 March 1332 | 0-0-6 | Henry de Beaumont | 245 | g
10th | 20 July 1332 | 1332 | 9 September 1332 | 12 September 1332 | 0-0-4 | Sir Geoffrey le Scrope | 244 | b
11th | 20 October 1332 | 1332 | 4 December 1332 | 27 January 1333 | 0-1-23 | unknown | 243 | ...
12th | 2 January 1334 | 1334 | 21 February 1334 | 2 March 1334 | 0-0-10 | unknown | 242 | b
13th | 24 July 1334 | 1334 | 19 September 1334 | 23 September 1334 | 0-0-5 | unknown | 241 | d
14th | 1 April 1335 | 1335 | 26 May 1335 | 3 June 1335 | 0-0-9 | unknown | 240 | b
15th | 22 January 1336 | 1336 | 11 March 1336 | 20 March 1336 | 0-0-10 | unknown | 239 | d
16th | 29 November 1336 | 1336/37 | 3 March 1337 | c.16 March 1337 | 0-0-14 | unknown | 238 | ...
17th | 20 December 1337 | 1337/38 | 3 February 1338 | 14 February 1338 | 0-0-12 | unknown | 237 | h
18th | 15 November 1338 | 1338/39 | 3 February 1339 | 17 February 1339 | 0-0-15 | unknown | 236 | b
19th | 25 August 1339 | 1339 | 13 October 1339 | c.3 November 1339 | 0-0-22 | unknown | 235 | i
20th | 16 November 1339 | 1339/40 | 20 January 1340 | 19 February 1340 | 0-0-31 | William Trussell | 234 | ...
21st | 21 February 1340 | 1340 | 29 March 1340 | 10 May 1340 | 0-1-11 | William Trussell | 233 | b
22nd | 30 May 1340 | 1340 | 12 July 1340 | 26 July 1340 | 0-0-15 | William Trussell | 232 | b
23rd | 3 March 1341 | 1341 | 23 April 1341 | 27-28 May 1341 | 0-1-4/5 | unknown | 231 | b
24th | 24 February 1343 | 1343 | 28 April 1343 | 20 May 1343 | 0-0-23 | William Trussell | 230 | b
25th | 20 April 1344 | 1344 | 7 June 1344 | 28 June 1344 | 0-0-22 | unknown | 229 | b
26th | 30 July 1346 | 1346 | 11 September 1346 | 20 September 1346 | 0-0-10 | unknown | 228 | b
27th | 13 November 1347 | 1347/48 | 14 January 1348 | 12 February 1348 | 0-0-30 | William de Thorpe | 227 | b
28th | 14 February 1348 | 1348 | 31 March 1348 | 13 April 1348 | 0-0-14 | William de Thorpe | 226 | b
29th | 25 November 1350 | 1350/51 | 9 February 1351 | 1 March 1351 | 0-0-21 | William de Shareshull | 225 | b
30th | 15 November 1351 | 1351/52 | 13 January 1352 | 11 February 1352 | 0-0-30 | William de Shareshull | 224 | b
31st | 15 March 1354 | 1354 | 28 April 1354 | 20 May 1354 | 0-0-23 | unknown | 223 | b
32nd | 20 September 1355 | 1355 | 23 November 1355 | 30 November 1355 | 0-0-8 | unknown | 222 | b
33rd | 15 February 1357 | 1357 | 17 April 1357 | 8-16 May 1357 | 0-0-22/30 | unknown | 221 | b
34th | 15 December 1357 | 1357/58 | 5 February 1358 | 27 February 1358 | 0-0-23 | unknown | 220 | b
35th | 3 April 1360 | 1360 | 15 May 1360 | ... | ... | unknown | 219 | ...
36th | 20 November 1360 | 1360/61 | 24 January 1361 | 18 February 1361 | 0-0-26 | unknown | 218 | b
37th | 14 August 1362 | 1362 | 13 October 1362 | 17 November 1362 | 0-1-4 | Sir Henry Green | 217 | b
38th | 1 June 1363 | 1363 | 6 October 1363 | 30 October 1363 | 0-0-25 | unknown | 216 | b
39th | 4 December 1364 | 1364/65 | 20 January 1365 | 17 February 1365 | 0-0-28 | unknown | 215 | ...
40th | 20 January 1366 | 1366 | 4 May 1366 | 11 May 1366 | 0-0-8 | unknown | 214 | ...
41st | 24 February 1368 | 1368 | 1 May 1368 | 21 May 1368 | 0-0-21 | unknown | 213 | ...
42nd | 6 April 1369 | 1369 | 3 June 1369 | 11 June 1369 | 0-0-9 | unknown | 212 | b
43rd | 8 January 1371 | 1371 | 24 February 1371 | 29 March 1371 | 0-1-5 | unknown | 211 | b
44th | 1 September 1372 | 1372 | 3 November 1372 | 24 November 1372 | 0-0-22 | unknown | 210 | b
45th | 4 October 1373 | 1373 | 21 November 1373 | 10 December 1373 | 0-0-20 | unknown | 209 | b
46th | 28 December 1375 | 1375/76 | 28 April 1376 | 10 July 1376 | 0-2-13 | Sir Peter de la Mare | 208 | j
47th | 1 December 1376 | 1376/77 | 27 January 1377 | 2 March 1377 | 0-1-3 | Sir Thomas Hungerford² | 207 | k

Notes:-

1 The presiding officer of the House of Commons was initially known as the "Prolocutor" and sometimes as the Parlour, but the term most often used was "Speaker" and this became the title always used from the 1540s onwards.
2 Hungerford was the first presiding officer of the Commons to be recorded as having the title of Speaker.

* (a) 1st: Continued from the last reign. Date of issue of writs de expensis deemed to be date of dissolution.
* (b) Date of issue of writs de expensis deemed to be date of dissolution.
* (c) Met at Lincoln. Date of issue of writs de expensis deemed to be date of dissolution.
* (d) Met at York. Date of issue of writs de expensis deemed to be date of dissolution.
* (e) 5th: May have met at New Sarum (now more commonly called Salisbury), York or Northampton, as it is uncertain which meeting was of this Parliament and which were gatherings of lesser status. Date of issue of writs de expensis deemed to be date of dissolution.
* (f) Met at New Sarum (now more commonly called Salisbury). Date of issue of writs de expensis deemed to be date of dissolution.
* (g) Met at Winchester. Date of issue of writs de expensis deemed to be date of dissolution.
* (h) Met at Northampton. Date of issue of writs de expensis deemed to be date of dissolution.
* (i) Met at Northampton.
* (j) 46th: Known as the Good Parliament.
* (k) 47th: Known as the Bad Parliament. Date of issue of writs de expensis deemed to be date of dissolution.

