Proclamation

a public notice given of any thing of which the king thinks proper to advertise his subjects. Proclamations are a branch of the king’s prerogative, (see PREROGATIV&); and have then a binding force, when (as sir Edward Coke observes) they are grounded upon and enforce the laws of the realm. For, though the making of laws is entirely the work of a distinet part, the legislative branch of the sovereigiy power, yet the manner, time, and circumstances of putting those laws in execution, must frequently be left to the discretion of the executive niagistrate. And therefore his constitutions or,edicts, concerning those points which we call proclamations, are binding upon the subjeet, where they do not either contradict the old laws, or tend to establish new ones; but only enforce the execution of such laws as are already in being, in such manner as the king shall judge nece ary,