COURT OF CONVOCATION. A convoca tion or ecclesiastical synod, which is in the nature of an ecclesiastical parliament.
There is one for each province. They are com posed respectively of the archbishop, all the bishops, deans, and archdeacons of their province, with one proctor, or representative, from each chapter, and, in the province of Canterbury, two proctors for the beneficed parochial clergy in each diocese, while in the province of York there are two proctors for each archdeaconry. In York the convocation con sists of only one house ; but in Canterbury there are two houses, of which the archbishop and bishops form the upper house, and the lower consists of the remaining members of the convocation. In this house a prolocutor, performing the duty of pres ident, is elected. These 'assemblies meet at the time appointed in the queen's writ. The convoca tion has long been summoned pro orma only, but is still, in fact, summoned before the meeting of every new parliament, and adjourns immediately afterwards, without proceeding to the dispatch of any business.
The purpose of the convocation is stated to be the enactment of canon law, subject to the license and authority of the sovereign, and consulting on eccle siastical matters.
In their judicial capacity, their jurisdic tion extends to matters of heresy, schisms, and other mere spiritual or ecclesiastical causes,—an appeal lying from their judicial proceedings to the king in council, by stet. 2 & 3 Will. IV. c. 92.
Bnt there is a question whether at any time Convocation ever acted as a court. There is some evidence to show that in the 14th and 15th centuries persons accused of heresy were brought before Convocation by the bishop, but the members did not vote on such trials, being probably rather in the na ture of a body of assessors to the arch bishop. Convocation exercises no jurisdic tion at the present day ; 1 Holdsw. Hist. E. L. 373.
Cowell ; Bac. Abr. Ecclesiastical Courts, A, 1; 1 Bla. Com. 279; 2 Steph. Com. 525, 668; 2 Burn, Eccl. Law, 18.