## Parliaments of King Richard II

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 4 August 1377 | 1377 | 13 October 1377 | 5 December 1377 | ... | Sir Peter de la Mare | 206 | ...
2nd | 3 September 1378 | 1378 | 20 October 1378 | 16 November 1378 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 205 | ...
3rd | 16 February 1379 | 1379 | 24 April 1379 | 27 May 1379 | ... | unknown | 204 | ...
4th | 20 October 1379 | 1379/80 | 16 January 1380 | 3 March 1380 | ... | Sir John Guildesborough | 203 | ...
5th | 26 August 1380 | 1380 | 5 November 1380 | 6 December 1380 | ... | Sir John Guildesborough | 202 | ...
6th | 16 July 1381 | 1381 | 3 November 1381 | 25 February 1382 | ... | Sir Richard Waldegrave | 201 | ...
7th | 24 March 1382 | 1382 | 7 May 1382 | 22 May 1382 | ... | Sir Richard Waldegrave | 200 | ...
8th | 9 August 1382 | 1382 | 6 October 1382 | 24 October 1382 | ... | Sir Richard Waldegrave | 199 | ...
9th | 7 January 1383 | 1383 | 23 February 1383 | 10 March 1383 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 198 | ...
10th | 20 August 1383 | 1383 | 26 October 1383 | 26 November 1383 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 197 | ...
11th | 3 March 1384 | 1384 | 29 April 1384 | 27 May 1384 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 196 | ...
12th | 28 September 1384 | 1384 | 12 November 1384 | 14 December 1384 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 195 | ...
13th | 3 September 1385 | 1385 | 20 October 1385 | 6 December 1385 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 194 | ...
14th | 8 August 1386 | 1386 | 1 October 1386 | 28 November 1386 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 193 | a
15th | 17 December 1387 | 1387/88 | 3 February 1388 | 4 June 1388 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 192 | b
16th | 28 July 1388 | 1388 | 9 September 1388 | 17 October 1388 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 191 | ...
17th | 6 December 1389 | 1389/90 | 17 January 1390 | 2 March 1390 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 190 | ...
18th | 12 September 1390 | 1390 | 12 November 1390 | 3 December 1390 | ... | Sir James Pickering | 189 | ...
19th | 7 September 1391 | 1391 | 3 November 1391 | 2 December 1391 | ... | unknown | 188 | ...
20th | 23 November 1392 | 1392/93 | 20 January 1393 | 10 February 1393 | ... | unknown | 187 | ...
21st | 13 November 1393 | 1393/94 | 27 January 1394 | 6 March 1394 | ... | Sir John Bussy | 186 | ...
22nd | 20 November 1394 | 1394/95 | 27 January 1395 | 15 February 1395 | ... | Sir John Bussy | 185 | ...
23rd | 30 November 1396 | 1396/97 | 22 January 1397 | 12 February 1397 | ... | Sir John Bussy | 184 | ...
24th | 18 July 1397 | 1397 | 17 September 1397 | 31 January 1398 | ... | Sir John Bussy | 183 | ...
25th | 19 August 1399 | 1389 | 30 September 1399 | 30 September 1399 | ... | unknown | 182 | ...

Note:-

* (a) 14th: Known as the Wonderful Parliament.
* (b) 15th: Known as the Merciless Parliament.

## Parliaments of King Henry IV

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 30 September 1399 | 1399 | 6 October 1399 | 19 November 1399 | 0-1-13 | Sir John Cheney | 181 | a
John Doreward
2nd | 9 September 1400 | 1400/01 | 20 January 1401 | 10 March 1401 | 0-1-18 | Sir Arnold Savage | 180 |
3rd | 19 June 1402 | 1402 | 30 September 1402 | 25 November 1402 | 0-1-26 | Sir Henry Redford | 179 |
4th | 20 October 1403 | 1403/04 | 14 January 1404 | 20 March 1404 | 0-2-6 | Sir Arnold Savage | 178 |
5th | 25 August 1404 | 1404 | 6 October 1404 | 13 November 1404 | 0-1-7 | Sir William Esturmy | 177 |
6th | 21 December 1405 | 1405/06 | 1 March 1406 | 22 December 1406 | 0-9-21 | Sir John Tiptoft | 176 |
7th | 26 August 1407 | 1407 | 20 October 1407 | 2 December 1407 | 0-1-12 | Thomas Chaucer | 175 |
8th | 26 October 1409 | 1409/10 | 27 January 1410 | 9 May 1410 | 0-3-12 | Thomas Chaucer | 174 |
9th | 21 September 1411 | 1411 | 3 November 1411 | 19 December 1411 | 0-1-16 | Thomas Chaucer | 173 |
10th | 1 December 1412 | 1412/13 | 3 February 1413 | 20 March 1413 | 0-1-17 | unknown | 172 |

Note:-

* (a) 1st: Known as a Convention Parliament.

## Parliaments of King Henry V

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 22 March 1413 | 1413 | 14 May 1413 | 9 June 1413 | 0-0-27 | William Stourton | 171 |
John Doreward
2nd | 1 December 1413 | 1413/14 | 30 April 1414 | 29 May 1414 | 0-0-30 | Sir Walter Hungerford | 170 | a
3rd | 26 September 1414 | 1414 | 19 November 1414 | ... | ... | Thomas Chaucer | 169 |
4th | 12 August 1415 | 1415 | 4 November 1415 | 12 November 1415 | 0-0-9 | Sir Richard Redman | 168 | b
5th | 21 January 1416 | 1416 | 16 March 1416 | May 1416 | ... | Sir Walter Beauchamp | 167 |
6th | 3 September 1416 | 1416 | 19 October 1416 | 18 November 1416 | 0-0-31 | Roger Flower | 166 |
7th | 5 October 1417 | 1417 | 16 November 1417 | 17 December 1417 | 0-1-1 | Roger Flower | 165 |
8th | 24 August 1419 | 1419 | 16 October 1419 | 13 November 1419 | 0-0-29 | Roger Flower | 164 |
9th | 21 October 1420 | 1420 | 2 December 1420 | ... | ... | Roger Hunt | 163 |
10th | 26 February 1421 | 1421 | 2 May 1421 | ... | ... | Thomas Chaucer | 162 |
11th | 20 October 1421 | 1421 | 1 December 1421 | ... | ... | Richard Baynard | 161 |

Note:-

* (a) Known as the Fire and Faggot Parliament.
* (b) Known as the Parliament of 1415.

