Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 2.djvu/567

A. D. 1558. of his merciful Providence and Goodness towards us and this our Relam, not only to provide, but also to preserve and keep for us our Wealths, your Royal Majesty our most rightful and lawful Sovereign Leige Lady and Queen, most happily to Reign over us; for the which we do give and yield unto him from the Bottoms of our Hearts, our humble Thanks, Lauds and Praises; (2) even so there is nothing that we your said Subjects for our Parties can, may or ought towards your Highness more firmly, entirely and assuredly in the Purity of our Hearts think, or wish our Mouths declare and confess to be true, than that your Majesty our said Sovereign Lady is, and in very Deed and of most meer Right ought to be by the Laws of God, and the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, our most rightful and lawful Sovereign Liege Lady and Queen; (3) and that your Highness is rightly, lineally and lawfully descended and come of the Blood Royal of the Realm of England, in and to whose Princely Person, and the Heirs of your Body lawfully to be begotten, after you, without all Doubt, Ambiguity, Scruple or Question, the Imperial and Royal Estate, Place, Crown and Dignity of this Realm, with all Honours, Stiles, Titles, Dignities, Regalities, Jurisdictions and Preheminences to the same now belonging  and appertaining, are and shall be most fully, rightfully, really and intirely invested and incorporated, united and annexed, as rightfully and lawfully, to all Intents, Constructions and Purposes, as the same were in the late King Henry the Eighth, or in the late King Edward the Sixth, your Highness Brother, or in the late Queen Mary your Highness Sifter, at any Time since the Act of Parliament made in the thirty-fifth Year of the Reign of your said mot noble Father King Henry the Eighth, intituled, An Act concerning the Establishment of the King's Majesty's Succession in the Imperial Crown of this Realm:'

II. For which Causes we your said most loving, faithful and obedient Subjects, representing the three Estates of your Realm of England, as thereunto constrained by the Law of God and Man, except we should overmuch forget our Duties to your Highness, and to the Heirs of your Body lawfully begotten, can no less do, but most humbly beseech your Highness, that by the Authority of this present Parliament it may be enacted, established and declared, That we do recognise, acknowledge and confess the same your Estate, Right, Title and Succession as is aforesaid, to be in and to your Highness, and the Heirs of your Body to be begotten throughoutly, and in the whole, and in every Part thereof, in such Manner and Form as before is mentioned, declared or confessed; and thereunto most humbly and faithfully we do submit our selves, our Heirs and Posterities for ever.

III. And further do make our most hearty and humble Petition unto your Highness, That it may please the same, not only to accept this our said Recognition, but also our faithful Promises, that we, accordingly to our Duties, shall and will stand to, assist and defend your Royal Majesty, and the Heirs of your Body to be begotten, being Kings and Queens of this Realm, and your said Rights and Titles in and to the said Imperial Estate, Place, Crown and Dignity in all Things thereto belonging, at all Times, to the uttermost of our possible Powers, and therein to spend our Bodies, Lands and Goods, against all Persons whatsoever, that any Thing shall attempt to the contrary.

IV. And that it may be enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That as well this our Declaration, Confession and Recognition, as also the Limitation and Declaration of the Succession of the Imperial Crown of this Realm, mentioned and contained in the said Act made in the said five and thirtieth Year of the Reign your said most Noble Father, shall stand, remain and be the Law of this Realm for ever.

V. And that all Sentences, Judgments and Decrees, had, made, declared, set forth, published and promulged, and also as much of every Clause, Article, Branch, Matter or Thing contained and expressed in any Act or Acts of Parliament, as be in any Thing repugnant, contrary or derogatory to this our said Confession, Declaration and Recognition, or to any Part or Parcel thereof, or contrary to the said Limitation of the Succession of the Imperial Crown, established and made by the said Act, in the said xxxv. Year of the Reign of the said late King Henry the Eighth, by whatsoever Power or Authority the same been or have been had or made, shall be utterly frustrate, void and of none Effect. And also shall and may be cancelled, defaced, and put in perpetual Oblivion, at your Highness Will and Pleasure, as if the same had never been had, made, declared, set forth, published or promulged.

P. IV.

An Act for the Restitution of the First-fruits to the Crown.

N their most humble wise beseech your most excellent Majesty, your faithful and humble Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons of this your Realm, in this present Parliament assembled, That where in the Parliament of your most Noble Father of famous Memory, King Henry the of Eighth, holden at Westminster upon Prorogation the third Day of November in the six and twentieth Year of his prosperous Reign, it was enacted, ordained and established by the Authority of the same amongst other Things, That his Highness, his Heirs and Successors, Kings of this Realm, should have and enjoy from Time to Time, to endure for ever, of every such Person and Persons, which at any Time after the first Day of January then next ensuing should be nominated, elected, prefected, presented, collated, or by any other Means appointed to have any Archbishoprick, Bishoprick, Abbacy, Monastery, Priory, College, Hospital, Archdeaconry, Deanry, Provostship, Prebend, Parsonage, Vicarage, Chantry, Free Chapel, or other Dignity, Benefice, Office or Promotion Spiritual within this Realm, or elsewhere within any of the King's Dominions, of what Name, Nature or Quality soever they were, or to whose Foundation, Patronage or Gift soever they did belong, the First-fruits, Revenues and Profits for one Year of every such Archbishoprick, Bishoprick, Abbacy, Monastery, Priory, College, Hospital, Archdeaconry, Deanry, Provostship, Prebend, Parsonage, Vicarage, Chantry, Free Chapel, or other Dignity, Benefice, Office