CONVOCATIONS (from Lat. conrocare, to call together) were originally synods of the clergy or the ancient ecclesiastical councils of the archbishop, but became incorporated into the English constitution of church and state, and endued with certain parliamentary privileges. Some writers distinguish between councils and C.—the former as being for spiritual purposes, and summoned without authority from the crown; the latter as being for civil purposes, and by command of the crown. The two, however, in process of time, especially after the conquest, became gradually blended; C. made canons, and councils granted subsidies, and all distinction had disappeared before the reformation. The circumstances attending the famous assembly at Northampton, 1282, in the reign of Edward I., helped to settle the form which C. have since assumed. In England, the 'provinces of Canterbury and York have each their convocation. Previous to the reformation, these were sometimes convened into a national synod; but since then, matters have usually been concluded in the C. of Canterbury, and transmitted to York for concurrence. A convocation consists of three elements—I. The archbishop; 2. The bishops; 3. The clergy of the second order. They originally met in one assembly, but since the beginning of the 14th c. the clergy in the province of Canterbury have retired into a distinct chamber, presided over by a prolocutor, with officers and journals of their own. These two bodies are called the upper and lower houses. In the convocation of York the same distinction exists, but on the rare occasions of their meeting, the busi ness has been generally conducted in one assembly. The archbishop has the sole power of summoning, presiding, and proroguing; he has also a veto upon all measures. Ile cannot, however, summon without autarky from the crown. The upper house is the proper locus synodi, where the bishops have a right to sit and vote, and before the reformation the mitred abbots had place there also. The lower house consists of the lesser dignitaries, as deans and archdeacons, and the proctors sent by capitular bodies and by the parochial clergy. In Canterbury. the beneficed clergy only elect, and they send one proctor for each diocese; in York, all the clergy elect, and send one proctor for each archdeaconry. The lower house deliberates on matters proposed to the archbishop; it may present petitions to the upper house and state grievances, be with it in judicature on persons convened, and dissent from and so hinder the passing of any synodical act. The passing of subsidies in convocation ceased in 1665, and the
records were destroyed in the fire of Lgindon in the following year. 3Ieetings of convo cation fell into abeyance from the political troubles caused by the revolution of 1688. They have been revived with considerable advantage to the church, but their action has been and is greatly restricted. In Ireland, the C. of the four provinces assembled at Dublin, all together, and were on the model of those in England. At the union, no pro vision was made with respect to this matter, and since then there has not been even a formal assembling of the Irish convocation. An act of parliament was passed in 1663, for regulating the meetings of convocation in Scotland; but shortly after the revolution of 1688, the Episcopal church ceased to be the national church of that country; and ever since, the meetings of the Presbyterian church, embracing clergy and laity, have been called general assemblies. See ASSEMBLY, SYNOD.
The position of the church of England as respects its C. is exceedingly anomalous, but is incidental to certain circumstances in the constitution and polity of the country. As essentially interwoven with the state, the church possesses no independent action; its articles. liturgy, organization as to benefices, etc., are all regulated by parliament; while its discipline falls within the scope of the ecclesiastical courts, a class of tribunals apart from the ministering clergy. The church, therefore, in its capacity as an institu tion to teach certain doctrines of religion, is left little to do in the way of jurisdic tion. It is further urged, as a reason for restricting the power of convocation. that being purely sacerdotal, it might be apt to run into excesses, and put forth claims adverse to the prevailing tone of sentiment on religious matters; that, in short, as things stand, it is safer for the public to be under the authority of parliament than to be sub ject to the ordinances of a body of ecclesiastics. At the same time, it is generally allowed that some kind of reform is desirable, though bow this should be effected in a manner satisfactory to all parties, it would be difficult to say. The convoca tions of Canterbury and York assemble annually at the opening of parliament, each 'keeping up its own distinctive customs. See Trevor's Convocations of the Two Provinces; :Cardwell's Synodalia, and Documentary Annals; Latlibury's History of the Convocation .of the Church of England.