## Parliaments of King Henry VI

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 29 September 1422 | 1422 | 9 November 1422 | 18 December 1422 |  | Roger Flower | 160 |
2nd | 1 September 1423 | 1423 | 20 October 1423 | 28 February 1424 |  | Sir John Russell | 159 |
3rd | 24 February 1425 | 1425 | 30 April 1425 | 14 July 1425 |  | Sir Thomas Walton | 158 |
4th | 7 January 1426 | 1426 | 18 February 1426 | 1 June 1426 |  | Sir Richard Vernon | 157 | a
5th | 15 July 1427 | 1427 | 13 October 1427 | 25 March 1428 |  | Sir John Tyrrell | 156 |
6th | 12 July 1429 | 1429 | 22 September 1429 | 23 February 1430 |  | William Alington | 155 |
7th | 27 November 1430 | 1430/31 | 12 January 1431 | 20 March 1431 |  | Sir John Tyrrell | 154 |
8th | 25 February 1432 | 1432 | 12 May 1432 | 17 July 1432 |  | Sir John Russell | 153 |
9th | 24 May 1433 | 1433 | 8 July 1433 | >c.18 December 1433 |  | Roger Hunt | 152 |
10th | 5 July 1435 | 1435 | 10 October 1435 | 23 December 1435 |  | John Bowes | 151 |
11th | 29 October 1436 | 1436/37 | 21 January 1437 | 27 March 1437 |  | Sir John Tyrrell | 150 |
William Burley
12th | 26 September 1439 | 1439 | 12 November 1439 | c.15-24 February 1440 |  | William Tresham | 149 |
13th | 3 December 1441 | 1441/42 | 25 January 1442 | 27 March 1442 |  | William Tresham | 148 |
14th | 13 January 1445 | 1445 | 25 February 1445 | 9 April 1445 |  | William Burley | 147 |
15th | 14 December 1446 | 1446/47 | 10 February 1447 | 3 March 1447 |  | William Tresham | 146 |
16th | 2 January 1449 | 1449 | 12 February 1449 | 16 July 1449 |  | Sir John Say | 145 |
17th | 23 September 1449 | 1449 | 6 November 1449 | c.5-8 June 1450 |  | Sir John Popham | 144 |
William Tresham
18th | 5 September 1450 | 1450 | 6 November 1450 | c.24-31 May 1451 |  | Sir Willian Oldhall | 143 |
19th | 20 January 1453 | 1453 | 6 March 1453 | c.16-21 April 1454 |  | Thomas Thorpe | 142 |
Sir Thomas Charlton
20th | 26 May 1455 | 1455 | 9 July 1455 | 12 March 1456 |  | Sir John Wenlock | 141 |
21st | 9 October 1459 | 1459 | 20 November 1459 | 20 December 1459 |  | Sir Thomas Tresham | 140 | b
22nd | 30 July 1460 | 1460 | 7 October 1460 | c.4 March 1461 |  | John Green | 139 |
23rd | 15 October 1470 | 1470 | 26 November 1470 | c. 11 April 1471 | 0-4-16 | unknown | 135 | c

Note:-

* (a) 4th: Known as the Parliament of Bats.
* (b) 21st: Known as the Parliament of Devils.
* (c) 23rd: This Parliament was held during a period when King Henry VI was restored to the throne. It ended when King Edward IV deposed Henry for the second time.

## Parliaments of King Edward IV

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Presiding Officer¹ | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 23 May 1461 | 1461 | 4 November 1461 | 6 May 1462 | 0-6-2 | James Strangeways | 138 | ...
2nd | 22 December 1462 | 1462/63 | 29 April 1463 | 28 March 1465 | 1-10-28 | John Say | 137 | ...
3rd | 28 February 1467 | 1467 | 3 June 1467 | 7 June 1468 | 1-0-4 | John Say | 136 | ...
4th | 19 August 1472 | 1472 | 6 October 1472 | 14 March 1475 | 2-5-8 | William Alington | 134 | ...
5th | 20 November 1477 | 1477/78 | 16 January 1478 | 26 February 1478 | 0-1-10 | William Alington | 133 | ...
6th | 15 November 1482 | 1482/83 | 20 January 1483 | 18 February 1483 | 0-0-30 | John Wood | 132 | ...

## Parliament of King Richard III

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Presiding Officer¹ | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 9 December 1483 | 1483/84 | 23 January 1484 | 20 February 1484 | 0-0-29 | William Catesby | 131 | ...

## Parliaments of King Henry VII

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Presiding Officer¹ | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 15 September 1485 | 1485 | 7 November 1485 | c. 4 March 1486 | 0-3-24 | Thomas Lovell | 130 | ...
2nd | ... | 1487 | 9 November 1487 | c. 18 December 1487 | 0-1-9 | John Mordaunt | 129 | ...
3rd | ... | ?1488/89 | 13 January 1489 | 27 February 1490 | 0-11-14 | Thomas fitzWilliam | 128 | ...
4th | 12 August 1491 | 1491 | 17 October 1491 | 5 March 1492 | 0-4-16 | Richard Empson | 127 | ...
5th | 15 September 1495 | 1495 | 14 October 1495 | 21-22 December 1495 | 0-2-7/8 | Robert Drury | 126 | ...
6th | 20 November 1496 | 1496/97 | 16 January 1497 | 13 March 1497 | 0-1-25 | Thomas Englefield | 125 | ...
7th | ... | ?1503/04 | 25 January 1504 | c. 1 April 1504 | 0-2-7 | Edmund Dudley | 124 | ...

