Regnal Years

Acts of parliament are generally designated by the year of the reign in which they were enacted, rather than by the year of our Lord. The following table is a convenient aid in determining approximately the date a.d. of any act: LODgth of Bovoreifcn. Accession. reign.

William I Oct. 14, 1066.. 21 William II Sept. 28, 1087.. 13 Henrv I Aug. 5, 1100.. 36 Stephen Dec. 26, 1135.. 19 Heiijy ri Dec. 19, 1154.. 35 Kichard I Sept. 23, 1189.. 10 John Maj' 27, 1199.. 18 Henrv III Oct. 28, 1216.. 57 Edwa Vdl Nov. 20, 1272.. 35 Edward II July 8, 1307.. 20 Edward III Jan. 25, 1326.. 51 Richard II June 22, 1377.. 23 Henrv IV Sept. 30, 1399.. 14 Henrv V March 21, 1413. 10 HenrV VI Sept 1, 1422.. 39 Edward FV March 4, 1461.. 23 Edward V April 9, 1483....

Richard III.....

June 26, 1483.. 3 Henrv VII Aug. 22, 1485.. 24 Lenpth of Sovereten.

Aones Bion. leign.

Mary(i) July 6, 1653.. 6 Elizabeth Nov. 17, 1B68.. 45 James I March 24, 1603. 23 Charles I March 27, 1625. 24 The Commonwealth. Jan. 30, 1649.. 11 Charles II. (2)... May 29, 1660.. 37 James II Feb. 6, 1685.. 4 William and Mary.. Feb. 13, 1089.. 14 Anne March 8, 1702.. 13 George I Aug. 1, 1714.. 13 George II June 11, 1727.. 34 George III.... Oct 25, 1760.. 60 George IV Jan. 29, 1820.. 11 William IV June 26, 1830.. 7 Victoria June 20, 1837....

1 Mary, in 1554, married Philip of Spain; hence the subsequent statutes of her reign are referred to as those of Philip and Mary. 2 Although Charles II. did not ascend the throne until 29th May, 3660, his regnal years were computed from the death of Charles 1., Jan. 30, 1649, so that the year of his restoration is styled the twelfth of his reign. This is upon the theory that, as heir to the crown, he began to reign Immediately on his father's death, though temporarily hindered in possession and political action by the usurpation of the protectorate. Hence, for example, the statute for the abolition of military tenures, passed in 1660, is called 12 Car. II. ch. 24; the statute of frauds, passed in 1677, is called 29 Oar. II. ch. 3, &c., although, at their dates, Charles II. had been but a short time actually on the throne. Since 1830, or the accession of William IV., the practice of mentioning the year of our Lord in connection with the date of a British statute has been growing more and more frequent in English books. The parallelism between the regnal years and the years of grace during this period is as follows; that is to say, the year 1831 tallies with the last half of the first year of Wil Uam IV., and the first half of his second year, and so on.

1831... 1 & 2 Wm. IV. 1832.... 2&3 1833.... 3&4 1834... 4&5 1835... 5&6 1836... 6&7 1837... 7Wm. v. & 1 Vict. 1838... 1 & 2 Vict. 1839... 2& 3 1840... 3& 4 1841... 4& 5 1841... 5 1842... 5& 6 1843... 6& 7 1844... 7& 8 1845... 8& 9 1846... 9&10 1847... lO&ll 1848... 11&12 1849... 12&13 1850... 13 & 14 1851.... 14&15 1852.... 1B&16 1853... 16 & 17 1854... 17 & 18 1855.. 18 & 19 1857.... 20 & 21 Vict. 1858.... 21&22 )} 1859.... 22 1859.... 22&23 1860.... 23&24 1861.... 24&25 )T 1862.... 25&26 1863.... 26&27 )) 1864.... 27&28 }} 1865.... 28&29 1866.... 29&30 1867.... 30&31 1868.... 31&32 tf 1869.... 32&33 1870.... 33&34 ^ 1871.... 34&35 1872.... 35&36 1873.... 36 & 37 1874.... 37&38 1875.... 38&39 1876.... 39&40 1877.... 40&41 1878.... 41&42 »