Succession to the Crown Act 1707
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1707 c. 7 |
| Year | 1707 |
(6 Ann.) C A P. VII. (41)
'W H E R E A S by the happy Union ofEngland and Scotland , it is become necessary to make divers Alterations in Relation to an Act passed in the Parliament of England , in the fourth Year of the Reign of her present Majesty, whom God long preserve, intituled, Englandin the Protestant Line , and to extend the Provisions of the said Act throughout the whole United Kingdom, for the better Security of our most gracious Sovereign's Person and Government, and of the Succession to the Crown of Great Britain in the Protestant Line, as it is now by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm settled, limited, and appointed;' Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That if any Person or Personsshall maliciously, advisedly, and directly, by Writing or Printing, maintain and affirm, That our Sovereign Lady the Queen that now is, is not the lawful and rightful Queen of these Realms, or that the pretended Prince ofWales , who now stiles himself King of Great Britain , or King of England , by the Name of James the Third, or King of Scotland , by the Name of James the Eighth, hath any Right or Title to the Crown of these Realms, or that any other Person or Persons hath or have any Right or Title to the same, otherwise than according to an Act of Parliament made in England in the first Year of the Reign of their late Majesties King William and Queen Mary , of ever blessed and glorious Memory, intituled, An Act declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and settling the Succession of the Crown ; and one other Act made in England in the twelfth Year of the Reign of his said late Majesty King William the Third, intituled, , and the Acts lately made inEngland and Scotland mutually for the Union of the two Kingdoms; or that the Kings or Queens of this Realm, with and by the Authority of Parliament, are not able to make Laws and Statutesof sufficient Force and Validity to limit and bind the Crown, and the Descent, Limitation, Inheritance, and Government thereof; every such Person or Persons shall be guilty of High Treason, and being thereof lawfully convicted, shall be adjudged Traitors, and shall suffer Pains of Death, and all Losses and Forfeitures as in Cases of High Treason.
II Preachers, &c. who shall declare and affirm the Queen not to be lawful Queen, &c.
II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person or Persons shall maliciously and directly, by Preaching, Teaching, or advised speaking, declare, maintain, and affirm, That our Sovereign Lady the Queen that now is, is not the lawful or rightful Queen, of these Realms, or that the pretended Prince ofWales , who now stiles himself King of Great Britain , or King of England , by the Name of James the Third, or King of Scotland , by the name of James the Eighth, hath any Right or Title to the Crown of these Realms, or that any other Person or Persons hath or have any Right or Title to the same, otherwise than according to an Act of Parliament made in England in the first Year of the Reign of their said late Majesties King William and Queen Mary , intituled, ; and one other Act made inEngland , in the twelfth Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King William the Third, intituled, ; and the Acts lately made inEngland and Scotland mutually for the Union of the two Kingdoms; or that the Kings or Queens of this Realm, with and by the Authority of Parliament, are not able to make Laws and Statutes of sufficient Force and Validity to limit and bind the Crown, and the Descent, Limitation, Inheritanceand Government thereof; every such Person and Persons shall incur the Danger and Penalty ofProemunire mentioned in the Statute of Premunire made in England in the sixteenth Year of the Reignof King Richard the Second.
III No Prosecution unless Information be within 3 Days after Words spoken.
III. Provided always, and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person shall be prosecuted by Virtue of this Act for any Words spoken, unless the Information of such Words be given upon Oath to one or more Justice or Justices of the Peace within three Days after such Words spoken, and the Prosecution of such Offence be within three Months after such Information; and that no Person shall be convicted by Virtue of this Act for any such Words spoken, but by the Oaths of two credible Witnesses.
IV Parliament not to be dissolved by Queen's Death.
IV. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That this present Parliament, or any other Parliament which shall hereafter be summoned and called by her Majesty Queen Anne , her Heirs or Successors, shall not be determined or dissolved by the Death or Demise of her said Majesty, her Heirs or Successors, but such Parliament shall, and is hereby enacted to continue, and is hereby impowered and required, if sitting at the Time of such Demise, immediately to proceed to act, notwithstanding such Death or Demise, for and during the Term of six Months, and no longer, unless the same be sooner prorogued or dissolved by such Person to whom the Crown of this Realm ofGreat Britain shall come, remain and be, according to the Acts for limiting and settling the Succession, and for the Union above mentioned; and if the said Parliament shall be prorogued, then it shall meet and fit on and upon the Day unto which it shall be prorogued, and continue for the Residue of the said Time of six Months, unless sooner prorogued or dissolved as aforesaid.
V Parliament to meet immediately after Death.
V. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if there be a Parliament in Being, at the Time of the Death of her Majesty, her Heirs or Successors, but the same happens to be separated by Adjournment or Prorogation, such Parliament shall immediately after such Demise meet, convene and sit, and shall act, notwithstanding such Death or Demise, for and during the Time of six Months, and no longer, unless the same shall be sooner prorogued and dissolved as aforesaid.
VI In case there be no Parliament, then the last preceding to meet.
VI. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That in case there is no Parliament in Being at the Time of such Demise that hath met and fat, then the last preceding Parliament shall immediately convene, and sit atWestminster , and be a Parliament to continue as aforesaid, to all Intents and Purposes; as if the same Parliament had never been dissolved, but subject to be prorogued and dissolved as aforesaid.
VII Not to abridge Queen's Power to prorogue or dissolve Parliaments.
VII. Provided always, and it is hereby declared, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend to alter or abridge the Power of the Queen, her Heirs or Successors, to prorogue or dissolve Parliaments, nor to repeal, or make void one Act of Parliament made inEngland in the sixth Year of the Reign of their said late Majesties King William and Queen Mary , intituled, ; but that the said Act shall continue in Force in every Thing that is not contrary to, or inconsistent with the Direction of this Act; and the said Act for the frequent Meetingand Calling of Parliaments is hereby declared and enacted to extend to the Parliament ofGreat Britain , as fully and effectually, to all Intents, Constructions, and Purposes, as if the same were herein and hereby particularly recited and enacted.
VIII Privy Council not to be dissolved by Queen's Death.
VIII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Privy Council of her Majesty, her Heirs or Successors for the Kingdom ofGreat Britain , shall not be determined or dissolved by the Death or Demise of her Majesty, her Heirs or Successors; but such Privy Council shall continue and act as such by the Space of six Months next after such Demise, unless sooner determined by the next Successor to whom the Imperial Crown of this Realm is limited and appointed to go, remain, and descend; nor shall the Office or Placeof Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal ofGreat Britain , or of Lord High Treasurer of Great Britain , Lord President of the Council for Great Britain , Lord Privy Seal of Great Britain , Lord High Admiral of Great Britain , or of any of the Great Officers of the Queen or King's Housholdfor the Time being; nor shall any Office, Place, or Employment, Civil or Military, within the Kingdoms ofGreat Britain or Ireland , Dominion of Wales , Town of Berwick upon Tweed , Isles, of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney , and Sarke , or any of her Majesty's Plantations, become void by Reason of the Demise or Death of her present Majesty, her Heirs or Successors, Queens or Kings of this Realm; but the said Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of Great Britain , the Lord High Treasurer of Great Britain , the Lord President of the Council, the Lord Privy Seal, the Lord High Admiral of Great Britain , the Great Officers of the Houshold, and every other Person and Persons in any of the Offices...
To continue reading
Request your trial