State tracts, being a farther collection of several choice treaties relating to the government from the year 1660 to 1689 : now published in a body, to shew the necessity, and clear the legality of the late revolution, and our present happy settlement, under the auspicious reign of their majesties, King William and Queen Mary.

The ACT of Parliament of the 27th of Queen Eliza∣beth in Confirmation of the same.

FOrasmuch as the good Felicity and Comfort of the whole Estate of this Realm consisteth (only next under God) in the Surety and Preservation of the Queens most excellent Majesty: And for that it hath manifestly appeared, that sundry wicked Plots and Means have of late been devised and laid as well in Foreign Parts beyond the Seas, as also within this Realm, to the great indangering of his High∣ness most Royal Person, and to the utter Ruine of the whole Commonweal, if by Gods merciful Providence the same had not been revealed: Therefore for preventing of such great Perils as might hereafter otherwise grow, by the like detestable and di∣vilish Practices, at the humble Suit and earnest Petition and Desire of the Lords Spiri∣tual and Temporal, and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same Parliament, Be it Enacted and Ordained, if at any Time after the end of this present Session of Parliament, any open Invasion or Rebellion shall be had or made, into or within any of Her Majesties Realms or Dominions, or any Act attempted, tending to the hurt of her Majesties most Royal Person by or for any Person that shall or may pretend any Title to the Crown of this Realm, after her Majesties Decease: or if any thing shall be compassed or imagined, tending to the hurt of her Majesties Royal Person, by any person or with the Privity of any per∣son that shall or may pretend Title to the Crown of this Realm; that then by Her Majesties Commission under Her Great Seal, the Lords and other of Her Highness Privy Council, and such other Lords of Parliament to be Named by her Majesty, as with the said Privy Council shall make up the Number of Four and twenty at the least, ving with them for their Assistance in that behalf such of the Judges of the Courts of

Record at Westminster, as Her Highness shall for that purpose assign and appoint, or the more part of the same Council, Lords and Judges, shall by virtue of the Act, have Au∣thority to examine all and every the Offences aforesaid, and all Circumstances thereof, and thereupon to give Sentence or Judgment, as upon good proof the matter shall ap∣pear unto them: And that after such Sentence or Judgment given, and Declaration thereof made and published by Her Majesties Proclamation under the Great Seal of England, all persons against whom such Sentence or Judgment shall be so given and published, shall be excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim, or to pretend to have or claim the Crown of this Realm, or of any Her Majesties Dominions, any former Law or Statute whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding: And that thereupon All Her Highness Subjects shall and may lawfully by virtue of this Act, and Her Majesties Direction in that behalf, by forcible and possible means pursue to Death every such wicked person, by whom or by whose means assent or privity, any such In∣vasion or Rebellion shall be in Form aforesaid denounced to have been made, or such wicked Act attempted, or other thing compassed or imagined against Her Majesties Person, and all their Aiders, Comforters and Abettors.

And if any such detestible Act shall be Executed against her Highness most Royal Person, whereby Her Majesties Life shall be taken away (which God of his great mer∣cy forbid:) that then every such person, by or for whom any such Act shall be exe∣cuted, and their Issues being any wise assenting or privy to the same, shall by virtue of this Act be excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim, or pretend to have or claim the said Crown of this Realm or of any other Her Highness Dominions, any former Law or Statute whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. And that all the Subjects of this Realm, and all other Her Majesties Dominions, shall and may lawfully by virtue of this Act, by all forcible and possible means pursue to Death every such wicked Person, by whom or by whose means, any such detestible Fact shall be in Form hereafter expressed denounced to have been committed, and also their Issues being any way assenting or privy to the same, and all their Aiders, Comforters, and Abettors in that behalf.

And to the end that the intention of this Law may be effectually Executed, if Her Majesties Life shall be taken away by any violent or unnatural means (which God defend:) Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Lords and o∣thers which shall be of Her Majesties Privy Council at the time of such Her Decease, or the more part of the same Council, joyning unto them for their better Assistance five other Earls, and seven other Lords of Parliament at the least, (foreseeing that none of the said Earls, Lords or Council be known to be persons that may make any Title to the Crown,) those persons which were Chief Justices of either Bench, Master of the Rolls, and Chief Baron of the Exchequer at the time of Her Majesties Death, or in Default of the said Justices, Master of the Rolls, and Chief Baron, some other of those which were Justices of some of the Courts of Records at Westminster, at the time of Her Highness Decease, to supply their Places or any Four and twenty or more of them, whereof Eight to be Lords of the Parliament, not being of the Privy Council, shall to the uttermost of their Power and Skill examine the cause and manner of such Her Majesties Death, and what persons shall be any way Guilty thereof, and all Cir∣cumstances concerning the same, according to the true meaning of this Act, and there∣upon shall by open Proclamation publish the same, and without any delay by all for∣cible and possible means prosecute to Death, all their Aiders and Abettors: And for the doing thertof, and for the withstanding and suppressing of all such Power and Force, as shall any way be levied or stirred in Disturbance of the due Execution of this Law, shall by virtue of this Act, have Power and Authority not only to raise and use such Forces as shall in that behalf be needful and convenient, but also to use all o∣ther means and things possible and necessary for the maintenance of the same For∣ces, and prosecution of the said Offenders. And if any such Power and Force shall be levied or stirred in Disturbance of the due Execution of this Law, by any person that shall or may pretend any Title to the Crown of this Realm, whereby this Law may not in all things be fully Executed, according to the effect and true mean∣ing of the same: That then every such person shall by virtue of this Act be therefore excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim, or to pretend to have or claim the Crown of this Realm, or of any other Her Highness Dominions, any former Law or Statute whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid; and all and every the Sub∣jects of all Her Majesties Realms and Dominions, shall to the uttermost of their Pow∣er, aid and assist the said Councel and all other the Lords and other Persons to be ad∣joyned

to them for Assistance, as is aforesaid, in all things to be done, and executed ac∣cording to the effect and intention of this Law: And that no Subject of this Realm shall in any wise be impeached in Body, Lands or Goods, at any time hereafter for any thing to be done or executed according to the Tenour of the Law, any Law or Statute heretofore made to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

And whereas of late many of Her Majesties good and faithful Subjects have in the Name of God and with the Testimonies of good Consciences by one Uniform man∣ner of Writing under their Hands land Seals, and by their several Oaths voluntarily taken, joyned themselves together in one Bond and Association to withstand and re∣venge to the uttermost all such malicious Actions and Attempts against Her Maje∣sties most Royal Person: Now for the full Explaining of all such Ambiguities and Questions as otherwise might happen to grow by reason of any sinister or wrong Con∣struction or Interpretation to be made or inferred of or upon the words or meaning thereof, Be it Declared and Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament, That the same Association and every Article and Sentence therein contained, as well concerning the Disallowing; Excluding or Disabling any Person that may or shall pretend any Title to come to the Crown of this Realm, as also for the pursuing and taking Revenge of any person for any such wicked Act or Attempt as is mentioned in the same Association, shall and ought to be in all things expounded and adjudged ac∣cording to the true intent and meaning of this Act, and not otherwise, nor against any other person or persons.