Sophia, electress of Hanover, and her descendants. the granddaughter of James I and the nearest Pr member of the Stuart house. By this arrangement Pa excluded a number of still nearer representatives of the royal family, because they were Roman Catholics. of Settlement not only fixed the succession, but also additional restrictions upon a British sovereign. These forth in Article III. ACT OF SETTLEMENT, 1701 An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown, and bette securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject I. Whereas in the first year of the reign of your Majesty our late most gracious sovereign lady Queen Mary (of blessed m an act of Parliament was made, entitled An act for decla rights and liberties of the subject, and for settling the su of the Crown," wherein it was (amongst other things) enac tablished, and declared that the Crown and regal government kingdoms of England, France, and Ireland, and the dominions unto belonging, should be and continue to your Majesty a said late Queen, during the joint lives of your Majesty and t Queen, and to the survivor: and that after the decease of you esty and of the said Queen, the said Crown and regal gover should be and remain to the heirs of the body of the said late and for default of such issue, to her Royal Highness the P Anne of Denmark, and the heirs of her body: and for default o 1 Statutes of the Realm, vii, 636-638 (12 and 13 William III, c. 2). r་་r- thereby absolved of their allegiance: and that the said Crown ernment shall from time to time descend to and be enjoyed person or persons, being Protestants, as should have inherited joyed the same, in case the said person or persons, so reconcil ing communion, professing, or marrying as aforesaid, were dead. After the making of which statute, and the settlemen contained, your Majesty's good subjects, who were restore full and free possession and enjoyment of their religion, rig liberties, by the providence of God giving success to your M just undertakings and unwearied endeavors for that purp no greater temporal felicity to hope or wish for than to see progeny descending from your Majesty, to whom (under G owe their tranquillity, and whose ancestors have for many ye principal assertors of the reformed religion and the liberties of and from our said most gracious sovereign lady, whose men always be precious to the subjects of these realms: and i since pleased Almighty God to take away our said soverei and also the most hopeful Prince William Duke of Glouce only surviving issue of her Royal Highness the Princess Denmark) to the unspeakable grief and sorrow of your Maj your said good subjects, who under such losses being sensibl mind that it stands wholly in the pleasure of Almighty prolong the lives of your Majesty and of her Royal Highnes grant to your Majesty, or to her Royal Highness, such issue be inheritable to the Crown and regal government aforesaid respective limitations in the said recited act contained, do co implore the Divine Mercy for those blessings: and your M said subjects, having daily experience of your royal care and for the present and future welfare of these kingdoms, and larly recommending from your Throne a further provisio pretended title to the Crown, and to maintain a certai cession thereof, to which your subjects may safely for their protection, in case the limitations in the s should determine. Therefore, for a further provision of of the Crown in the Protestant line, we, your Majest ful and loyal subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temp mons, in this present Parliament assembled, do beseech that it may be enacted and declared, and be it enacte by the king's most excellent Majesty, by and with the a sent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Cor present Parliament assembled, and by the authority that the most excellent Princess Sophia, Electress and ger of Hanover, daughter of the most excellent Princess Queen of Bohemia, daughter of our late sovereign lord of happy memory, be and is hereby declared to be the sion, in the Protestant line, to the imperial Crown and said realms of England, France, and Ireland, with and territories thereunto belonging, after his Majesty cess Anne of Denmark, and in default of issue of th Anne, and of his Majesty respectively: and that from deceases of his said Majesty, our now sovereign lord, a Highness the Princess Anne of Denmark, and for def the said Princess Anne, and of his Majesty respectiv and regal government of the said kingdoms of Englan Ireland, and of the dominions thereunto belonging, state and dignity of the said realms, and all honors regalities, prerogatives, powers, jurisdictions, and aut same belonging and appertaining, shall be, remain, a the said most excellent Princess Sophia, and the heir being Protestants: and thereunto the said Lords Spir poral, and Commons, shall and will, in the name of a this realm, most humbly and faithfully submit themsel and posterities; and do faithfully promise that after his Majesty and her Royal Highness, and the failure their respective bodies, to stand to, maintain, and c Princess Sophia, and the heirs of her body, being Prot snall be subject to sucп incapacities, as in such case vi cas the said recited act provided, enacted, and established; every king and queen of this realm, who shall come to and s the imperial Crown of this kingdom, by virtue of this act, s the Coronation Oath administered to him, her or them, at spective coronations, according to the act of Parliament ma first year of the reign of his Majesty, and the said late Que entitled "An act for establishing the Coronation Oath," make, subscribe, and repeat the declaration in the act fir recited, mentioned, or referred to, in the manner and form prescribed. III. And whereas it is requisite and necessary that som provision be made for securing our religion, laws, and libert and after the death of his Majesty and the Princess Anne of I and in default of issue of the body of the said Princess, a Majesty respectively; be it enacted by the king's most Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament assembled, an authority of the same: That whosoever shall hereafter come to the possessio Crown shall join in communion with the Church of England, established. That in case the Crown and imperial dignity of this re hereafter come to any person, not being a native of this ki England, this nation be not obliged to engaged in any wa defense of any dominions or territories which do not belo Crown of England, without the consent of Parliament. That no person who shall hereafter come to the possessi Crown shall go out of the dominions of England, Scotland, without consent of Parliament.1 1 Repealed in the first year of George I's reign (1714). be capable to be of the Privy Council, or a member of either of Parliament, or to enjoy any office or place of trust, eithe or military, or to have any grant of lands, tenements, or he ments from the Crown, to himself or to any other or others in for him. That no person who has an office or place of profit under the or receives a pension from the Crown, shall be capable of servi a member of the House of Commons.2 That after the said limitation shall take effect as aforesaid, ju commissions be made quamdiu se bene gesserint,3 and their sal ascertained and established; but upon the address of both h of Parliament it may be lawful to remove them. That no pardon under the Great Seal of England be plead to an impeachment by the Commons in Parliament. IV. And whereas the laws of England are the birthright of people thereof, and all the kings and queens, who shall ascend throne of this realm, ought to administer the government of the sa according to the said laws, and all their officers and ministers ou to serve them respectively according to the same: the said Lo Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, do therefore further hum pray that all the laws and statutes of this realm for securing established religion, and the rights and liberties of the people there and all other laws and statutes of the same now in force, may ratified and confirmed, and the same are by his Majesty, by and wi the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, a Commons, and by the auhority of the same, ratified and confirm accordingly. 1 Repealed by 4 Anne, c. 8, and 6 Anne, c. 7. 2 Repealed in the fourth year of Anne's reign (1705). |