or Perfons after the faid Day, by any Writing, Printing, overt Deed or Act, malicioufly, advisedly and directly affirm, that the Queen's Majefty that now is, during her Life is not or ought not to be Queen of this Realm, or after her Death, that the Heirs of her Highness Body, being Kings or Queens of this Realm, of Right ought not to have and enjoy the Imperial Crown of this Realm, or that any Perfon or Perfons other than the Queen's Majefty that now is, during her Life, or after her Death, other than the Heirs of her Body begotten, being Kings or Queens of this Realm, as long as any of her faid Heirs of her Body shall be in Life, of Right ought to have and enjoy the Imperial Crown of this Realm; that then every fuch Offence and Offences fhall High Treason, be adjudged High Treafon, and the Offender and Offenders therein, their Abettors, Procurers and Counsellors, and all and every their Aiders and Comforters, knowing the faid Offences or any of them to be done, being thereof convicted or attainted by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, fhall be deemed and adjudg ed High Traitors, and fhall fuffer Pains of Death, and lofe and forfeit all their Goods and Chattels, Lands and Tenements, to the Queen's Majefty, her Heirs and Succeffors, as in Cafes of High Treafon, as is abovefaid.

6

V. And albeit we the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, have firm Hope and Confidence in the Goodnefs of Almighty God, that like as ⚫ he hath hitherto miraculously preferved the Queen's Majefty from many great and eminent Perils and Dangers, even fo he will of his infinite Goodnefs give her Highnefs Strength, the rather by our continual Prayers, to pass well the Danger of Deliverance of Child, wherewith it hath pleafed him (to all our great Comforts) to blefs her: Yet forafmuch as all Things of this World be uncertain, and having before our Eyes the dolorous Experience of the inconftant Government during the Time of the Reign of the late King Edward the Sixth, do plainly fee the 'manifold Inconveniences, great Dangers and Perils, that may enfue to this whole Realm, if Forefight be not used to prevent evil Chances if they fhould happen: For the efchewing whereof, we the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, for and in Confideration of a moft fpecial Truft and Confidence that we have and repofe in the King's Majefty, for and concerning the good and politick 'Governinent, Őrder and Adminiftration of this Realm in the Time of the young Years of the Iffue or Ifflues of her Majefty's Body to be born, if it fhould pleafe Cod to call the Queen's Highnefs out of this prefent Life, during the tender Years of fuch Iflue or Iues (which God forbid) according to fuch Order and • Manner as hereafter in this prefent Act his Highness molt gra ious Pleasure is, fhould be declared and fet forth; have made our mot humble Suit by the Affent of the Queen's Highnefs, that his Majesty would vouchfafe to accept and take upon him the Rule, Order, Education and Government of the faid Iflue or Iues to be born as is aforefaid, upon which our Suit being of his faid Majefty moft graciously accepted, it hath pleafed his Highnefs not only to declare, that like as for the firft Part his Majefty verily truffeth, that Almighty God, who hath hitherto preferved the Queen's Majelly, to give this Realm fo good an

、

Provifion for the
Education of the

Iffue in cafe of
the Queen's
Death.

