A PROROGATION is the continuance of the parliament from one session to another, as an adjournment is a continuation of the session from day to day. This is done by the royal authority, expressed either by the lord chancellor in his majesty's presence, or by commission from the crown, or frequently by proclamation. Both houses are necessarily prorogued at the same time; it not being a prorogation of the house of lords, or commons, but of the parliament. The session is never understood to be at an end, until a prorogation: though, unless some act be passed or some judgment given in parliament, it is in truth no session at all[s]. And formerly the usage was, for the king to give the royal assent to all such bills as he approved, at the end of every session, and then to prorogue the parliament; though sometimes only for a day or two[t]: after which all business then depending in the houses was to be begun again. Which custom obtained so strongly, that it once became a question[u], whether giving the royal assent to a single bill did not of course put an end to the session. And, though it was then resolved in the negative, yet the notion was so deeply rooted, that the statute 1 Car. I. c. 7. was passed to declare, that the king's assent to that and some other acts should not put an end to the session; and, even so late as the restoration of Charles II, we find a proviso tacked to the first bill then enacted[w] that his majesty's assent thereto should not determine the session of parliament. But it now seems to be allowed, that a prorogation must be expressly made, in order to determine the session. And, if at the time of an actual rebellion, or imminent danger of invasion, the parliament shall be separated by adjournment or prorogation, the king is empowered[x] to call them together by proclamation, with fourteen days notice of the time appointed for their reassembling. [Footnote s: 4 Inst. 28. Hale of parl. 38.] [Footnote t: Com. Journ. 21 Oct. 1553.] [Footnote u: _Ibid._ 21 Nov. 1554.] [Footnote w: Stat. 12 Car. II. c. 1.] [Footnote x: Stat. 30 Geo. II. c. 25.]