## Parliaments of King Henry VIII

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Presiding Officer¹ | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 17 October 1509 | 1509/10 | 21 January 1510 | 23 February 1510 | 0-1-2 | Thomas Englefield | 123 | ...
2nd | 28 November 1511 | 1511/12 | 4 February 1512 | 4 March 1514 | 2-1-0 | Robert Sheffield | 122 | ...
3rd | 23 November 1514 | 1514/15 | 5 February 1515 | 22 December 1515 | 0-10-17 | Thomas Neville | 121 | ...
4th | ... | 1523 | 15 April 1523 | 13 August 1523 | 0-3-29 | Thomas More | 120 | ...
5th | 9 August 1529 | 1529 | 3 November 1529 | 14 April 1536 | 6-5-11 | Thomas Audley | 119 | a
Humphrey Wingfield
Richard Rich
6th | 27 April 1536 | 1536 | 8 June 1536 | 18 July 1536 | 0-1-10 | Richard Rich | 118 | ...
7th | 1 March 1539 | 1539 | 28 April 1539 | 24 July 1540 | 1-2-26 | Nicholas Hare | 117 | ...
8th | 23 November 1541 | 1541/42 | 16 January 1542 | 28 March 1544 | 2-2-12 | Thomas Moyle | 116 | ...
9th | 1 December 1544 | 1544/45 | 23 November 1545 | 31 January 1547 | 1-2-8 | Thomas Moyle | 115 | ...

Note:-

* (a) 5th: Known as the Reformation Parliament.

## Parliaments of King Edward VI

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 2 August 1547 | 1547 | 4 November 1547 | 15 April 1552 | 4-5-11 | Sir John Baker | 114 | ...
2nd | 5 January 1553 | 1553 | 1 March 1553 | 31 March 1553 | 0-1-0 | James Dyer | 113 | ...

## Parliaments of Queen Mary I

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 14 August 1553 | 1553 | 5 October 1553 | 5 December 1553 | 0-2-0 | Sir John Pollard | 112 | ...
2nd | 17 February 1554 | 1554 | 2 April 1554 | 3 May 1554 | 0-1-1 | Robert Brooke | 111 | ...
3rd | 3 October 1554 | 1554 | 12 November 1554 | 16 January 1555 | 0-2-4 | Clement Higham | 110 | ...
4th | 3 September 1555 | 1555 | 21 October 1555 | 9 December 1555 | 0-1-18 | Sir John Pollard | 109 | ...
5th | 6 December 1557 | 1557/58 | 20 January 1558 | 17 November 1558 | 0-10-28 | William Cordell | 108 | ...

## Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth I

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 5 December 1558 | 1558/59 | 23 January 1559 | 8 May 1559 | 0-3-15 | Thomas Gargrave | 107 | ...
2nd | 10 November 1562 | 1562/63 | 11 January 1563 | 2 January 1567 | 3-11-21 | Thomas Williams | 106 | ...
Richard Onslow
3rd | ... | 1571 | 2 April 1571 | 29 May 1571 | 0-1-27 | Christopher Wray | 105 | ...
4th | 28 March 1572 | 1572 | 8 May 1572 | 19 April 1583 | 10-11-11 | Robert Bell | 104 | ...
John Popham
5th | 12 October 1584 | 1584 | 23 November 1584 | 14 September 1585 | 0-8-22 | John Puckering | 103 | ...
6th | 15 September 1586 | 1586 | 15 October 1586 | 23 March 1587 | 0-5-8 | John Puckering | 102 | ...
7th | 18 September 1588 | 1588/89 | 4 February 1589 | 29 March 1589 | 0-1-25 | Thomas Snagge | 101 | ...
8th | 4 January 1593 | 1593 | 18 February 1593 | 10 April 1593 | 0-1-22 | Edward Coke | 100 | ...
9th | 23 August 1597 | 1597 | 24 October 1597 | 9 February 1598 | 0-3-16 | Christopher Yelverton | 99 | ...
10th | 11 September 1601 | 1601 | 27 October 1601 | 19 December 1601 | 0-1-22 | John Croke | 98 | ...

## Parliaments of King James I

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 31 January 1604 | 1604 | 19 March 1604 | 9 February 1611 | 6-10-21 | Edward Phelips | 97 | ...
2nd | ... | ?1614 | 5 April 1614 | 7 June 1614 | 0-2-2 | Randolph Crewe | 96 | Addled Parliament
3rd | 13 November 1620 | 1620/21 | 16 January 1621 | 8 February 1622 | 1-0-23 | Thomas Richardson | 95 | ...
4th | 20 December 1623 | 1623/24 | 12 February 1624 | 27 March 1625 | 1-1-15 | Thomas Crewe | 94 | Happy Parliament

## Parliaments of King Charles I

[edit]

The Long Parliament, which commenced in this reign, had the longest term and the most complex history of any English Parliament. The entry in the first table below relates to the whole Parliament. Although it rebelled against King Charles I and continued to exist long after the King's death, it was a Parliament he originally summoned. An attempt has been made to set out the different phases of the Parliament in the second table in this section and in subsequent sections. The phases are indicated by a letter in the -Plt column (in the case of these phases they all share the same -Plt number, which is used in the first table of this section, so the column is available to set out the letter for the phases moving forward from 1640) and are explained in a note.

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 2 April 1625 | 1625 | 17 May 1625 | 12 August 1625 | 0-2-26 | Thomas Crewe | 93 | Useless Parliament
2nd | 20 December 1625 | 1626 | 6 February 1626 | 15 June 1626 | 0-4-9 | Heneage Finch | 92 | ...
3rd | 31 January 1628 | 1628 | 17 March 1628 | 10 March 1629 | 0-11-21 | John Finch | 91 | ...
4th | 20 February 1640 | 1640 | 13 April 1640 | 5 May 1640 | 0-0-22 | John Glanville | 90 | Short Parliament
5th | 24 September 1640 | 1640 | 3 November 1640 | 16 March 1660 | 19-5-13 | William Lenthall | 89 | Long Parliament (a)
Henry Pelham
William Lenthall
William Say (Deputy)
William Lenthall

Note:-

* (a) Speakers of the Long Parliament (including times when it sat as the Rump Parliament): Lenthall 3 November 1640 – 26 July 1647; Pelham 30 July 1647 – 5 August 1647; Lenthall 6 August 1647 – 20 April 1653 (restored to the chair by the Army and sat until Oliver Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament) and 26 December 1653 – 13 January 1660 (when the Rump was restored); Say 13 January 1660 – 21 January 1660 and Lenthall 21 January 1660 – 16 March 1660.

