FOrasmuch as the Good Felicity and Comfort of the whole Estate o [...] this Realm consisteth (only next under God in the Surety and Pre­servation of the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty: And for that it hath manifestly appeared, that Sundry wicked Plots, and means have of lat [...] been devised and laid, as well in Foreign Parts beyond the Seas, as also within this Realm, to the great endangering of her Highness's Most Roy­al Person, and to the utter Ruine of the whole Common-wealth, if by God's 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 devilish Practices, at the humble Suite and earnest Petition and desire of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this Present Parliament Assembled, and by the Authority of the same Parliament. Be it Enacted and Ordained, if a [...] any time after the end of this Present Session of Parliament, any ope [...] 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 Hur [...] of Her Majesties Most Royal Person, by or for any Person that shall o [...] may pretend any Title to the Crown of this Realm after Her Majesties Decease: Or if any thing shall be Compassed or Imagined, tending t [...] the hurt of Her Majesties Royal Person, by any Person or with the Pri­vity of any Person that shall or may Pretend Title to the Crown of thi [...] Realm: That then by Her Majesties Commission under Her Great Sea [...] the Lords and others of Her Highnesses Privy Council, and such other Lords of Parliament to be named by Her Majesties as with the said Pri­vy Council shall make up the number of Twenty four at the least, ha­ving with them for their Assistance in that behalf such of the Judges o [...] the Courts of Record at Westminster, as Her Highness shall for that pur­pose Assign and Appoint, or the more part of the same Council, Lord [Page 5] and Judges, shall by Virtue of this Act have Authority to Examin all and every the Offences aforesaid, and all Circumstances thereof, and thereupon to give Sentence or Judgments as upon good Proof, the Matter shall appear 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 any of Her Majesties Dominions, any for­mer Law, or Statute whatsoever to the Contrary in any wise notwith­standing: And that thereupon all Her Highnesses Subjects shall and may Lawfully by Virtue of this Act, and Her Majesties Direction in that be­half, by all Forcible and Possible Means pursue to Death every such Wicked Persons, by whom, or by whose means, Assent or Privity, any such Invasion 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, Comfortors and Abettors.

And if any such detestable Act shall be Executed against Her High­ness most Royal Person, whereby Her Majesties Life shall be taken a­way (which God of his great Mercy forbid) that then every such Per­son, by or for whom any such Act shall be Executed, and their Issues being any wise Assenting or Privy to the same, shall by vertue of this Act, be excluded and disabled for ever, to have or claim, or to 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 nonwithstanding. And that all the Subjects of this Realm, and all other her Majesties Dominions, shall and may Lawfully by vertue of this Act, by all forcible and possible means pursue to death every such wicked Person, by whom, or by whose means, any such detestable 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 Abbetters in that behalf.

And to the end that the intension of this Law may be effectually Exe­cuted, [Page 6] if Her Majesties Life shall be taken away, by any violent or un­natural means (which God desend:) Be it further enacted by the Autho­rity aforesaid, that the Lords and others 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 Roles, and chief Baron of the Ex­chequer at the time of Her Majesties death, or in default of the said Ju­stices, Master of the Roles, 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 twenty four, or more of them, whereof eight to be Lords of 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 Circumstances concerning the same according to the true meaning of this Act, and thereupon shall by open Parliament publish the same, and without any delay by all forcible and possible means prosecute to death, all such as shall be found to be Offenders therein, and all their Aiders and Abetters: And for the doing thereof, and for the withstanding and suppressing of all such Power and Force, as shall any way be Levy'd or stirred in disturbance of the due Ex­ecution of this Law, shall by vertue of this Act, have Power and Autho­rity not only to raise and use such Force as shall in that behalf be needful and convenient. But also to use all other means and things possible and necessary for the Maintenance of the same Force, 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 meaning of the same: That then every 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.

[Page 7] And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that all and every the Subjects of all Her Majesties Realms and Dominions, shall to the uttermost of their Power, aid and assist the said Counsel and all other the Lords and other Persons to be adjoyned unto them for Assistance, as is aforesaid in all things to be done and executed according 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 this Law, any Law or Statute heretofore made to the contrary in any wise notwith­standing. And whereas of late many of Her Majesties good and faithfull Subjects, have in the name of God, and with the Testimony of good Con­sciences, by one uniform manner of Writing under their hands and seals, and by their several Oaths voluntaarily take, joyned themselves together in one Bond and ASSOCIATION, to withstand and revenge to the uttermost all such malicious Actions and Attempts against Her Majesties 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 Construction, 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 Sentance therein contained, as we concerning the disallowing, excluding, or disabling of 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 according to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act, and not otherwise, nor against any other Person or Persons.