¶ An acre declaring the establyshment of the succession of the kings most 〈◇〉 majesty in the imperial crowce of this realm.  
◇ their most humble wise s●ewen unto your maiesty●, your most humble and obedient s●b●ecte●, the 〈◇〉 ●●●●●●uall and tu●●●all, and the commons in this present parley ament assembled, that syns it is the natural in 〈…〉 of every man, gladly and willingly to prouy●e for the surety of both his title and succession, although it touch his onely private cause. Wethe●●●re most rightful and dreadful soueraign● lord, teken ourselves m●ch● more bounds to beseech and instant your highness, although we doubt not of your princely he●●e and wisdom, mixed with 〈◇〉 rall affectyon to the same, to forese and provide for the perfect surety of both you and of your most lawful succesyon and heirs, vpon which dependeth all our joy and wealth▪ In whom also is vnyted and k●ytte the onely more true inheritance and ●ycle of this realm, without any contradictyon. ●herfore we your said most humble and obedient subiectes, in this present parliament assemb●ed, calling to our remembrance the great diuisyons, which in times paste haue ben in this realm by reason of several tyt●es pretende● to the imperial crown of the same which sometimes, and for the most parte ensued by occasion of ambiguite and doubts, than not so perfycely declared, but that men might vpon frowarde intents expound them i● every mannes s●●●●ce appetite and affectyon, after their sense, contrary to the right legalyte of the succession and posterite of the lawful kings and ●●perours of this realm: whereof hath ensued great effecsyon and destruction of ma●●es blood, as well of a great number of the nobles as of other the subiectes, and specially inherytours in the same. And the greatest occasyou therof hath ben because no perfect and substantial promsyou by lawe hath ben made within this realm of itself, when doubts and questyous haue ben moved and proponed of the certay●ti● and legalytie of the succession and posterytie of the crown. By reason whereof the by shop of Bome and see apostolybe, contrary to the great and inniolable grants of iutisdictions given by god immediately to emp●●ours, kings, and princes in succession to their hey●es, hath presumed in times paste to invest, who should please them to inheryte in other me●●es ky●ghomes and dominions: which thing we pour most humble subiectes, both spitiruall and temporal, do most abhor● and detest. And som●ymes other forayne princes and potentates of soudrye degrees, myndynge rather dissensyon and discord to conty●●e in the rea●ne, to the ●tter desolation them●f, that charity, equyre, or unite, haue many times suppor●●●●onge tyties, whereby they might the more casyly and facilly asppre to the superyorite of the same. The continuance and sufferance whereof deeply considered and pondered, were to daungerous and pery●lous to be suffered any longer within this realm, and to much contrary to the buite, peace, and tranquyllite of the same, being greatly reproachable and di●●●●●able to the hole realm.  
In consyderacion whereof your said most humble and obedient subiectes, the nobles and commons of this realm, calling further to their remembrannce, that the good vuite, peace, and wealth of this realm, and the succession of the sithiectes of the same most specially and principally above all woridly thyuges, consisteth and restech in the certayutie and surety of the procreation, and postetyte of your highness, in whose most coyall person at this present time is no maner of doubt nor question, do therfore most humbly beseech your highness, that it may please your majesty, that it may be enacted by your highness, with the assent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons in this present parliament assembled, and by anctorite of the same, that the marriage here to fore solemnysed between your highness and the lady Catharyue, beyuge before lawful wife to prince Acture, your eider brother, which by him was carnally known, as doth duly appear by sufficient prove in a lawful process had and made before Ch●●mas by the suffera●nce of god now archebyss●op of Canterbury, and metropolytane and primate of all this realm, shall be by auctorit● of this present parliament, diffynityuely, clearly, and absolutely declared, de●ed and ading●● to be ag●y●st the laws of a●uighty god, and also accepted, reputed, and taken of no value ne effect: but utterly void and 〈…〉 therof made be the said a●chebysshop shal be good and effectual to all intents and purposes: any lyconce, dispen●●●●n or 〈…〉 act or acts, go●●ge afore, or ●●suyng the same, or to the contrary therof in any wys●not withstanding. And that every 〈◇〉, dispensation, act or acts thing or things, here tofore had, made, done or to be done to the contrary therof shall be 〈…〉 of 〈◇〉 effect. And that the said lady Catharyne shall be from hence forth ca●●●d and reputed onely dowagyet to prince A●ture, and not queen of this realm. And that the lawful matrymouye had and solemysed between your hyg●●esse and your most dere & entietly beloved wy●● queen A●me, shall be established and taken for vndoubtfull, true, sincere, and perfy●e ever hereafter, according to the just iudgemen of the said Thomas archbishop of Canterbury, metropolytane and primate of all this realm / whose grounds of iudgement haue ben confirmed as well by the hole clergy of this realm, in both the conuocacions, and by both the vn●uersyties therof, as by the vniuersyties of Bon●ny, Padua, Parys, Orlyaunce, Tolouse, Ingieu, and dyvers others: And also by the private writings of many right excellent well learned men. which grounds so confirmed, and iudgement of the said archbishop ●usuynge the same, together with your marriage solemnized, byt●●●e your highness and your said lawful wife queen Anne / We your said subiectes both spiritual and temporal, do purely, play●ely, constantly, and firmly accept, approve, and tatifye for good and consonant to the laws of almighty god, withou●●●rour or default: most humbly beseeching your majesty, that it may be so established for ever by your most gracious and royal assent.  
