anything lasting seven years.

SEPTENNIAL Elections. Blackstone, in his Com- mentaries, vol. i. p. 189. says, (after observing that the utmost extent of time allowed the same parliament to sit by the stat. 6 W. and M. c. 2. was three years), "But, by the statute 1 Geo. I. st. 2. c. 38. (in or- der professedly to prevent the great and continued ex- pences of frequent elections, and the violent heats and animosities consequent thereupon, and for the peace and security of the government, just then recovering from the late rebellion), this term was prolonged to seven years; and what alone is an instance of the vast au- thority of parliament, the very same house that was chosen for three years enacted its own continuance for seven."