### The Long Parliament (Royalist phases)

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

5th | 24 September 1640 | 1640 | 3 November 1640 | 21 August 1642 | ... | William Lenthall | a | Long Parliament
5th | ... | ... | 22 January 1644 | 10 March 1645 | ... | unknown | c | King's Oxford Parliament

Note:-

* (a) Phase 'a' of the Long Parliament was when it functioned as a conventional Parliament, requiring the assent of King Charles I to legislation. An unusual feature was that a law was enacted providing that this Parliament could not be lawfully dissolved without its own consent. This phase ended when the King raised his standard (22 August 1642) and commenced the English Civil War. The day before this event is the date inserted in the Dissolved column.
* (b) Phase 'c' of the Long Parliament was the King's Oxford Parliament. The King was unable to lawfully dissolve the Long Parliament, without its consent, so he summoned the members to meet at Oxford. Royalists and those interested in trying to settle the Civil War by compromise attended the meetings, which were in opposition to the revolutionary body (phase 'b' of the Long Parliament, see below) sitting concurrently at Westminster. The date of the first meeting is given in the Assembled column and of the last sitting in the Dissolved column.

## Parliaments of the Revolution and Commonwealth

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | ... | ... | 22 August 1642 | 5 December 1648 | ... | William Lenthall | b | Long Parliament (a)
Henry Pelham
William Lenthall
1st | ... | ... | 6 December 1648 | 20 April 1653 | ... | William Lenthall | d | Rump Parliament (b)
2nd | 20 June 1653 | n/a | 4 July 1653 | 12 December 1653 | 0-5-08 | Francis Rous | 88 | Barebones Parliament (c)

Note:-

* (a) This was phase 'b' of the Long Parliament, when it functioned as a revolutionary Parliament, after the start of the English Civil War. Parliament assumed the power to legislate by Ordinance, without needing Royal assent. This phase ended with Pride's Purge, which converted the Long Parliament into the Rump Parliament. In 1644 the King summoned the Long Parliament to meet at Oxford. Those members who responded constituted the King's Oxford Parliament (phase c of the Parliament, see the previous section), in opposition to the revolutionary Parliament which continued to sit at the Palace of Westminster. The date in the Assembled column is the day when King Charles I raised his standard and commenced the English Civil War. The date in the Dissolved column is the day before Pride's Purge, when the full Long Parliament last met (until the Purge was reversed on 21 February 1660).
* (b) This was phase 'd' of the Long Parliament, known as the Rump Parliament. During this period the Army only permitted selected members to continue to participate. The House of Lords was abolished (6 February 1649) as was the monarchy (7 February 1649). Thereafter the Rump of the House of Commons was the only remaining element of Parliament. It legislated the Commonwealth of England into existence on 19 May 1649. The date of Pride's Purge is given in the Assembled column and the date when Oliver Cromwell dissolved the Rump by force is in the Dissolved column.
* (c) The Little or Barebones Parliament was an appointed body.

## Parliaments of the Protectorate

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | 1 June 1654 | 1654 | 3 September 1654 | 22 January 1655 | 0-4-19 | William Lenthall | 87 | First Prot. Plt
2nd | 10 July 1656 | 1656 | 17 September 1656 | 4 February 1658 | 1-4-18 | Thomas Widdrington | 86 | Second Prot. Plt
Bulstrode Whitelocke
3rd | 9 December 1658 | 1658/59 | 27 January 1659 | 22 April 1659 | 0-2-26 | Chaloner Chute | 85 | Third Prot. Plt
Lislebone Long (Deputy)
Thomas Bampfylde

These parliaments included representatives of Scotland and Ireland.

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

4th | ... | ... | 7 May 1659 | 13 October 1659 | ... | William Lenthall | e | Rump Plt (restored) (a)

Note:-

* (a) This was phase 'e' of the Long Parliament. The Army restored the Rump Parliament, to liquidate the Protectorate and re-establish the Commonwealth regime.

## Parliaments of the Commonwealth

[edit]

No. | Summoned | Elected | Assembled | Dissolved | Duration | Speaker | -Plt | Note

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st | ... | ... | 26 December 1659 | 20 February 1660 | ... | William Lenthall | f | Rump Parliament (a)
William Say (Deputy)
William Lenthall
1st | ... | ... | 21 February 1660 | 16 March 1660 | ... | William Lenthall | g | Long Parliament (b)
2nd | 16 March 1660 | 1660 | 25 April 1660 | 29 December 1660 | 0-8-4 | Harbottle Grimston | 84 | Convention Parliament (c)

Note:-

* (a) This was phase 'f' of the Long Parliament, with the Rump Parliament running the restored Commonwealth regime.
* (b) This was phase 'g' of the Long Parliament. Pride's Purge was reversed and the full Long Parliament made arrangements for a Convention Parliament and then dissolved itself.
* (c) This was a Convention Parliament which restored the monarchy by recognising King Charles II as the rightful King.

## List of Parliaments: 1660 back to 1364

[edit]

Preliminary note: The English civil year started on 25 March until 1752 (Scotland having changed to 1 January in 1600). The years used in this article have been converted to the new style where necessary. Old style dates would be a year earlier than the new style for days between 1 January and 24 March. No attempt has been made to compensate for the eleven days which did not occur in September 1752 in both England and Scotland, when the day after 2 September was 14 September), so as to bring the dating in Great Britain and its associated territories fully into line with the Gregorian calendar.

### Parliaments 1504-1660

[edit]

No  | NP  | Summoned  | Opened  | Dismissed  | Duration  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|

