during the period of the protectorate, when the lord protector (oliver cromwell and later his son richard) governed the country, assent was given in english. the old practice of giving assent in norman french was resumed following the restoration in 1660 and has continued ever since. there has only been one attempt to remove it, when the house of lords passed a bill in 1706 "for abolishing the use of the french tongue in all proceedings in parliament and courts of justice." the bill failed to pass the house of commons. although the use of french in courts was later abolished in 1731, parliament's practice was not affected.