[12 THE DOMINION PARLIAMENT.

seventeenth day of the month of January next, so that neither
you nor any of you on the said seventeenth day of December
next at Our city of Ottowa to appear are to be held or
constrained : for we do will that you and each of you, be as
to Us, in this matter, entirely exonerated ; commanding and
by the tenour of these presents, enjoining you and each of
you and all others in this behalf interested that on Thursday,
 the seventeenth day of the month of January next at
Our city of Ottawa aforesaid, personally be and appear for
the despatch of business to treat, do, act, and conclude upon
those things which in our said Parliament of Canada by the
Common Council of our said Dominion, may by the favour
of God be maintained.
In testimony whereof We have caused these our Letters
to be made Patent and the Great Seal of Canada to be
hereunto affixed. Witness &c.

3. The opening of Parliament.

Proceedings
 in the
Bago of When a new House of Commons is elected, the members
assemble in their Chamber on the morning of the day mentioned
 in the proclamation and at an hour fixed by the
clerk, for the purpose of taking the oath and signing the
roll. The Clerk of the Crown in Chancery attends at the
table and delivers to the clerk of the House a roll containing
 the names of duly elected members. The oath of
allegiance in the form set out in the British North America
Act 1867,
——— do swear that I will be faithful and bear
true allegiance to her Majesty Queen Victoria;
is administered by one of the clerks or the Sergeant-atarms
 authorized for that purpose by the Governor-General.
Hlectionof By the British North America Act 1867, section 44, the
Speaker. House of Commons on its first assembling after a general

I B. N. A. Act, 1867, 5. 128.