84  | CP/6 | 16 March 1660  | 25 April 1660  | 29 December 1660  | 0-8-4  | a,b
89d  | CP/5b | ...  | 21 February 1660  | 16 March 1660  | (0-0-24)  | c
89c  | CP/5a | ...  | 7 May 1659  | 20 February 1660  | (0-9-13)  | d
85  | CP/4 | 9 December 1658  | 27 January 1659  | 22 April 1659  | 0-2-26  | e
86  | CP/3 | 10 July 1656  | 17 September 1656  | 4 February 1658  | 1-4-18  | f
87  | CP/2 | 1 June 1654  | 3 September 1654  | 22 January 1655  | 0-4-19  | g
88  | CP/1 | 20 June 1653  | 4 July 1653  | 12 December 1653  | 0-5-08  | h
89b  | KC1/5b | ...  | 22 January 1644  | 8 October 1644  | (0-8-16)  | i,j
89a  | KC1/5a | 24 September 1640  | 3 November 1640  | 20 April 1653  | (12-5-17)  | k
90  | KC1/4 | 20 February 1640  | 13 April 1640  | 5 May 1640  | 0-0-22  | ...
91  | KC1/3  | 31 January 1628  | 17 March 1628  | 10 March 1629  | 0-11-21  | ...
92  | KC1/2  | 20 December 1625  | 6 February 1626  | 15 June 1626  | 0-4-9  | ...
93  | KC1/1  | 2 April 1625  | 17 May 1625  | 12 August 1625  | 0-2-26  | ...
94  | KJ1/4  | 20 December 1623  | 12 February 1624  | 27 March 1625  | 1-1-15  | l
95  | KJ1/3  | 13 November 1620  | 16 January 1621  | 8 February 1622  | 1-0-23  | ...
96  | KJ1/2 | ...  | 5 April 1614  | 7 June 1614  | 0-2-2  | ...
97  | KJ1/1  | 31 January 1604  | 19 March 1604  | 9 February 1611  | 6-10-21  | ...
98  | QE1/10  | 11 September 1601  | 27 October 1601  | 19 December 1601  | 0-1-22  | m
99  | QE1/9  | 23 August 1597  | 24 October 1597  | 9 February 1598  | 0-3-16  | ...
100  | QE1/8  | 4 January 1593  | 18 February 1593  | 10 April 1593  | 0-1-22  | ...
101  | QE1/7  | 18 September 1588  | 4 February 1589  | 29 March 1589  | 0-1-25  | ...
102  | QE1/6  | 15 September 1586  | 15 October 1586  | 23 March 1587  | 0-5-8  | ...
103  | QE1/5  | 12 October 1584  | 23 November 1584  | 14 September 1585  | 0-8-22  | ...
104  | QE1/4  | 28 March 1572  | 8 May 1572  | 19 April 1583  | 10-11-11  | ...
105  | QE1/3  | ...  | 2 April 1571  | 29 May 1571  | 0-1-27  | ...
106  | QE1/2  | 10 November 1562  | 11 January 1563  | 2 January 1567  | 3-11-21  | ...
107  | QE1/1  | 5 December 1558  | 23 January 1559  | 8 May 1559  | 0-3-15  | ...
108  | QM1/5  | 6 December 1557  | 20 January 1558  | 17 November 1558  | 0-10-28  | n
109  | QM1/4  | 3 September 1555  | 21 October 1555  | 9 December 1555  | 0-1-18  | ...
110  | QM1/3  | 3 October 1554  | 12 November 1554  | 16 January 1555  | 0-2-4  | ...
111  | QM1/2  | 17 February 1554  | 2 April 1554  | 3 May 1554  | 0-1-1  | ...
112  | QM1/1  | 14 August 1553  | 5 October 1553  | 5 December 1553  | 0-2-0  | ...
113  | KE6/2  | 5 January 1553  | 1 March 1553  | 31 March 1553  | 0-1-0  | o
114  | KE6/1  | 2 August 1547  | 4 November 1547  | 15 April 1552  | 4-5-11  | ...
115  | KH8/9  | 1 December 1544  | 23 November 1545  | 31 January 1547  | 1-2-8  | p
116  | KH8/8  | 23 November 1541  | 16 January 1542  | 28 March 1544  | 2-2-12  | ...
117  | KH8/7  | 1 March 1539  | 28 April 1539  | 24 July 1540  | 1-2-26  | ...
118  | KH8/6  | 27 April 1536  | 8 June 1536  | 18 July 1536  | 0-1-10  | ...
119  | KH8/5 | 9 August 1529  | 3 November 1529  | 14 April 1536  | 6-5-11  | ...
120  | KH8/4  | ...  | 15 April 1523  | 13 August 1523  | 0-3-29  | ...
121  | KH8/3  | 23 November 1514  | 5 February 1515  | 22 December 1515  | 0-10-17  | ...
122  | KH8/2  | 28 November 1511  | 4 February 1512  | 4 March 1514  | 2-1-0  | ...
123  | KH8/1  | 17 October 1509  | 21 January 1510  | 23 February 1510  | 0-1-2  | ...
124  | KH7/7  | ...  | 25 January 1504  | c. 1 April 1504  | 0-2-7  | q

Notes: -

* (a) CP - Parliament summoned by the Commonwealth or Protectorate regimes.
* (b) This was the Convention Parliament, which restored the monarchy by recognising King Charles II of England as the lawful sovereign.
* (c) This was the last phase of the Long Parliament, between the reversal of Pride's Purge and the final dissolution of the Parliament.
* (d) This was a phase of the Long Parliament, between the restoration of the Rump and the reversal of Pride's Purge. On 13 October 1659 it ceased to be a Protectorate legislature. From 26 December 1659 it functioned as a Commonwealth legislature.
* (e) This was the Third Protectorate Parliament.
* (f) This was the Second Protectorate Parliament.
* (g) This was the First Protectorate Parliament.
* (h) This was the Little or Barebones Parliament, an appointed assembly not an elected Parliament.
* (i) KC1 - Parliament summoned by King Charles I of England.
* (j) This was the King's Oxford Parliament, held at Oxford in opposition to the Long Parliament sitting at Westminster. It consisted of Royalist members of the Long Parliament.
* (k) This was the first phase of the Long Parliament. Under legislation enacted before the English Civil War this Parliament could not lawfully be dissolved without its consent. This phase of the Parliament was ended when Oliver Cromwell and his troops prevented the Parliament from continuing to sit. All phases of the Long Parliament and the King's Oxford Parliament, being sittings of all or part of the same body are given the same number in the No column.
* (l) KJ1 - Parliament summoned by King James I of England.
* (m) QE1 - Parliament summoned by Queen Elizabeth I of England.
* (n) QM1 - Parliament summoned by Queen Mary I of England.
* (o) KE6 - Parliament summoned by King Edward VI of England.
* (p) KH8 - Parliament summoned by King Henry VIII of England.
* (q) KH7 - Parliament summoned by King Henry VII of England.

