Iffue, the Princefs Sophia, Electress and Dutchefs Dowager of Hanover; and after the 'Decease of the faid Princefs Sophia, the next in Succeffion to the Crown, for the time being, according to the Limitation of the faid A&s; and the fame, malicioufly, advisedly, and directly fhall attempt by any Overt-A&t or Deed; every fuch Offence fhall be adjudg ed High Treafon, and the Offender or Offenders therein, their Abetters, Procurers, and Comforters, knowing the faid Offence to be done, being thereof Convicted or Attainted, according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, fhall be deemed and adjudged Traitors, and fhall fuffer Pains of Death, and all Loffes and Forfeitures, as in Cafes of High Treafon.

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Her Majefty in the Fourth Year of her Reign, gave the Royal Affent to an A&t, Entitled, An Act for the Naturalization of the most Excellent Princess Sophia, Electress and Dutchefs Dowager of Hanover, and the 1fue of her Body; by which it is enacted, That the faid Princefs Sophia, and the iffue of her Body, and all Perfons lineally difcending from her, born, or hereafter to be born, be, and fhall be, to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever, deemed, taken, and esteemed Natural-born Subjects of this Kingdom, as if the faid Princefs, and the Iffue of her Body, and all Perfons lineally defcending from her, born, or hereafter to be born, had been born within this Realm of England, any Law, Statute, Matter, or Thing whatfoever to the contrary notwithstanding. With a Provifo, that every Perfon who fhall be Naturalized by Virtue of this A&t, and

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fhall become a Papift, or profefs the Popish Religion, fhall not enjoy any Benefit or Advantage of a Natural-born Subject of Enggland, but fhall be judged an Alien.

And in the Fourth and Fifth Year of her Majefty's Reign another A& paffed the Royal Aflent, Entituled, An Act for the better fecuring her Majesty's Perfon and Government, and of the Succeffion to the Crown of England in the Proteftant Line; by which, amongst other things, it is Enacted, That if any Perfon or Perfons, from and after the 25th Day of March 17c6, fhall maliciously, advisedly and directly, by Writing or Printing, declare, maintain and affirm, that our Sovereign Lady the Queen, that now is, is not the Lawful or Rightful Queen of thefe Realms; or that the Pretended Prince of Wales, who now ftiles himself King of England by the Name of James the Third, hath any Right or Title to the Crown of thefe Realms ; or that any other Perfon, or Perfons hath, or have any Right or Title to the fame, otherwife than according to an A&t or Par liament, made in the First Year of their late Majefties King William and Queen Mary, Entituled, An Act declaring the Rights and • Liberties of the Subject, and fettling the Suc ceffion of the Crown; and one other A&, made in the 12th Year of the Reign of his faid late Majefty King William the Third, Entituled, An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown, and better fecuring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject:

Or that the Kings or Queens of England, with and by the Authority of the Parliament

of

of England, are not able to make Laws and Statutes of fufficient Force and Validity, to limit and bind the Crown of this Realm, ' and the Defcent, Limitation, Inheritance and 'Government thereof, every fuch Perfon or 'Perfons fhall be guilty of High Treafon, and being thereof Convicted and Attainted, ac'cording to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, fhall be deemed and adjudged Traitors, and fhall fuffer Pains of Death, and all Loffes and Forfeitures as in Cafe of High Treafon.

And that if any Perfon, or Perfons, fhall from and after the faid 25th Day of March, 'Maliciously and Directly, by Preaching, Teaching, or advised Speaking, declare, main"tain, and affirm, in manner as aforefaid; < every fuch Perfon, or Perfons, being 'thereof lawfully Convicted, fhall incur the Danger and Penalty of Pramunire.

And that the Parliament fhall not be dif, 'folved by the Death or Demise of Her Ma jefty, Her Heirs or Succeffors; but fuch 'Parliament, if fitting at the time of fuch 'Demife, may proceed to A&t for fix Months, and no longer, unless the fame fhall be foon-. < er Prorogued, or Diffolved by fuch Perfon to whom the Crown of this Realm of Eng'land shall come, according to the Acts for limiting and fettling the Succeffion above' mentioned. And if the faid Parliament shall 'be fo Prorogued, then it fhall meet and fit on the Day unto which it shall be Prorogued, ' and continue for the refidue of the faid fix 'Months, unless fooner Prorogued or diffolved as aforefaid. And if there be a Parlia

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ment in Being, at the time of the Death of Her Majefty, Her Heirs or Succeffors, but happens to be feparated by Adjournment or Prorogation, fuch Parliament fhall immediately after fuch Demife meet, and A&t for fix Months, and no longer, unless the fame fhall be Prorogned, or diffolved, as aforefaid. And in Cafe there is no Parliament in being, at the time of fuch Demife, that has met and fate, then the last preceding Parli. ⚫ament fhall immediately convene, and fit at Westminster, and be a Parliament to continue as aforefaid; but fubje&t to be Prorogued, and Diffolved, as aforefaid.

That the Privy-Council of Her Majefty, · Her Heirs, and Succeffors, fhall not be dif folved, by fuch Death or Demise, but shall conti. nue for fix Months, unless fooner determined by the next Succeffor;

Nor fhall any Office, Place, or Employ. ment, Civil or Military, become void by fuch Demife, but continue alfo for fix Months, unless the Perfons enjoying them fhall be • fooner removed, and discharged by the next • Succeffor.

And if Her Majefty fhall happen to die without Iffue, the Privy Council fhall with • all convenient Speed caufe the next Proteftant Succeffor, entituled to the Crown of • England, by Virtue of the A&s abovementioned, to be openly and folemnly Proclaimed in England, and Ireland, in ufual manner; and every Member thereof wilfully Negle&1 ing or Refusing to caufe fuch Proclamation to be made, fhall be guilty of High Treafon; and every Officer, by the Privy-Council re

'quired

quired to make fuch Proclamations, wilfully Neglecting or Refufing, fhall be guilty of, ' and fuffer the Penalties of High Treafon,

'And for continuing the Administration of the Government in the Name of fuch Pro' teftant Succeffor, until Her or His Arrival ' in England, The Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper, Lord High Treasurer, Lord Prefident of the Council, Lord Privy Seal, Lord High Ad-miral, and Lord Chief Juftice of the Queen's Bench, at that time being, are thereby Ap" pointed Lords Juftices of England, until fuch เ Succeffor arrive, or determine their Authority.

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And the Perfon to fucceed in cafe of Her 'Majefty's Death, without Iffue, is impowered at any time during Her Majefty's Life, by 'Three Inftruments under Her or His Hand ' and Seal, to appoint fo many Natural Born Subjects of England, as She or He shall think · fit, to be added to the above-mentioned Lords · Juftices, to A& with them as Lords Juftices of England, who, or the Major part, not being fewer than Five, fhall Execute the Power of Lords Juftices.

The faid Three Inftruments to be Tranf'mitted into England, to the Refident of the 'Perfon next to Succeed, (whofe Credentials ' fhall be inroll'd'in Chancery,) and to the Arch• Bishop of Canturbury, and Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper, clofe Seal'd up; and after they are fo tranfmitted, shall be severally pat 'into feveral Covers, and feverally Seal'd by 'fuch Refident, Arch-bifhop, and Chancellor, or Keeper, and feverally deposited in the Hands of fuch Refident, Arch-bishop, and Chan

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