¶ And furthermore syns many inconveniences haue fallen as well within this realm as in others, by reason of maryenge within the degrees of marriage prohybit by goddes laws, that is to say. The son to marye the mother, or the stepmother: The brother the syste●▪ The father his sons daughter, or his daughters daughter: or the son to mary the daughter of his father, procrest and born by his stedmother: or the son to mary 〈◇〉 du●t●, being his fathers o● mothers sister: or to mary his vn●les wife: or t●e rather to mary his sons wife: or the brother to mary his brothers wife: or any man to mary his wyfes daughter, or his wyfes sons daughter, or his wyfes d●ughters daughter, or his wyfes sister. which marriages all be it they be plainly prohybite and detested by the laws of god: yet nevertheless at some times the● haue proceeded under colours of dispensacions by mannes power, which is but usurped and of right ought not to be granted, admitted, 〈◇〉 allowed▪ for no man, of what estate, degree, or condition so ever he be, hath power to dispense with goddes laws: as all the ●lergy● of this realm in the said conuocacions, and the most parte of all the famous 〈…〉 and think.  
¶ Be it therefore 〈…〉 refrant●● of thus ●●●me, or in any your dominions, of what esl●●● 〈…〉 the said ●egrees afore re●ersed, what pret●●● so ●uer shall be 〈…〉 digni●e, degree, or coudycion so ever they be, hath 〈…〉 any the degrees about expressed, and 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 ●●●●●ate from the bounds of such 〈…〉 ●ad not by any power. power whit he is bu●● 〈…〉 ●●aght not to be gra●●● 〈…〉 ●●ntan, of what estate, d●●●●, 〈◇〉 ●●●on so ever he be, hath power to ●●●pence with goods laws: as all the c●●●y●● 〈…〉 ●●●me in the said com●ocacio●s, and the 〈◇〉 parte of all the famous wi●tersycies of christendom, and the also do affirm and think.  
¶ Be it therfore enacted by a●ctorire aforesaid, that no person or persons, subiectes or r●sea●●es of this tradi●e, or in any your 〈◇〉 ●yons, of what estate, degree, or dignity so ever they be shall from 〈…〉 w●●m the said degrees afore r●hersed, what pretence so ever shall be made to the contrary therof. And in case any person or persons, of what estate, degr●●●, degree, ●●condycion so ever they be, hath ben hereto fore married within this realm, or in any the ay●●ges domymous, within any the degrees above expressed, and by any the archebysshoppes, bishops or ministers of the church of england, be separate from the bounds of such ●●●aufull marriage, that than every such separacion shall be good, lawful, fy●●●, and permanent for ever: And not by any power, authority, or means to be revoked or undone here after. And that the children proceeding and proc●e●t under such unlaufull marriage, shall not be laufullne legi●timate: any forayne laws, lyco●ces, dispensacions, or other thing or things to the contrary therof not withstanding. And in case there be any person or persons within this realm, or in any the kings domy●●ons all ●edy married within any the said degrees above specified, and not yet separat from the bounds of such unlawful marriage that than mary such person so vnlaufully married, shall be separate by the distinityne sentence and judgements of the archebysshops, bishops, and other ministers of the church of england, and in other your dominions within the limits of their inrisdictions and authorities, and by no●e other power or authority. And that all sentences and ingementes, given and to be given by any archbishop, bishop, or other minister of the church of england, or in other the kings dominions, within the limits of their inrisdictions and authority, shall be dif●inityne, firm, good, and effectual to all intents, and be observed and obeied without string any provocations, appeles, prohibycions, or other process from the court of Rome to the derogation therof, or contrary to the act made syns the beginning of this present parliament for restraint of such provocations, appeles, prohibicions, and other processes.  
