cou 
and may be called together by the King, 
to impart their advice in all matters of im- 
portance to the realm, either in time of 
parliament, or which hath been their prin- 
cipal use, when there is no parliament in 
being. Accordingly, Bracton, speaking 
of the nobility of his time, says they might 
properly be called “ consiiles a consulendo ; 
reges enira tales sibi associant ad consulen- 
dnm.” And in the law-books it is laid 
down, that the peers are created for two 
reasons : 1. Adconsulendiim ; 2. Ad defen- 
denduni regeni : for which reasons the laws 
give them certain great and high privileges ; 
such as freedom from arrests, &c. even 
when no parliament is sitting ; because 
the law intends, that they are always as- 
sisting the King with their counsel for the 
commonwealth, or keeping the realm in 
safety by their prowess and valour. 
Instances of conventions of the peers, 
to advise the King, have been in former 
times very frequent, though now fallen into 
disuse, by reason of the more regular meet- 
ings of parliament. Sir Edward Coke gives 
ns an extract of a record, 5 Heniy IV. con- 
cerning an exchange of lands between the 
King and the Earl of Northumberland. 
Many other instances of this kind of meet- 
ing are to be found under our ancient 
kings : though the formal method of con- 
voking them had been so long left off, 
that when Charles I. in 1640, issued out 
writs under the great seal, to call a council 
of all the peei s of- England, to meet and 
attend his Majesty at York, previous to 
the meeting of the long parliament, the 
Earl of Clarendon mentions it as a new 
invention, not before heard of : that is, as 
he explains himself, so old, that it had not 
been practised in some hundreds of years. 
But though there had not for long time be- 
fore been an instance, nor has there been 
any since, of asserabliirg them in so solemn 
a nranner, yet in cases of emergency, our 
princes have at several times thought pro- 
per to call for, and consult as many of the 
nobility as could easily be brought toge- 
ther ; as was particularly the case with 
James II. after the landing of the Pr ince 
of Orange; and with the Prince of Orange 
himself, before he called the convention 
parliament, which afterwards called hiirr 
to the throne. Besides this general meet- 
ing, it is usually looked upon to be the right 
of each particular peer of the realm, to de- 
mand an audience of the King, and to lay 
before him with decency and respect, such 
COU 
matters as he shall judge of importance to 
the public weal. 
3. A third coimcil belonging to the King, 
are according to Sir Edward Coke, his 
judges of the courts of law, for law-matters. 
And this appears frequently in the English 
statutes, particularly f4 Edward III. c. 5. 
and in other books of law. So that when 
the King’s council is mentioned generally, 
it must be defined, particularized, and un- 
dei stood, according to the subject matter ; 
and if the subject be of a legal nature, then 
by the King’s council is understood his 
council for matters of law; namely, his 
judges. 
4. But the principal council belonging 
to the King is his privy council, which is 
generally by way of eminence, -called The 
Council. For an account of its constitu- 
tion and powers, see Council, Privy. 
Council, Privy, the primmn mobile of 
the civil government of Great Britain, 
bearing part of that great weight in the 
government which otherwise would be too 
heavy upon the King. 
It is composed of eminent persons, the 
number ot whom is at the Sovereign’s plea- 
sure, who are bound by oath to advise the 
King to the best of their judgment, with all 
the fidelity and secrecy that becomes their 
station. The King may declare to, or con- 
ceal from, his privy council whatever he 
thinks fit, and lias a select council out cf 
their number, commonly called the cabinet 
council, with whom his Majesty determines 
such matters as are most important, and 
require the utmost secrecy. All proclama- 
tions from the King and the privy council, 
ought to be grounded on law, otlierwise 
they are not binding to the subject. I’rivy 
counsellors, though but gentlemen, have 
precedence of all the knights and younger 
sons of barons and viscounts, and are styled 
right honourable. 
CouNCii,, Common, in the city of Lon- 
don, is a court wherein are made all bye- 
laws which bind the citizens. It consists, 
like the parliament, of two houses, an np. 
per, composed of the. Lord Mayor and al- 
dermen ; and a lower, of a number of com- 
mon council men chosen by the seveial 
wards, as representatives of the body of the 
citizens. 
Council of war, an assembly of the prin- 
cipal officers ot an ai'my or fleet, occasion- 
ally called by the general or admiral to 
concert measures for their conduct wltli re- 
gard to sieges, letreats, engagements, &c. 
