PRE 
cost: thus if lottery tickets sell for aOs. 
more than prime cost, or the price at which 
the government issued them, this 20s. is 
called a premium. 
PREMNA, in botany, a genus of the 
Didynamia Angiospermia class and order. 
Natural order of Personat®. Vitices, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character : calyx two-lobed ; 
corolla four-cleft ; berry four-celled ; seeds 
solitary. There are two species; viz. P. 
integrefolia, and P. serratifolia ; both natives 
of the East Indies. 
PRENANTHES, in botany, a genus of 
the Syngenesia Polygamia ^Equalis class 
and order. Natural order of Composit® 
Semiflosculos®. Cichorace®, Jussieu. Es- 
sential character : calyx calycled ; florets 
in a single row ; pappus simple, subsessile ; 
receptacle naked. There are nineteen 
species. 
PREPOSITION, in grammar, one of 
the parts of speech, being an indeclinable 
particle, which yet serves to govern the 
nouns that follow it. See Grammar. 
PREPUCE. See Anatomy. 
PREROGATIVE, in law, means afl the 
rights and privileges which by law the King 
hath, as chief of the commonwealth, and as 
intrusted with the execution of the laws ; 
and this can be only according to Magna 
Charta. We shall here briefly set down those 
articles which are enumerated by Lord 
Chief Baron Comyns, in his “ Digest,” as 
belonging to the King’s prerogative, pre- 
mising only, that many things are laid down 
in our law-books from ancient authorities, 
which do not thoroughly accord with the 
spirit of the constitution, as improved at 
the revolution ; and that every thing which 
is contrary to that glorious spirit, may be 
well questioned.to be law at the present day. 
Those who were formerly called preroga- 
tive lawyers, were little better than the wil- 
ling slaves of absolute monarchy. 
As to his domestic concerns, the care of 
the marriages in the royal family belongs to 
the King, and is now regulated by statute 
12 George III., c. 11. 
As to foreign nations, he has the sove- 
reignty of the seas surrounding England, 
and may make treaties and alliances, and 
send ambassadors and envoys to foreign 
states, and a league is said to be broken by 
a prohibition of all the commodities of a 
kingdom in amity. He may, in virtue of 
the same right, grant reprisals, by taking 
the goods of foreign subjects, here or else- 
where,and he is entitled to all prizes ; but, 
by certain acts called the prize-acts, they 
PRE 
are distributed in certain shares amongst 
the captors, according to a proclamation 
to be made in every new war, and 6Z. a 
head is allowed to ships of war for every 
man killed. The King may also grant let- 
ters of safe conduct to an enemy here ; and 
without these, it is said, a foreign prince, 
though in amity, cannot come here. 
With respect to the King’s own subjects, 
he has the sole authority to declare war or 
peace, and to levy soldiers, and by 11 Hen- 
ry VII. c. 1 and 18, every man is bound 
to serve the King in his wars, but not out 
out of the realm, except for wages ; nor can 
he be sent out of the kingdom even with an 
office. In like manner, the right of im- 
pressing seamen is acknowledged ; but it 
must not be exercised wantonly, as by tak- 
ing a captain of a merchantman to serve as 
a common man, and, by 13 George II. 
c. 17, persons of fifty-five years of age, and 
under eighteen, and every person going to 
sea for two years, and every apprentice dur- 
ing three years, are exempted ; and also all 
foreigners; besides which there are other 
particular exemptions ; nor are mariners, 
except deserters, to be impressed in the 
West Indies. He has also the sole com- 
mand of the forces, as well militia as regu- 
lars, and that, by 13 Charles II. c. 6, inde- 
pendent of the Houses of Parliament. His 
troops may be billeted all over the king- 
dom ; and no one but the King can build 
forts. 
With respect to time of peace, he enacts 
laws, together with his Parliament ; but can- 
not by grant or charter alter the law. He 
may issue proclamations to enforce laws ; 
' and, by 1 James, c. 25, and 12 Charles II. 
4, 8. 12, may restrain the transportation of 
corn, and gunpowder, arms, and ammunition, 
generally, or from particular places. By 
statute 31 Henry VIII. since repealed, he 
might, in effect, make new laws by his pro- 
clamation. But now he cannot suspend the 
execution of a law for any time, as till the 
meeting of the next Parliament. It is said, 
that the King may dispense with a thing 
prohibited, so as to make it lawful, in case of 
necessity, to the party to do the prohibited 
thing; but dispensations are odious, and, 
indeed, except under the following limita- 
tions, the King’s dispensing power may now 
be questioned. As, however, he may grant 
a pardon when the offence is committed, it 
seems not of so much importance. He may 
unquestionably dispense with any tiling 
which i? for his benefit, as a penalty due to 
the King ; bat not with a thing malum in sc, 
