Bed of Justice

Bed of Justice (Fr. lit de justice), literally, the seat or throne occupied by the French monarch when he was present at the deliberations of parliament. Historically, a bed of justice signified a solemn session, in which the king was present to overrule the decisions of parliament, and to enforce the acceptance of edicts or ordinances which it had previously rejected. The theory of the old French constitution was that the authority of parliament was derived solely from the crown; consequently, when the king, the source of authority, was present, that which was delegated ceased. Acknowledging such a principle, the parliament was logically incapable of resisting any demand that the king in a bed of justice might make, and decrees promulgated during a sitting of this kind were held to be of more authority than ordinary decisions of parliament. Monarchs were not slow to take advantage of this power to overawe any parliament that exhibited signs of independence. The last bed of justice was held by Louis XVI. at Versailles in September 1787, when the whole parliament were arrested and confined in prisons in different parts of France.