Australian Capital Territory Current Acts

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BILL OF RIGHTS 1688 1 WILL AND MARY SESS 2 C 2 - SECT 13

Frequent Parliaments

And that for redress of all grievances and for the amending, strengthening and preserving of the laws, Parliaments ought to be held frequently.

I     Undoubted rights and liberties

And they do claim, demand and insist upon all and singular the premises as their undoubted rights and liberties and that no declarations, judgments, doings or proceedings to the prejudice of the people in any of the said premises ought in any wise to be drawn hereafter into consequence or example.

To which demand of their rights they are particularly encouraged by the declaration of his Highness the Prince of Orange as being the only means for obtaining a full redress and remedy therein.

Having therefore an entire confidence that his said Highness the Prince of Orange will perfect the deliverance so far advanced by him and will still preserve them from the violation of their rights which they have here asserted and from all other attempts upon their religion, rights and liberties.

II     Tender of crown

The said lords spiritual and temporal and commons assembled at Westminister do resolve that William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange be and be declared King and Queen of England, France and Ireland and the dominions thereunto belonging to hold the crown and royal dignity of the said kingdoms and dominions to them the said prince and princess during their lives and the life of the survivor of them.

And that the sole and full exercise of the regal power be only in and executed by the said Prince of Orange in the names of the said prince and princess during their joint lives and after their deceases the said crown and royal dignity of the said kingdoms and dominions to be to the heirs of the body of the said princess and for default of such issue to the Princess Anne of Denmark and the heirs of her body and for default of such issue to the heirs of the body of the said Prince of Orange.

And the lords spiritual and temporal and commons do pray the said prince and princess to accept the same accordingly.

III     New oaths of allegiance

And that the oaths hereafter mentioned be taken by all persons to whom the oaths of allegiance and supremacy might be required by law instead of them and that the said oaths of allegiance and supremacy be abrogated.

I, A B, do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to their Majesties King William and Queen Mary.

So help me God.

I, A B, do swear that I do from my heart abhor, detest and abjure as impious and heretical this damnable doctrine and position that princes excommunicated or deprived by the Pope or any authority of the see of Rome may be deposed or murdered by their subjects or any other whatsoever.

And I do declare that no foreign prince, person, prelate, state or potentate has or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence or authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm.

    So help me God.

IV     Acceptance of crown

Upon which their said Majesties did accept the crown and royal dignities of the kingdoms of England, France and Ireland and the dominions thereunto belonging according to the resolution and desire of the said lords and commons contained in the said declaration.

V     Two houses to sit

And thereupon their Majesties were pleased that the said lords spiritual and temporal and commons being the two Houses of Parliament should continue to sit and with their Majesties' royal concurrence make effectual provision for the settlement of the religion, laws and liberties of this kingdom so that the same for the future might not be in danger again of being subverted, to which the said lords spiritual and temporal and commons did agree and proceed to act accordingly.

VI     Subjects' liberties to be allowed

Now in pursuance of the premises the said lords spiritual and temporal and commons in Parliament assembled for the ratifying, confirming and establishing the said declaration and the articles, clauses, matters and things therein contained by the force of a law made in due form by authority of Parliament do pray that it may be declared and enacted that all and singular the rights and liberties asserted and claimed in the said declaration are the true, ancient and indubitable rights and liberties of the people of this kingdom and so shall be esteemed, allowed, adjudged, deemed and taken to be and that all and every the particulars aforesaid shall be firmly and strictly holden and observed as they are expressed in the said declaration.

And all officers and ministers whatsoever shall serve their Majesties and their successors according to the same in all times to come.

