The term Three Estates is used to describe the divisions of the
European parliament. Parliament is defined by the Webster’s Dictionary
as, "an assemblage
of person (as members of nobility, clergy, and commons) called together
by the British sovereign setting for a period of time and then being dissolved,
and constituting the supreme legislature body of the United Kingdom."
Parliament could also be defined as, "The 'image' and 'the thing in deed'
of the mixed party (Alford 36)." The three different groups as mentioned
in the definition by the Webster’s Dictionary are the estates that
divide the parliament. The estates are not of physical property, but rather
the separation of the society. One group was the clergy,
which consisted of the bishops and priests, who were also called the prayers.
Next there was the group of nobility which was formed by the kings, queens
and knights, as so known as the fighters. And finally, the last group was
the group of commons which were the average person such as the workers.
The term three estates showed the fundamental view of the separation of
society in medieval times.
This term Three Estates does not necessarily mean the three divisions of the parliament. This term could be, "as more effective synonym for 'both houses' ." (Alford 36) The two houses are the House of the Lords and the House of the Commons. This shows that the term is not a direct interpretation , but rather an idea of the separation.
Parliament was used to "manage the Crown's business (Loades 90)." The parliament
was also used to pass bills and legislature, but each time a bill was presented,
it was mandatory that it would go through each house at least three times.
As the age of the Parliament became older, it's procedures grew "more
sophisticated, and more strictly enforced." (Loades 92) The Parliament
also became a place at which "provided a very good platform for a
monarch who wanted to say something of particular
importance."
(Loades 93) But the Parliament did also have its faults. It
had a separation between the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The
House of the Lords was closer to the court, highly spiritual, and made
themselves to the hand of the monarch. They were "an aspect of managing
the whole estate." (Loades 93) The House of Commons, on the other hand,
only a few were able to sit for boroughs, and "they could be nominated
of the Counsel was so inclined." (Loades 93) There was a great separation
between the Parliament.
But the idea of the Three Estates was the general separation among society and the Parliament. It was the state of what you were and who you were.
Works Used
Alford, Stephen.
The Early Elizabethan Polity. The Press Syndicated of the University
of
Cambridge. United Kingdom. 1998.
Loades, David.
Power in Tudor England. St. Martin's Press. New York . 1997
Professor Jeremy Adams. Webster's Dictionary