་

Hope of certain Succeffion in the Blood Royal of the fame Realm, will affift her Highness with his Graces and Benedictions to fee the Fruit of her Body well brought forth, live and able to govern, whereof neither all this Realm, ne all the World befides, fhould or could receive more Comfort than his Majefty fhould and would. Yet if fuch Chance fhould happen, his Majesty at our • humble Defires is pleafed and contented, not alonely to accept and take upon him the Cure and Charge of the Education, Rule, • Order and Government of fuch Iffues, as of this most happy Marriage fhall be born between the Queen's Highnefs and him, but alfo during the Time of fuch Government would by all Ways and Means ftudy, travail and employ himself to advance the Weal, both publick and private, of this Realm, and Dominion thereunto belonging, according to the faid Truft in his Majefty repofed, with no lefs good Will and Affection, than if his Highness had been naturally born among us:' In Confideration whereof, be it enacted by the King and the Queen's moft Excellent Majefties, by the Affent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, of this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That if it fhall fo please God to call the Queen's Majefty out of this prefent Life, which God forbid, before the Iffue of her Body inheritable to the Crown of this Realm, if it be Male, fhall accomplish the Age of xviii. Years, or if it be Female, before it fhall be of the Age of xv. Years, and not married after the Age of Confent, and before the faid Age of xv. Years, that then and immediately after, and from the Deceafe of our faid Sovereign Lady the Queen, the King's Majefty that now is fhall have the Rule, Order, Education and Government of the Person of such Iffue or Iffues, and the Rule, Order and Government (under fuch Iffue or Iffues) of this Realm, and the Dominions to the fame belonging, until the fame Iffue or Iflues, inheritable to the Imperial Crown of this Realm, if it be Male, fhall accomplish the full Age of Eighteen Years, and if it be Female, until fuch Iffue Female fhall accomplish the Age of Fifteen Years, and be married after the Age of Confent, and before the faid Age of Fifteen Years, if the faid Iffue or Ifiues, and our faid Sovereign Lord the King, fhall fo long live together, and that during, and by all the Time of fuch Government, all and every the Pacts, Covenants, Articles and Agreements mentioned and comprised in the Treatifes and Act of 'Parliament, and every of them, made and concluded for and concerning the honourable Marriage had and confummate between the King and Queen's Majefties, which on the Behalf of his Majefty been to be obferved, performed and kept, fhall after the Deceafe of the Queen's Majefty, during the Time of the faid Government, remain, continue and be in as good and full Force, Strength and Effect, to all Intents and Purpofes, as they were at any Time during the faid Marriage, or now been, as if they were newly by apt Words, Terms and Sentences, inferted and rehearfed in this prefent Act, and newly made and enacted to ftand, remain, continue, and to be obferved and kept, during the Time of the faid Government, and fhall be by his Majefty, during the faid Time, inviolably obferved, performed, maintained and upholden, in fuch Sort, and in as full, large and ample Manner, to all Refpects, as they should and ought to be during the Time of the faid Marriage, or after; and his Highnefs, and the Queen's moft excellent Majefty, are

pleafed

pleafed and contented, that it be enacted by this prefent Parlia ment, that nothing fhall be done, permitted or affented unto by his Majefty to the contrary.

if

VI. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That any Perfon or Perfons, during the Time that our faid Sovereign Lord the King that now is, fhall and ought to have the Order, Rule, Education and Government of fuch Iffue or Iffues, being King or Queen of this Realm, according to the Order and Provifion aforefaid, malicioufly, advisedly and directly, by Writing, Printing, overt Deed or Act, do compafs, attempt and go about to destroy the Perfon of our faid Sovereign Lord, or do deprive or remove his faid Highnefs from the Order, Rule, Education and Government of the fame Iffue or Iffues, being King or Queen of this Realm, contrary to the Tenour, Intent and true Meaning of this prefent Act; that then every fuch Perfon or Perfons fo offending, their Procurers and Abettors, being thereof lawfully convict or attainted by the Laws of this Realm, fhall be deemed

Compaffing the Removal of the King from the fue of the Mars riage, &c.

Education of the

and adjudged High Traitors; and that all and every fuch Offence High Treason. · and Offences fhall be deemed and adjudged High Treafon; and the Offender and Offenders therein, their Procurers, Counsellors and Abettors, fhall incur the Dangers, Forfeitures and Penalties of High Treafon.

VII. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, Treafon fhall be That all Trials hereafter to be had, awarded or made for any Trea- tried at the fon, fhall be had and ufed only according to the due Order and Common Law, Courfe of the Common Laws of this Realm, and not otherwife: Saving to every Perfon and Perfons, Bodies Politick and Corporate, their Heirs and Succeffors, other than the Offenders and their Heirs, and fuch Perfon and Perfons as claim to any of their Ufes all fuch Rights, Titles, Interefts, Poffeffions, Leafes, Rents, Reverfions, Offices and other Profits, which they or any of them fhall have at the Day of committing fuch Treafons, or at any Time afore, in as large and ample Manner as if this Act had never been had nor made.

