Anne of Denmark without Iffue of her Body, the Parliament did thereupon in the fame Seffion draw up a Bill, entitled, An Act for the farther Limitation of the Crown, and better fecuring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, which receiv'd the Royal Affent June 12, 1701; whereby it is declar'd and enacted,

'T

HAT the most excellent Princefs Sophia, Electress,and Dutchefs Dowager of Hanover, Daughter to the most excellent Princess Elizabeth, late Queen of Bohemia, eldest Daughter of King James I. of happy Memory, be, and is hereby declar'd, to be the next in Succeffion in the Proteftant Line to the Crown of England, France and Ireland, after his Majefty, and the Princefs Anne of Denmark, and that for Default of Iffue of the faid Princess Anne, and of his Majefty .refpectively, the faid Crown and Regal Government, c. fhall remain to the faid Princefs Sophia, and the Heirs of her Body, being Proteftants."

I

II. Provided, that all Perfons who may inherit the faid Crown by Virtue of this Limitation, and are, or fhall be reconcil'd to, or hold Communion with the Church of Rome, or profefs the Popish Religion, or marry a Papift, fhall be fubject to the Incapaci ties of the Act, Anno 1 W. & M. Sefs. 2. cap. 2. entitled, An Act for declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subjects, and for fettling the Succeffion of the Crown: And that every King and Queen of the Realm, who thall come to the Crown by Virtue of this Act, fhall take the Coronation-Oath, made I W. & M. Sefs. 1. cap. 6. and make, fubfcribe, and repeat the Declaration in the before-mention'd A&t, 1 W. & M. Sefs 2. cap. 2.

III. And for farther fecuring our Religion, Laws, and Liberties, from and after the Death of his Majefty, and the Princefs Anne of Denmark, and in Default of Iffue of the faid Princess and his Majefly respectively, it is enacted,

1. That

1. That whofoever. fhall hereafter come to the Crown, thall join in Communion with the Church of England, as by Law eftablish'd.

2. That in Cafe the Crown fhall hereafter come to any Perfon not being a Native of England, this Nation thall not be oblig'd to engage in any War, for Defence of any Dominions or Territories not belonging to the Crown of England, without the Confent of Parliament.

3. That no Perfon who fhall hereafter come to the Crown, fhall go out of England, Scotland, or Ireland, without Confent of Parliament. [Note, This Claufe is repeal'd by 1 Geo. cap. 51. as fhall be fhewn hereafter]

4. That after the Limitation by this Act fhall take Effect, all Things relating to the Well-governing of this Kingdom, properly cognizable in the Privy Council, fhall be tranfacted there; and all Refolutions fhall be fign'd by fuch of the Privy Council as thall advife and affent to the fame. [This Claufe is likewife repeald by 4 & 5 Anna, cap. 8. entitled, An Act for an Union of the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland.]

5. That after the faid Limitation fhall take Effect, no Perfon born out of England, Scotland, or Ireland, or the Dominions thereunto belonging, (altho' Naturaliz'd, or made a Denizen) except fuch as were born of English Parents, thall be capable to be of the Privy Council, or Member of either Houfe of Parliament, or to enjoy any Office or Place of Truft, Civil or Military, or to have any Grant of Lands from the Crown, to himself, or to any others in Truft for him.

6. That no Perfons who has an Office or Place of Profit under the King, or receives a l'enfion from the Crown, fhall be capable of ferving as a Member of the Houfe of Commons. [This Claufe is alfo repeal'd by the Union Act above-mention'd.]

IV. That after the faid Limitation, &c. Judges Commiffions be made, uamdiu fe bene gefferint, and their Salaries afcertain'd and eftablith'd; but

upon the Addrefs of both Houfes of Parliament, it may be lawful to remove them.

V. That no Pardon under the Great Seal of England, be pleadable to an Impeachment by the Commons in Parliament.

VI. And that all the Laws and Statutes of this' Realm for fecuring the establish'd Religion, and the Rights and Liberties of the People, fhall be ratify'd and confirm'd.

After the paffing of this Act, the King order'd it to be fairly engrofs'd, and feal'd with the Great Seal of England, and appointed Charles Gerard, Earl of Macclesfield, to carry it to the Court of Hanover, and there prefent it to her Royal Highnefs, taking with him, at the fame Time, the whole Habits and Ornaments of the Noble Order of the Garter, for George-Lewis, Elector, (now our moft gracious Sovereign) who had been juft before elected a Knight-Companion.