¶ And also be it enacted by authority aforesaid, that all the issue had and procreat, or hereafter to be had and procreat between your highness and your said most dere and entirely beloved wife queen Anne, shall be your lawful children and be inherytable and inheryte according to the course of inherytance and laws of this realm, the imperial crown of the same, with all dignyties, honours, pre-eminences, prerogatyues, authorities, and i●risdictions to the same a●nexed or belonging, in as large and ample maner as your highness at this present time hath the same as king of this realm, the inheritance therof to be and remain to your said children and right heirs, in maner and form as here after shall be declared. That is to say, first the said imperial crown and other the premises, shall be to your majesty and to your heirs of your body lawfully begotten, that is to say, to the first son of your body between your highness and your said lawful wife queen Anne, begotten, and to the heirs of the body of the same first son lawfully begotten. And for default of such heirs, than to the second son of your body and of the body of the said queen Anne begotten, and to the heirs of the body of the said second son lawfully begotten. And so to every son of your body and of the body of the said queen Anne begotten, and to the heirs of the body of every such son begotten according to the course of inheritance in that behalf. And if it shall happen your said dere and entirely beloved wife queen Anne to decesse without issue male of the body of your highness to begotten( which god defend) that the same imperial crown, and all other the premises to be to your majesty as is aforesaid, and to the son and heir male of your body lawfully begotten, and to the heirs of the body of the same son and heir male lawfully begotten. And for default of such issue, than to your second son of your body lawfully begotten, and to the heirs of the body of the same second son lawfully begotten: And so from son and heir male, to son and 〈…〉 heirs of the several bodies of every such son and heir male to be gotten according to the course of inheritance, in l●ke maner and form as is above said. And for default of such sons of your body begotten, and of the heires of the several bodies of every such sons lawfully begotten, that than the said imperial crown, and other the premises, shalbe to the issue female between your majesty and your said most dere and entirely beloved wife queen Anne begotten. That is to say, first to the eldest issue female, which is the lady Elisabeth now princess, and to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten: And for default of such issue, than to the second issue female, and to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten: And so from issue female to issue female, and to their heirs of their bodies one after an other, by course of inheritance, according to their ages, as the crown of england hath ben accustomend & ought to go in cases when there be heirs females to the same: And for default of such issue: than the said imperial crown, and all other the premises, shall be in the right heirs of your highness for ever.  
