— Also termed de praerogativa regis (dee pree-rog-[schwa]-tI-v[schwa] ree-jis).
“The king’s right is distinctly stated in the document known as praerogativa Regis, which we believe to come from the early years of Edward I. The same document seems to be the oldest that gives us any clear information about a wardship of lunatics. The king is to provide that the lunatic and his family are properly maintained out of the income of his estate, and the residue is to be handed over to him upon his restoration to sanity, or, should he die without having recovered his wits, is to be administered by the ordinary for the good of his soul; but the king is to take nothing to his own use.” 1 Frederick Pollock & Frederic W. Maitland, The History of English Law Before the Time of Edward I 481 (2d ed. 1898).
