§ SIR GEORGE BOWYERI rise, Mr. Speaker, to Order, and I desire to bring before the notice of the House an irregularity which has occurred in the message just delivered by Black Rod, in the hope that that irregularity may not be drawn into a precedent. The Usher of the Black Rod, in summoning the House of Commons, said, just now, that the Lords Commissioners "required" the presence of the Commons in the House of Lords to hear the Commission read. That expression is one which, according to the Books, has been held to be con- 1222 trary to the dignity of the House. The expression which he should have used was that the Lords Commissioners "desired" the presence of the House of Commons. I wish, Mr. Speaker, to ask you to state from the Chair whether I am right on this point.
§ MR. SPEAKERThe expression referred to by the hon. and learned Member may have been made use of by Black Rod. The ordinary expression is—"Desire the attendance of this House;" but I am not prepared to say that that expression may not have been made use of by Black Rod.
§ SIR GEORGE BOWYERI can state positively that the word used was "require" and not "desire;" and I should wish you to state, Sir, whether the word should not be "desire."
§ MR. DILLWYNI can certainly confirm what has been said by my hon. and learned Friend that the expression used was "require" and not "desire," though it does not appear to me that there is any material difference between them.
§ MR. SPEAKERI have already stated, in answer to the Question of the hon. and learned Member for the county of Wexford, that the word usually used is "desire."