¶ And be it further enacted by authority foresaid, that on this side the first day of May next coming proclamations shall be made in all shires within this realm of the tenor and contents of this act. And if any person or persons, of what estate, dignity, or condition so ever they be, subject or reseaunt within this realm, or else where within any the kings dominions, after the said first day of May, by writing or imprintynge, or by any exterior act or dede, maliciously procure or do, or cause to be procured or done any thing or things to the peril of your most royal person, or maliciously give occasion by writing, print, dede or act, whereby your highness might be distourbed or interrupted of the crown of this realm: or by writing, print, dede, or act procure or do, or cause to be procured or done any thing or things to the prejudice, falaunder, distourbaunce, or deregacion of the said lawful matrimony solemnized between your majesty and the said queen Anne: or to the peril, sklaunder, or disheryson of any the issues and heirs of your highness, being limited by this act to enheryte and to be inherytable to the crown of this realm, in such form as is aforesaid: whereby any such issues or heirs of your highness might be destroyed, distourbed, or interrupted in body or title of inheritance to the crown of this realm, as to them is limited in this act, in form above rehearsed: that than every such person and persons, of what estate, degree, or condition they be of, subject or rescant within this realm, and their aydours, counsellors, maynteynours, and abbettours, & every of them for every such offence shall be adiudged high traitors, and every such offence shall be adinged high treason, and the offenders and their aydours, counsellors, maynteynours, and abbettours, and every of them, being lawfully contricte of such offence by presentement, verdyte, confession, or process, according to the customs and laws of this realm. shall suffer pains of death. as in cases of high treason. And that also every such offender, heynge convict, as is aforesaid, shall lose and foresaid to your highness, and to your heirs kings of this realm, all such manors, lands, tenements, rents, annuities, and hereditaments. Wherein they had in possession as owners, or were sole scased of, by or in any right, title or means, or any other person or persons 〈…〉 use, of any estate of inheritance at the day of such treasons and offences by them committed and done: And shall 〈…〉 your sa●d●●●res. as well all maner such estates of f●eholde and interests 〈…〉 which they had at the time of conviction or atteyndre of any such 〈…〉 polteyke, to their heirs, assigns, and succesours, and every 〈…〉 and then ●e●res and successors, and all other 〈◇〉 to their uses, 〈…〉 ●ffyces, auntutees, and communes, ●●●ces, ●●●ess, 〈…〉 sole scased of, by or in any 〈…〉 ●y●●e● means, 〈…〉 so●s had to their use, of any 〈…〉 the day of such treasons and offen●●● by them ●omy●ted and done: And shall also los● and for●a●et to your highness, and to your said heirs, as well all maner such estates of 〈…〉 for yeres of i●des and ●●●ess, as all their goods, catals, and de●●es, which they had at the time of coun●●tion or after●●●re of any such offence. Sauyng● 〈…〉 price and persons, and bodies politic, to their heirs, assigns, and succe●ours, and every of them, other than such persons as shall 〈◇〉 so 〈◇〉, and their heirs and succe●ours, and 〈◇〉 ●●her 〈◇〉 to their uses, all such ryghe, title, use, interest 〈…〉, ●eess, off yees, an●●●tes, and com●●●es, which they a●●y of them shall happen to 〈…〉, or vpon any such 〈…〉 a●●●ties, or here●e tamenets, that shall so happen to be 〈◇〉 and for●ayet ●y reason of 〈◇〉, for any the 〈◇〉 and offences above reh●rsed, as 〈◇〉 time before the said creasons and offences 〈◇〉.  
¶ And be it further enacted by an●t●●ite aforesaid, that if any person or persons, after the said first day of May, by any words without writing, or any ●●●e●our 〈◇〉 or act 〈◇〉 and 〈…〉, or verer any change or changes to the peril of your hygh●●sse, or to ●he ●●●●●der or pr●n●dyce of the said 〈◇〉, ●●●●ysed by 〈◇〉 your highness and the said ●uene 〈◇〉 or to the s●i●●●der or dishen●●e of the issue are ●e●●es of your body 〈◇〉, and to be 〈◇〉 of the said que●e. I●●●, or any other your lawful heirs, whi●he shall be inherytable to the 〈◇〉 of this rea●●● as is afore 〈◇〉 by this acte●: that than every such offence shall be taken and adjudged for 〈◇〉 prison 〈◇〉. And that every person and persons, of what esta●●, degree, or ●●●ycion so ever they be 〈◇〉 or 〈…〉 this 〈◇〉, or in any the kings 〈◇〉, so doing and offendy●●●, & bey●●g thereof lawfully 〈◇〉 by 〈◇〉, ver●yce, processe●● co●●e●●●, shall suffer 〈◇〉 of their bodies at the kings 〈◇〉, and shall ●ose as well all their goods, cata●ies, and de●●es as all such interests & estates of free bold, or for pe●es, which any such 〈◇〉 shall haue of or in any ●●●ess 〈…〉 at the time of 〈◇〉 & 〈◇〉 of such office.  
¶ And be it also enacted by 〈◇〉 aforesaid that no person nor persons off ●ndynge ●n any the treasons or mesprisyons co●try●ed and ly●●●ted by this act, shal 〈◇〉 any wa●e ha●● or 〈◇〉 the 〈◇〉 or 〈◇〉 of any maner of 〈◇〉 within this realm, or else where within any the ●ynges domy●●●●, but shall ●ete●●●se are be ●●●●ded of the ●amer Ioy use, custom grant, prescription confyrmacion, or was other thing or things to the contrary thereof in any 〈◇〉 out 〈…〉.  