### Parliaments 1400-1497

[edit]

No  | NP  | Summoned  | Opened  | Dismissed  | Duration  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|

125  | KH7/6  | 20 November 1496  | 16 January 1497  | 13 March 1497  | 0-1-25  | ...
126  | KH7/5  | 15 September 1495  | 14 October 1495  | 21-22 December 1495  | 0-2-7/8  | ...
127  | KH7/4  | 12 August 1491  | 17 October 1491  | 5 March 1492  | 0-4-16  | ...
128  | KH7/3  | ...  | 13 January 1489  | 27 February 1490  | 0-11-14  | ...
129  | KH7/2  | ...  | 9 November 1487  | c. 18 December 1487  | 0-1-9  | ...
130  | KH7/1  | 15 September 1485  | 7 November 1485  | c. 4 March 1486  | 0-3-24  | ...
131  | KR3/1  | 9 December 1483  | 23 January 1484  | 20 February 1484  | 0-0-29  | a
132  | KE4/6  | 15 November 1482  | 20 January 1483  | 18 February 1483  | 0-0-30  | b
133  | KE4/5  | 20 November 1477  | 16 January 1478  | 26 February 1478  | 0-1-10  | ...
134  | KE4/4  | 19 August 1472  | 6 October 1472  | 14 March 1475  | 2-5-8  | c
135  | KH6/23  | 15 October 1470  | 26 November 1470  | c. 11 April 1471  | 0-4-16  | d
136  | KE4/3  | 28 February 1467  | 3 June 1467  | 7 June 1468  | 1-0-4  | ...
137  | KE4/2  | 22 December 1462  | 29 April 1463  | 28 March 1465  | 1-10-28  | ...
138  | KE4/1  | 23 May 1461  | 4 November 1462  | 6 May 1462  | 0-6-2  | ...
139  | KH6/22  | 30 July 1460  | 7 October 1460  | c. 4 March 1461  | 0-4-26  | e
140  | KH6/21 | 9 October 1459  | 20 November 1459  | 20 December 1459  | 0-1-0  | ...
141  | KH6/20  | 26 May 1455  | 9 July 1455  | 12 March 1456  | 0-8-3  | ...
142  | KH6/19  | 20 January 1453  | 6 March 1453  | c. 16-21 April 1454  | 1-1-10/15  | ...
143  | KH6/18  | 5 September 1450  | 6 November 1450  | c. 24-31 May 1451  | 0-6-18/25  | ...
144  | KH6/17  | 23 September 1449  | 6 November 1449  | c. 5-8 June 1450  | 0-6/7-30/2  | ...
145  | KH6/16  | 2 January 1449  | 12 February 1449  | 16 July 1449  | 0-5-4  | ...
146  | KH6/15  | 14 December 1446  | 10 February 1447  | 3 March 1447  | 0-0-22  | ...
147  | KH6/14  | 13 January 1445  | 25 February 1445  | 9 April 1445  | 0-1-15  | ...
148  | KH6/13  | 3 December 1441  | 25 January 1442  | 27 March 1442  | 0-2-2  | ...
149  | KH6/12  | 26 September 1439  | 12 November 1439  | c. 15-24 February 1440  | 0-3-3/12  | ...
150  | KH6/11  | 29 October 1436  | 21 January 1437  | 27 March 1437  | 0-2-6  | ...
151  | KH6/10  | 5 July 1435  | 10 October 1435  | 23 December 1435  | 0-2-13  | f
152  | KH6/9  | 24 May 1433  | 8 July 1433  | pc. 18 December 1433  | 0-5-10  | g
153  | KH6/8  | 25 February 1432  | 12 May 1432  | 17 July 1432  | 0-2-5  | ...
154  | KH6/7  | 27 November 1430  | 12 January 1431  | 20 March 1431  | 0-2-8  | f
155  | KH6/6  | 12 July 1429  | 22 September 1429  | 23 February 1430  | 0-5-1  | ...
156  | KH6/5  | 15 July 1427  | 13 October 1427  | 25 March 1428  | 0-5-12  | ...
157  | KH6/4 | 7 January 1426  | 18 February 1426  | 1 June 1426  | 0-3-14  | ...
158  | KH6/3  | 24 February 1425  | 30 April 1425  | 14 July 1425  | 0-2-14  | ...
159  | KH6/2  | 1 September 1423  | 20 October 1423  | 28 February 1424  | 0-4-8  | ...
160  | KH6/1  | 29 September 1422  | 9 November 1422  | 18 December 1422  | 0-1-9  | ...
161  | KH5/11  | 20 October 1421  | 1 December 1421  | ...  | ...  | h
162  | KH5/10  | 26 February 1421  | 2 May 1421  | ...  | ...  | ...
163  | KH5/9  | 21 October 1420  | 2 December 1420  | ...  | ...  | ...
164  | KH5/8  | 24 August 1419  | 16 October 1419  | 13 November 1419  | 0-0-29  | f
165  | KH5/7  | 5 October 1417  | 16 November 1417  | 17 December 1417  | 0-1-1  | f
166  | KH5/6  | 3 September 1416  | 19 October 1416  | 18 November 1416  | 0-0-31  | ...
167  | KH5/5  | 21 January 1416  | 16 March 1416  | May 1416  | ...  | ...
168  | KH5/4  | 12 August 1415  | 4 November 1415  | 12 November 1415  | 0-0-9  | f
169  | KH5/3  | 26 September 1414  | 19 November 1414  | ...  | ...  | ...
170  | KH5/2 | 1 December 1413  | 30 April 1414  | 29 May 1414  | 0-0-30  | ...
171  | KH5/1  | 22 March 1413  | 14 May 1413  | 9 June 1413  | 0-0-27  | ...
172  | KH4/10  | 1 December 1412  | 3 February 1413  | 20 March 1413  | 0-1-17  | i
173  | KH4/9  | 21 September 1411  | 3 November 1411  | 19 December 1411  | 0-1-16  | ...
174  | KH4/8  | 26 October 1409  | 27 January 1410  | 9 May 1410  | 0-3-12  | ...
175  | KH4/7  | 26 August 1407  | 20 October 1407  | 2 December 1407  | 0-1-12  | ...
176  | KH4/6  | 21 December 1405  | 1 March 1406  | 22 December 1406  | 0-9-21  | ...
177  | KH4/5  | 25 August 1404  | 6 October 1404  | 13 November 1404  | 0-1-7  | j
178  | KH4/4  | 20 October 1403  | 14 January 1404  | 20 March 1404  | 0-2-6  | j
179  | KH4/3  | 19 June 1402  | 30 September 1402  | 25 November 1402  | 0-1-26  | ...
180  | KH4/2  | 9 September 1400  | 20 January 1401  | 10 March 1401  | 0-1-18  | ...

