THE ROYAL ASSENT.

Hastings Standard, Volume XIII, Issue 4310, 13 November 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE ROYAL ASSENT.

"Le Roy le veault" (The King wills it) is the form of words in which the English King is accustomed to signify his Royal assent to p. Bill which has passed both Hou-es of Parliament and >s ready to he. made statute law. They are. however, not the only form of old Norman-French words which has survived and is still in usage in our Parliamentary system. Thus, for instance. when a Bill is sent up for consideration from the Commons to the Lords it. is endorsed by the clerk with tile words, '•j-'oit bailie anx Seigneurs" < Let it be .sent to the Lords'), and when the converse operation takes place the cei responding words are, •"•Soit bailie anx Commons."

The Royal assent to money Bills is more elaborately expressed : "Le Roy reniercie ses bons suj"ts. aeri nte leur benevolence, et anrd ] e veault '' (The King thanks his loyal subjects, accepts their gift, and so wills it). For private Bilk still anothe" form of assent is used: "Soit ait eomme ii est desire." (Let it be as desired).

Master: "Describe the route 5 von weuld bevo to follow to get to the Martinique I-lands." Pupil: "I fir t proceed to Southampton " ''Well and then?"

"Then I go on board a steamer, and leave the rest to the captain, who knows ihe way much bett-r than I do