¶ And be it also ●●●ted 〈…〉 aforesaid that if your mate●●● sh●●●●e happen to 〈◇〉 before any such your issue and heir male, which should wheryte the 〈◇〉 of this realm● shall be of his age of ●he●●●e●es, or before such your issue and heir female. which sh●●de wheryte the 〈◇〉 of this realm shall be married, or be of the age of the reces( which almyngher god defend) that than your said issue and h●●e made to the 〈◇〉, so being 〈◇〉 ●he said age of that yetes, or your said issue and female i● the crown, being ●●●aryed, or within the said age of the yetes? shall be and remain, 〈◇〉 such time as such issues and heirs shall come to their said 〈◇〉 ages afore ly●●tted, at and in the 〈◇〉 of their natural another. 〈◇〉 ●●ynge, with such others counsay●ours of your 〈◇〉, as your ●●●ester ●s your life time shall depure and assign by your will, or otherwise for the sa●e, without contradiction of any person or persons to the contrary therof. And if and person or persons by ●●itynge or exte●●●er 〈◇〉 or act, pro●●re or do, or cause to be proceeded or do●e any thing or things to the let or disturb●n●ce of the 〈◇〉 that than every such offence shall be high treason, and the offenders, being therof 〈◇〉, shall suffer such payde● of death, and ●●ssed of 〈◇〉, ●●●do●des, interests for yetes, goods, 〈◇〉, and dertes in such 〈◇〉 and 〈◇〉 as is above shecifyes 〈◇〉 cases of treason afore much youed.  
¶ And for the more sure 〈◇〉 of the 〈◇〉 of your 〈…〉, according to the ●●our and form of this 〈…〉 enacted by 〈…〉, that as 〈◇〉 off the 〈◇〉 of your 〈…〉 and 〈◇〉, and all other your 〈…〉 and being, of that hers after shall be at their shall ages, by the 〈◇〉 of your ●●●est●e, or of ●our beyres, at all times here after, from time to time, wh●● it shall please your byg●u●sse, or your beyres to appoint, shall ●ake a corporal ●thour the presence of your highness 〈◇〉 your b●yres: or before such other as your 〈◇〉 or your heirs will deputy for the 〈◇〉, that they shall ree●●●, 〈◇〉 and constantly, without frame and ●●yle obstruct, 〈…〉, def●ude and ●eye, to their co●●ynges wy●●e and uttermost of their powers, the hole effecte● and co●●●tes of this presone act. And that all ma●ner your subiectes, as well spiritual as temporal, s●ynge bu●●ay, testy●●cio●s, or dees is may● out of the hands of your highness, or of your heirs, or doing any f●a●te to your highness or to your heirs, by reason of 〈◇〉 of their l●ndes, shall swear alike corporal oath, that they and every of them, without faude or guile, to their co●●ynge, wit, and uttermost of their powers, shall ●rewly, fyr●nely, and constantly observe, fulfil, maintain, defend, and kept the effects and contents contayner and specified in this act, or us any parte therof. And that they or 〈◇〉 of them shall hereafter haue any lyuerayes, oterlemayn, or restytucion out of your hands, nor out of the hands of your ●e●●●s, till they haue made the said corporal oath, in form above rehearsed. And if any person or persons, being ●●●maunded by 〈◇〉 of this act, to make the said oath afore limited, obstyna●ely refuse that to do, in contemper of this acte● that than every such person( so doing) to be taken and accepted for ●ffendour in ●●esprisyon of high treason. And that every such refusal shall be deemed and adjudged mesprisyon of high treason: and the offeder therein to suffer such pa●nes and imprisonment, losses and forfartures, and also lose priu●sseges of sain●tuaties, in like maner and form as is above mency●ned for the mesprisyons of treasons afore limited by this act.  
¶ provided alwares, that the article in this act contained concerning proi●●bicions of marriages whithin the degrees afore mentioned in this act, shall always be taken, the inrespreted, and expounded of such marriages, where marriages were solem●nysed, and carnal knowledge was had.  
¶ God save the king.   

Tho. Berth. regius impress. excudebat. Cum privilegio.