Bishops and their Precedence

The precedence of bishops is regulated by the act of 31 Hen. VIII. c. 10., "for placing of the Lords." Bishops are, in fact, temporal barons, and, as stated in Stephen's *Blackstone*, vol. iii. pp. 5, 6., sit in the House of Peers in right of succession to certain ancient baronies annexed, or supposed to be annexed, to their episcopal lands; and as they have in addition high spiritual rank, it is but right they should have place before those who, in temporal rank only, are equal to them. This is, in effect, the meaning of the reason given by Coke in part iii. of the Institutes, p. 361. ed. 167…