VIII. Provided always, and be it declared and enacted by the Mifprifion of Authority aforefaid, That Concealment or keeping fecret of any Treafon. High Treafon be deemed and taken only Mifprifion of Treason, and the Offenders therein to forfeit and fuffer as in Cafes of Mifprifion of Treafon hath heretofore been ufed; any Thing above mentioned to the contrary notwithstanding.

IX. Provided alfo, That if it fhall fortune hereafter any of the Indictment of Peers of this Realm to be indicted of any of the Offences made Peers. Treafon or Mifprifion of Treafon by this Act, that then the same Peers or Peer, fo being indicted, fhall be put to answer unto every fuch Indictment, before the High Steward of England for the Time being, and to have his and their Trial by his and their Peers, and to receive and have such like Judgement upon the fame Trial of his or their Peers, or making open Confeffion of the fame Offence or Offences, as is ufed in other Cafes of High Treason.

X. And it is further enacted by Authority aforefaid, That no All Indictments Perfon or Perfons fhall in any wife be impeached for any of the to be within Six Offences abovefaid, committed only by open Preaching or Words, Months. unless the Offender or Offenders be therefore indicted within Six

Months next after the fame open Preaching or Words; any Thing

contained in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

XI. Provided

Witneff shall be
examined in
Prefence of the
Party.

Coming.

How Abettors, &c. to fuffer.

Bringing counterten Coin into The Realm.

any

XI. Provided always, and be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That the Arraignment of upon Perfon which hereafter fhall fortune to be arraigned for any Treafon mentioned in this Act, all and every fuch Perfon and Perfons (or Two of them at the leaft) who fhall hereafter write, declare, confefs or depofe any Thing or Things against the Perfon to be arraigned, fhall, if living and within the Realm, be brought forth in Perfon before the Party arraigned, if he require the fame, and object and fay openly in his Hearing what they or any of them can against him, for or concerning any the Treafons contained in the Indictment whereupon the Party fhall be fo arraigned, unless the Party arraigned for any fuch Treafon fhall willingly confefs the fame at the Time of his or their Arraignment.

XII. Provided nevertheless, and be it enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That in all Cafes of High Treafon concerning Coin currant within this Realm, or for counterfeiting the King or Queen's Signet, Privy Seal, Great Seal, or Sign Manual, fuch Manner of Trial and none other be obferved and kept, as heretofore hath been ufed by the Common Laws of this Realm; any Law, Statute, or any other Thing or Things to the contrary notwithstanding.

XIII. Provided always, That the Councellors, Procurers, Comforters and Abetters, for his or their First Offence fhall fuffer like Punishment, Penalty and Forfeiture as is contained in this Act against the principal Offenders for their Firft Offence, and none other: And that the Councellors, Procurers, Comforters and Abetters,for his or their Second Offence fhall fuftain like Punishment, Penalty and Forfeiture, as is contained in this Act against the principal Offender or Offenders for their Second Offence, and none other.

CA P. XI.

An Act for the Punishment of bringing in of counterfeit
Coin of Foreign Realms, being current within this Realm,

WHERE divers and fundry Coins of Gold and Silver of

other Realms, not being of the proper Coin of this Realm of England, and yet by the Sufferance and Confent of the King and Queen our Sovereign Lord and Lady, be current in Payment within this Realm, many ill-difpofed Perfons, for their own corrupt Lucre and Advantage, have now of late brought into this Realm from the Parts beyond the Sea great Quantity of forged and counterfeit Money, like to the faid Coin of other foreign Realms, and have uttered the fame here by merchan dizing and otherwife, to divers of the Subjects of this Realm, to their great Deceit, Hurt and Damage; because the said ill. difpofed Perfons have perceived and underflood, that there was not, nor yet is, any fufficient Law or Statute made or provided for the condign Punishment of the Offenders in that Behalf :'

