Succession to the Crown Act 1533
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1533 c. 22 |
| Year | 1533 |
(25 Hen. 8) C A P. XXII.
'IN their most humble wire shewn unto your Majesty your most humble and obedient Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons, in this Present Parliament assembled, That since it is the natural Inclination of every Man, gladly and willingly to provide for the Surety of both his Title and Succession, although it touch only his private Cause, we therefore, most rightful and dreadful SovereignLord, reckon our selves much more bound to beseech and instant your Highness (although we doubt not of your princely Heart and Wisdom, mixed with a natural Affection to the same) to foresee and provide for the perfect Surety of both you and of your most lawful Succession and Heirs, upon which dependeth all our Joy and Wealth, in whom also is united and knit the only mere true Inheritance and Title of this Realm, without any Contradiction; (2) wherefore we your said most humble and obedient Subjects, in this present Parliament assembled, calling to our Remembrance the great Divisions which in Times past have been in this Realm, by reason of several Titles pretended to the Imperial Crown of the same, which sometimes, and for the most Part ensued, by occasion of Ambiguity and Doubts, then not so perfectly declared, but that Men might upon froward Intents, expound them to every Man's sinister Appetite and Affection, after their Sense, contrary to the right Legality of the Succession and Posterity of the lawful Kings and Emperors of this Realm; (3)whereof hath ensued great Effusion and Destruction of Man's Blood, as well of a great Number of the Nobles, as of other the Subjects, and especially Inheritors in the same; (4) and the greatest Occasion thereof hath been, because no perfect and substantial Provision by Law hath been made within this Realm of itself, when Doubts and Questions have been moved and proponed, of the Certainty and Legality of the Succession and Posterity of the Crown; (5) by reason whereof the Bishop ofRome , and See Apostolick, contrary to the great and inviolable Grants of Jurisdictions given by God immediately to Emperors, Kings and Princes, in Succession to their Heirs, hath presumed in Times past, to invest who should please them, to inherit in other Mens Kingdoms and Dominions, which Thing we your most humble Subjects, both Spiritual and Temporal, do utterly abhor and detest; (6) and sometimes other foreign Princes and Potentates of sundry Degrees, minding rather Dissension and Discord to continue in the Realm, to the utter Desolation thereof, than Charity, Equity or Unity, have many Times supported wrong Titles, whereby they might the more easily and facily aspire to the Superiority of the same; the Continuance and Sufferance whereof deeply considered and pondered, were too dangerous and perilous to be suffered any longer within this Realm, and too much contrary to the Unity, Peace and Tranquillity of the same, being greatly reproachable and dishonourable to the whole Realm.
II. In Consideration whereof, your said most humble and obedient Subjects, the Nobles and Commons of this Realm, calling further to their Remembrance, that good Unity, Peace and Wealth of this Realm, and the Succession of the Subjects of the same, most especially and principally above all worldly Things consisteth and resteth in the Certainty and Surety of the Procreation and Posterity of your Highness, in whose most Royal Person at this present Time, is no manner of Doubt nor Question;' do therefore most humbly beseech your Highness, that it may please your Majesty, That it may be enacted by your Highness, with the Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the Marriage heretofore solemnized between your Highnessand the LadyKatherine , being before the lawful Wife to Prince Arthur , your elder Brother, which by him was carnally known, as doth duly appear by sufficient Proof in a lawful Process had and made before Thomas , by the Sufferance of God, now Archbishop of Canterbury , and Metropolitan and Primate of all this Realm, shall be, by Authority of this present Parliament, definitively, clearly and absolutely declared, deemed and adjudged to be against the Laws of Almighty God. (2) and also accepted, reputed and taken of no Value nor Effect, hut utterly void and adnihiled, and the Separation thereof, made by the said Archbishop, shall be good and effectual to all Intents and Purposes; any Licence, Dispensation or any other Act or Acts going afore, or ensuing the same, or to the contrary thereof, in any wise notwithstanding; (3) and that every such Licence, Dispensation, Act or Acts, Thing or Things heretofore had, made, done, or to be done to the contrary thereof, shall be void and of none Effect; (4)And that the said LadyKatherine shall be from henceforth called and reputed only Dowager to Prince Arthur , and not Queen of this Realm; (5) and that the lawful Matrimony had and solemnized between your Highness and your most dear and entirely beloved Wife QueenAnne , shall be established, and taken for undoubtful, true, sincere and perfect ever hereafter, according to the just Judgment of the said Thomas , Archbishop of Canterbury , Metropolitan and Primate of all this Realm, whose Grounds of Judgment have been confirmed, as well by the whole Clergy of this Realm in both the Convocations, and by both the Universities thereof, as by the Universities of Bonony, Padua, Paris, Orleance, Tolouse, Angiewe , and divers others, and also by the private Writingsof many right excellent well learned Men; (6) which Grounds so confirmed, and Judgment of the said Archbishop ensuing the same, together with your Marriage solemnized between your Highness and your said lawful Wife QueenAnne , we your said Subjects, both Spiritual and Temporal, do purely, plainly, constantly and firmly accept, approve and ratify for good, and consonant to the Laws of Almighty God, without Error or Default; most humbly beseeching your Majesty, that it may be so established for ever by your most gracious and Royal Assent.
III Marriage within the Degrees prohibited by God's Law.
'III. And furthermore, since many...
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