 At the same time , Henry and his descendants normally followed the will of the courts , despite the fact they were theoretically not bound by judges . William Holdsworth infers that by regularly asking the legal officers of the crown and judiciary for legal advice and consent , Henry recognised the need for a stable government to follow the law . He also contends that the view that the law is supreme over all " was the view of all the leading lawyers and statesmen and publicists of the Tudor period " . It was accepted that while the King had " unfettered discretion " , he was limited in areas where the courts had imposed conditions on the use of the prerogative , or where he had chosen to do so . 