Soon after Queen Anne's Acceffion to the Throne, the order'd the Princefs Sophia to be pray'd for, in the Prayer for the Royal Family; and the more firmly to fecure the Succeffion in the Proteftant Line, did, in the Parliament holden in the 4th and 5th Years of her Reign, give the Royal Affent to two farther Acts, viz. An Act for naturalizing the faid Princefs Sophia, and the fuc of her Body; and the other, entitled, An Act for the greater Security of her Majefty's Perfon and Government, and of the Succeffion of the Crown of England in the Proteftant Line; and of this laft Act, tis neceffary to give the following Abstract.

I.

FO

OR the better Security of her Majefty's Perfon and Government, and the Succeffion in the Proteftant Line, &c. enacted, That if any Perfon after the 25th of March 1706, fhall malicioufly, advisedly, and directly, by writing, printing, &c. affirm, that our Sovereign Lady the Queen, that now is, is not lawful or rightful Queen of these Realms, or that the pretended Prince of Wales, &c.

hath

hath any Right to the Crown, c. or any Perfon, otherwife than according to the Acts of 1 W. & M. cup. 2. and 12 W. 3. cap. 2. declaring the Rights and Liberries of the Subject, and fettling the Succeffion, &c. and for the farther. Limitation of the Crown, c. or that the Kings or Queens of England, are not able, by Authority of Parliament, to make Laws, &c. of fufficient Force to bind the Crown of this Realm, and the Inheritance aud Government thereof, fuch Perfon fhall be guilty of High Treafon, &c.

II. Any Perfon that fhall, after the faid 25th of March, malicioufly and directly, by preaching, teaching, or advised fpeaking, maintain, that her faid Majesty is not lawful or rightful Queen of thefe Realms, &c. or that the pretended Prince of Wales, or any other Perfon, &c. have any Right to the Crown, c. otherwife than according to the aforefaid Acts, c. or that the Kings and Queens of England, &c. with Authority of Parliament, are not able to make Laws of fufficient Force to limit the Crown, &c. fuch Perfons convicted, fhall incur the Penalty of Pramunire, mention'd 16 R. 2.

III. No Perfon to be profecuted on this Act for Words fpoken, unless Information be given on Oath, &c. within three Days after the Words fpoken; and fuch Offence to be profecuted within three Months after Information; and no Conviction, but by the Oaths of two credible Witnesses.

IV. That this prefent Parliament, or any other to be call d'hereafter by her Majefty, her Heirs, c. fhall not be diffolv'd by the Demife of her Majefty, her Heirs, c. but to continue, and impower'd, if fitting at the Time of fuch Demife, immediately to act notwithstanding, &c. for fix Months, and no longer, unless prorogu'd or diffolv'd by the Person to whom the Crown comes, according to the Limitations aforefaid; and if prorogu'd, than to fit upon that Day, to which fo prorogu'd, and continue for the Refidue of the faid fix Months, unless fooner prorogu'd or diffolv'd, &c. A 3

V. If

V. If a Parliament is in being at the Death of her Majefty, her Heirs, &c. but happens to be feparated by Adjournment, c. fuch Parliament to meet immediately, and act notwithstanding for fix Months, and no longer, unless fooner prorogu'd, or diffɔlv'd, as aforefaid.

VI. In cafe no Parliament is in being at the Time of fuch Demife, that has met and fate, then the laft preceding Parliament to convene and continue as aforefaid, c. but fubject to be prorogu'd, c.

VII. Nothing in this Act to extend to alter of abridge the Queen's Power, her Heirs, c. to prorogue or diffolve Parliaments, nor to repeal the Act made 6 & 7 W. 3. cap. 2. (for the frequent meeting and calling of Parliaments) but to be in Force in every Thing not inconfiftent with the Direction of this Act.

VIII. The Privy Council at her Majefty's Demife, c. not to be diffolv'd, but to act for fix Months after, unless fooner determin'd by the next Succeffor, c. nor the. Lord Chancellor, Keeper, Prefident, Privy Seal, High Admiral, or any the Great Offi cers of the Houthold, c. nor any Civil or Milita ry Employments within Great Britain or Ireland, c. Ferfey, Guernsey, Alderney, or Sark, or Plantations, to be void, but continue for fix Months after fuch Demife, &c.

IX. The Great Seal, Privy Seal, Privy Signet, and all other Seals, c. at her Majefty's Demife, to be ufed as the refpective Seals of the Succeffor, until contrary Orders.

X. The Privy Council, at the Time of her Majefty's Demife, &c. to caufe the next Proteftant Succeffor to be proclaim'd int Great Britain and Ireland, c. and upon Neglect, or Refufal, fuch Members and Officers to be guilty of High Treason, &c.

XI. For continuing the Administration of the Government in the Name of fuch next Proteftant Succeffor, (that may happen to be out of this Kingdom at the Time of her Majefty's Demife) until her or his Arrival, the Lord Archbishop of Canter bury, Lord Chancellor or Keeper, Lord High Trea

furer,