Notes:-

* (a) KR3 - Parliament summoned by King Richard III of England.
* (b) KE4 - Parliament summoned by King Edward IV of England.
* (c) King Edward IV restored to the throne since the previous Parliament.
* (d) KH6 - Parliament summoned by King Henry VI of England. KH6/23: King Henry VI restored to the throne since the previous Parliament. Parliament dissolved by the deposition of the monarch.
* (e) Parliament dissolved by the deposition of the monarch.
* (f) Date given for dismissal is the date when supply was granted.
* (g) The actual date of dismissal was post circa the date given, so the duration is a minimum estimate.
* (h) KH5 - Parliament summoned by King Henry V of England.
* (i) KH4 - Parliament summoned by King Henry IV of England.
* (j) Date given for dismissal is the date when writs 'de expensis' were issued.

### Parliaments to 1399

[edit]

No  | NP  | Summoned  | Opened  | Dismissed  | Duration  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|

181  | KH4/1 | 30 September 1399  | 6 October 1399  | 19 November 1399  | 0-1-13  | [a][b]
182  | KR2/25  | 19 August 1399  | 30 September 1399  | 30 September 1399  | 0-0-1  | [c][d]
183  | KR2/24  | 18 July 1397  | 17 September 1397  | 31 January 1398  | 0-4-14  | [c]
184  | KR2/23  | 30 November 1396  | 22 January 1397  | 12 February 1397  | 0-0-22  | [a][c]
185  | KR2/22  | 20 November 1394  | 27 January 1395  | 15 February 1395  | 0-0-20  | [a][c]
186  | KR2/21  | 13 November 1393  | 27 January 1394  | 6 March 1394  | 0-1-7  | [c]
187  | KR2/20  | 23 November 1392  | 20 January 1393  | 10 February 1393  | 0-0-22  | [c]
188  | KR2/19  | 7 September 1391  | 3 November 1391  | 2 December 1391  | 0-0-30  | [c]
189  | KR2/18  | 12 September 1390  | 12 November 1390  | 3 December 1390  | 0-0-22  | [c]
190  | KR2/17  | 6 December 1389  | 17 January 1390  | 2 March 1390  | 0-1-13  | [c]
191  | KR2/16  | 28 July 1388  | 9 September 1388  | 17 October 1388  | 0-1-8  | [a][c]
192  | KR2/15 | 17 December 1387  | 3 February 1388  | 4 June 1388  | 0-4-1  | [c]
193  | KR2/14 | 8 August 1386  | 1 October 1386  | 28 November 1386  | 0-1-27  | [c]
194  | KR2/13  | 3 September 1385  | 20 October 1385  | 6 December 1385  | 0-1-16  | [a][c]
195  | KR2/12  | 28 September 1384  | 12 November 1384  | 14 December 1384  | 0-1-2  | [a][c]
196  | KR2/11  | 3 March 1384  | 29 April 1384  | 27 May 1384  | 0-0-29  | [a]
197  | KR2/10  | 20 August 1383  | 26 October 1383  | 26 November 1383  | 0-1-0  | [a][c]
198  | KR2/9  | 7 January 1383  | 23 February 1383  | 10 March 1383  | 0-0-16  | [a][c]
199  | KR2/8  | 9 August 1382  | 6 October 1382  | 24 October 1382  | 0-0-19  | [a][c]
200  | KR2/7  | 24 March 1382  | 7 May 1382  | 22 May 1382  | 0-0-16  | [a][c]
201  | KR2/6  | 16 July 1381  | 3 November 1381  | 25 February 1382  | 0-3-22  | [c]
202  | KR2/5  | 26 August 1380  | 5 November 1380  | 6 December 1380  | 0-1-1  | [c]
203  | KR2/4  | 20 October 1379  | 16 January 1380  | 3 March 1380  | 0-1-16  | [a][c]
204  | KR2/3  | 16 February 1379  | 24 April 1379  | 27 May 1379  | 0-1-3  | [c]
205  | KR2/2  | 3 September 1378  | 20 October 1378  | 16 November 1378  | 0-0-28  | [a][c]
206  | KR2/1  | 4 August 1377  | 13 October 1377  | 5 December 1377  | 0-1-23  | [a][c]
207  | KE3/47 | 1 December 1376  | 27 January 1377  | 2 March 1377  | 0-1-3  | [a][e][f]
208  | KE3/46 | 28 December 1375  | 28 April 1376  | 10 July 1376  | 0-2-13  | [g][e]
209  | KE3/45  | 4 October 1373  | 21 November 1373  | 10 December 1373  | 0-0-20  | [a][e]
210  | KE3/44  | 1 September 1372  | 3 November 1372  | 24 November 1372  | 0-0-21  | [a][e]
211  | KE3/43  | 8 January 1371  | 24 February 1371  | 29 March 1371  | 0-1-5  | [a][e]
212  | KE3/42  | 6 April 1369  | 3 June 1369  | 11 June 1369  | 0-0-9  | [a][e]
213  | KE3/41  | 24 February 1368  | 1 May 1368  | 21 May 1368  | 0-0-21  | [e]
214  | KE3/40  | 20 January 1366  | 4 May 1366  | 11 May 1366  | 0-0-8  | [e]
215  | KE3/39  | 4 December 1364  | 20 January 1365  | 17 February 1365  | 0-0-28  | [e]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Date given for dismissal is the date when writs 'de expensis' were issued.
2. ^ Convention Parliament.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x KR2: a parliament summoned by King Richard II of England.
4. ^ Summons held to be invalidated by the deposition of King Richard II on 29 September 1399.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i KE3: a parliament summoned by King Edward III of England.
6. ^ Known as the Bad Parliament.
7. ^ Known as the Good Parliament.

## See also

[edit]

* Duration of English, British and United Kingdom parliaments from 1660
* List of parliaments of England
* List of parliaments of Great Britain
* List of parliaments of the United Kingdom
* List of speakers of the House of Commons of England
* List of speakers of the British House of Commons
* List of British governments

## References

[edit]

* The House of Lords in the Middle Ages, by J. Enoch Powell and Keith Wallis (Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1968)
* The Office of Speaker, by Philip Laundy (Cassell & Company 1964)