Alasdair Hawkyard is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Historical Society. He was formerly Co-editor and Principal Research Assistant on the 1509-1558 section of the History of Parliament. His long-standing interest in architectural, social, and political history is reflected in a range of articles published in Parliamentary History as well as other academic journals. He is the co-editor of Sir Thomas Duppa’s Commonplace Book (Wiley Blackwell, 2015) and co-author of The Counties of Britain: A Tudor Atlas by John Speed (1988).

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• AbbreviationsList of Tables and MapsList of FiguresPrefaceIntroductionChapter 1. Elections and Electoral Practice:Summoning a ParliamentCircular LettersOther Royal and Conciliar LettersNominationsCanvassingElectoral LawEnfranchisement and DisfranchisementShire ElectionsUrban County ElectionsCity, Borough and Town ElectionsThe Franchise in the Urban Counties, Cities, Boroughs and TownsCities, Boroughs and Towns and LordshipSheriffs and Other Returning OfficersElection Returns, Indentures and SchedulesWitness Lists on Election IndenturesAlterations to Election Returns, Indentures and SchedulesFalse ReturnsOverturned and Quashed ElectionsThe Assembly of the House, the Receipt of Writs and the Calling of NamesCrown Office ListsCommittees for ReturnsBy-electionsChapter 2. The Members:The Body PoliticThe Size of the HouseSocial BackgroundKnights and KnightingsEnnoblementThe Associates of PeersEducationWriters and TranslatorsMembers’ Personal Notes,Records and MemoryKing’s Councillors and Privy CouncillorsThe Royal HouseholdOther Royal Servants and OfficersMilitary and Naval ExperienceEcclesiastical Administrators, Lay Deans and Ordained PriestsLawyersMerchants, Manufacturers and TradersExperience in County GovernmentExperience in Urban GovernmentReligionThe Acquisition of Church PropertyMisfortune and NotorietyAccommodation and DiningClothing and AccessoriesServants and AttendantsWagesDepictionsChapter 3. Organisation:Meeting PlacesTimes of BusinessAdjournmentsInter-sessional ProrogationsSeating and HierarchyThe SpeakerOfficers of the HouseThe Records of the CommonsChapter 4. The House in Session:The Opening of ParliamentThe Speaker’s Petitions:1. Freedom of Access by the Speaker to the Sovereign2. The Apology by the Speaker to the Sovereign3. Liberty of Speech4. Privilege from ArrestThe House of Commons as a CourtDiscussing and Reporting BusinessAttendanceOutside InterventionVisitorsConferences with the LordsThe Presence of Members at Events outside ParliamentThe Royal AssentThe Closing of ParliamentOn LeavingChapter 5. Legislation:The Preparation of Petitions and BillsThe House of Origin for BillsProcedure on BillsThe Interests of Members and ConstituenciesSpeechesDebates and OppositionSuitors, Counsel and Defendants at the BarInfluences on MembersCommitteesAmendment and EngrossmentVoting: Acclamations and DivisionsThe Bearing of Bills to the LordsThe Collection of the Subsidy Bill from the Upper HouseAppendices:1. Dates of Parliaments2. The Parliament of September 15533. King Philip4. New Constituencies5. By-elections6. Additional Members and Names7. Private Acts for Members8. Provisos in Acts for Constituencies9. Provisos in Acts for MembersBibliographyIndex