A. D. 1689. ^43 



' with their lives and eftates, againft all perfons whatfoever that ftiall 

 ' attempt any thing to the contrary. 



' And whereas it hath been found by experience, that it is incon- 

 ' fiflent with the fafety and welfare of this proteflant kingdom to be 

 ' governed by a popifh prince, or by any king or queen marrying a pa- 

 ' pifi:, we pray that it may be enafted, that every perfon holding com- 

 ' munion with the church of Rome, or elfe that fliall marry a papift, 

 ' fhall be for ever excluded, and be incapable to inherit and poflefs the 

 ' crown of this realm ; and in every fuch cafe, the people of this realm, 

 ' and of Ireland, are hereby abfolved of their allegiance, and the crown 

 ' fhall defcend to the next proteflant in fuccefhon, who fliould have en- 

 ' joyed the fame, had the other been naturally dead. 



' X) And whoever fhall hereafter fucceed to the crown, Ihall, if of 

 ' twelve years of age or upwards, make and fubfcribe the declaration in 

 ' the flatute of the 30th year of King Charles II, entitled an Ad: for 

 ' the more effedual preferving the king's perfon and government, by 

 ' difabling papifls from fitting in either houfe of parliament. 



' XI) AH which fhall hereby be declared, and enaded to be the law 

 ' of this realm forever. 



' XII) And that no difpenfation by non ohjlante, of, or to, any ftatute, 

 ' or of any part thereof, fliall hereafter be allowed, except it be allowed 

 ' in fuch flatute ; and except in fuch cafes as (hall be fpecially provided 

 ' for by a bill, or bills, to be paffed during this prefent feflion of par- 

 ' liament. 



' XIII) Provided that no charter, grant, or pardon, granted before 

 • the 23d day of Odober 1689, fhall be invalidated by this ad; but 

 ' that the fame fhall remain of the fame force and effed in law, and no 

 ' other, than as if this ad had never been made.' 



Whoever is even but flenderly acquainted with the hiflory of feveral 

 preceding reigns in England, but mofl efpecially with that of King 

 James II, cannot fail to pronounce this ad of parliament, which we have 

 here contraded as far as the very important matter of it would permit, 

 ro be a new and complete magna charta, or a folemn re-eflablilhment, 

 with improvements, of all the privileges of the EnglilTi people, former- 

 ly at any time claimed by virtue of the power of parliament, and of the 

 laws and ftatutes of England ; and, in one word, that this folemn flatute 

 has moft efientially fixed the juft boundaries of the prerogative of the 

 crown, and of the rights and privileges of the fubjed, the moll; happy 

 confequences whereof have ever fince been fenfibly feen and felt, and, 

 it is to be hoped, will fo remain to the end of time. 



The good eflfeds of this firm eflabhfhment of the liberty and property 

 of the people of England have in nothing been more confpicuous, than 

 in the great increafe of commerce, fhipping, manufadures, and colonies, , 



4 M 2 