VII     William and Mary declared King and Queen

And the said lords spiritual and temporal and commons seriously considering how it hath pleased Almighty God in his marvellous providence and merciful goodness to this nation to provide and preserve their said Majesties' royal persons most happily to reign over us upon the throne of their ancestors for which they render unto him from the bottom of their hearts their humblest thanks and praises do truly, firmly, assuredly and in the sincerity of their hearts think and do hereby recognise, acknowledge and declare that King James the Second having abdicated the government and their Majesties having accepted the crown and royal dignity as aforesaid their said Majesties did become, were, are and of right ought to be by the laws of this realm our sovereign liege lord and lady King and Queen of England, France and Ireland and the dominions thereunto belonging in and to whose princely persons the royal state crown and dignity of the said realms with all honours, styles, titles, regularities, prerogatives, powers, jurisdictions and authorities to the same belonging and appertaining are most fully and rightfully and entirely invested and incorporated, united and annexed.

VIII     Limitation of crown

And for preventing all questions and divisions in this realm by reason of any pretended titles to the crown and for preserving a certainty in the succession thereof in and upon which the unity, peace, tranquillity and safety of this nation doth under God wholly consist and depend the said lords spiritual and temporal and commons do beseech their Majesties that it may be enacted, established and declared that the crown and regal government of the said kingdoms and dominions with all and singular the premises thereunto belonging and appertaining shall be and continue to their said Majesties and the survivor of them during their lives and the life of the survivor of them and that the entire, perfect and full exercise of the regal power and government be only in and executed by his Majesty in the names of both their Majesties during their joint lives and after their deceases the said crown and premises shall be and remain to the heirs of the body of her Majesty and for default of such issue to her royal Highness the Princess Anne of Denmark and the heirs of her body and for default of such issue to the heirs of the body of his said Majesty.

And thereunto the said lords spiritual and temporal and commons do in the name of all the people aforesaid most humbly and faithfully submit themselves, their heirs and posterities for ever and do faithfully promise that they will stand to maintain and defend their said Majesties and also the limitation and succession of the crown herein specified and contained to the utmost of their powers with their lives and estates against all persons whatsoever that shall attempt any thing to the contrary.

IX     Papists debarred the crown

And whereas it has been found by experience that it is inconsistent with the safety and welfare of this protestant kingdom to be governed by a popish prince or by any King or Queen marrying a papist the said lords spiritual and temporal and commons do further pray that it may be enacted that all and every person and persons that is, are or shall be reconciled to or shall hold communion with the see or church of Rome and shall profess the popish religion or shall marry a papist shall be excluded and be for ever incapable to inherit, possess or enjoy the crown and government of this realm and Ireland and the dominions thereunto belonging or any part of the same or to have, use or exercise any regal power, authority or jurisdiction within the same.

And in all and every such case or cases the people of these realms shall be and are hereby absolved of their allegiance and the said crown and government shall from time to time descend to and be enjoyed by such person or persons being protestants as should have inherited and enjoyed the same in case the said person or persons so reconciled, holding communion or professing or marrying as aforesaid were naturally dead.

X     All Kings etc to take the declaration

And that every King and Queen of this realm who at any time hereafter shall come to and succeed in the imperial crown of this kingdom shall on the first day of the meeting of the first Parliament next after his or her coming to the crown sitting in his or her throne in the House of Peers in the presence of the lords and commons therein assembled or at his or her coronation before such person or persons who shall administer the coronation oath to him or her at the time of his or her taking the said oath (which shall first happen) make, subscribe and audibly repeat the declaration required by law.

But if it shall happen that such King or Queen upon his or her succession to the crown of this realm shall be under the age of twelve years then every such King or Queen shall make, subscribe and audibly repeat the said declaration at his or her coronation or the first day of the meeting of the first Parliament as aforesaid which shall first happen after such King or Queen shall have attained the said age of twelve years.

XI     King assent

All which their Majesties are contented and pleased shall be declared, enacted and established by authority of this present Parliament and shall stand, remain and be the law of this realm for ever.

And the same are by their said Majesties by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons in Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same declared, enacted and established accordingly.

XII     Non obstantes made void

No dispensation by non obstante of or to any statute or any part thereof shall be allowed but the same shall be held void and of no effect except a dispensation be allowed of in such statute.



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