II, Wherefore be it enacted and established by the Authority of this prefent Parliament, That if any Perfon or Perfons after the Twentieth Day of January next coming fhall bring from the Parts of beyond the Sea into this Realm, or into any of the Dominions of the fame, any fuch falfe and counterfeit Coin or Money, being current within this Realm, as is aforefaid, knowing the fame Coin or Money to be falfe and counterfeit, to the Intent to utter or make Payment with the fame within this Realm, or any the Domi

nions of the fame, by merchandizing or otherwife; that all and every fuch Person or Perfons fo offending as aforefaid, their Counfellors, Procurers, Aiders and Abettors in that Behalf, fhall be deemed and adjudged to be Offenders in High Treafon, and fhall High Treafon. fuffer, after lawful Conviction or Attainder thereof, fuch Pains of Death, Lofs and Forfeiture of Lands, Goods and Chattels, as other Offenders fhall do in Cafes of High Treafon.

III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That all and every Perfon or Perfons that shall at any Time after the faid Twentieth Day of January be accufed or impeached of any of the Offences contained and provided for in this Eftatute, or of any other Offence or Offences concerning the impairing, counterfeiting or forging of any Coin current within this Realm, fhall and may be indicted, arraigned, tried, convicted or attainted by fuch like Evidence, and in fuch Manner and Form, as hath been ufed and accustomed within this Realm at any Time before the First Year of the Reign of our late Sovereign Lord King Edward the Sixth; any Statute, Cuftom, Law or Ufage to the contrary thereof in any wife notwithstanding.

FOR

CA P. XII.

An Act for the impounding of Distresses.

Manner of In

dictment, &c. for impairing or forging of

Coin.

OR the avoiding of grievous Vexations, Exactions, Troubles Where Diftreffes and Disorder in taking of Diftreffes and impounding of taken thl be Cattle,' Be it enacted by the Authority of this prefent Parlia- imp..unded. ment, That from and after the First Day of April next coming, no Diftrefs of Cattle fhall be driven out of the Hundred, Rape, Wapentake or Lathe where fuch Diftrefs is or fhall be taken, except that it be to a Pound overt within the fame Shire, not above Three Miles diftant from the Place where the faid Diftrefs is taken: And that no Cattle or other Goods diftrained or taken by way of Diftrefs for any manner of Caufe at One Time, shall be impounded in feveral Places, whereby the Owner or Owners of fuch Diftrefs fhall be conftrained to fue feveral Replevies for the Delivery of the faid Diftrefs fo taken at One Time; upon Pain every Perfon offending contrary to this Act fhall forfeit to Penalty. the Party grieved, for every fuch Offence, an Hundred Shillings, and Treble Damages,

any one

II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, How much may That after the faid First Day of April, no Perfon or Perfons be taken for fhall take for keeping in Pound, Impounding or Poundage of any Poundage. Manner of Diftrefs, above the Sum of Four Pence for whole Diftrefs that shall be so impounded; and where lefs hath been used, there to take lefs; upon the Pain of Five Pounds, to Penalty. be paid to the Party grieved over and befide fuch Money as he fhall take above the Sum of Four Pence; any Ufage or Prefcrip

tion to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding.

III. And for the more fpeedy Delivery of Cattle taken by way Sheriff to ap of Diftrefs, it is further enacted by the faid Authority, That point Deputies every Sheriff of Shires, being no Cities nor Towns made Shires, for Repicvins. fhall at his First County-Day, or within Two Months next after he hath received his Patent of his Office of Sheriffwick, depute, appoint and proclaim in the Shire-Town within his Bailiwick, Four Deputies at the leaft, dwelling not above Twelve Miles, one #9

diftant