Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 9.djvu/601

Rh XXIII. And be it further enacted by authoritie of this present Parliament, That if it shall please the Kings Maiestie at any time heereafter, by his Letters Patents under his great Seale, or by his last will made in writing, and Signed with his most gracious hand, to advance any person or persons of his most roiall blood to any title, stile, or name of any estate, dignitie or honour, whatsoever it bee, and to give to them, or to any of them any Carsels, Honours, Manors, Lands, Tenements, Liberties, Franchises, or other hereditaments, in fee simple, fee taile, or for terme of their lives, or the life of any of them : that then all and every such Letters Patents and last will of his Highnesse, fo to bee made to any such person or persons of his bloud, shal be good and effectuall to them & every of them, according to the tenor, purports, and effects of every such Letters Patents and last will. And that the said person and persons, and every of them, shall have and inioy as well all such titles, stiles, and names of honour, dignity and estate, which shall be contained, and expressed in any such Letters Patents or last will of the Kings highnesse, as such Castels, Honours, Manors, Lands, Tenements, Liberties, Franchises, and all other Hereditaments, which shall bee specified and mentioned in every such Letters Patents or last will, in such maner, forme, fashion, and condition, and according to such estate or estates in the law, as shall be expressed and limited in every such Letters Patents or last will, in as large and ample maner, to all intents and purposes, as if the titles, stiles, and names of honour, dignitie, and estate, and the Castels, Honours, Manors, Lands, Tenements, Liberties, Franchises, and other Hereditaments, which shall be comprised in any such Letters Patents or last will to be made, where already given by good and sufficient Letters Patents, to such person or persons of the Kings blood, by their speciall names and surnames, and ratified & confirmed by authoritie of this present Parliament, or as if the names of such person and persons so being of the Kings blood, and such titles, stiles, names, Castels, Honours, Manors, Lands, Tenements, Liberties, Franchises, or other hereditaments, had beene specially named and expressed in this Act, and given to such person and persons of the Kings bloud by their proper names and surnames, by sufficient words, termes, clauses, and sentences, immediately by authority of this present Parliament. Saving to all and every person and pervons, and bodies politicke, and to their heires, assignes, and successors, other then to the Kings highnesse, his heires or successors, all such right, title, interest, possession, rents, annuities, fees, offices, commons, rights, interests, petitions conditions, and all other hereditaments, which they or any of them may or mought claime of, in, or to any the said Titles, Stiles, Names, Castles, Honours, Manors, Lands, Tenements, Liberties, Franchises, and other Hereditaments, contained or mentioned in any such Letters Patents, or last will, in as large and ample maner, as if this Act had never beene had nor made.

XXIII. And be it finally enacted by the authority aforesaid, That this present Act, and every clause, article, and Sentence comprised in the same, shall be taken and accepted according to the plaine words and sentences therein contained, and shall not be interpreted nor expounded by colour of any pretence or cause, or by any subtill arguments, invention, or reasons, to the hinderance, disturbance, or derogation of this Act, or any part thereof : any thing or things, Act or Acts of Parliament heretofore made, or hereafter to bee had, done, or made, to the contrary thereof notwithstanding. And that every Act, Statute, law, provision, thing and things, heretofore had or made, or hereafter to be had, done, or made, contrary to the effect of this Statute, shall be void and of no value nor force.

Anno tricesimo primo Octavi

T a Parliament holden at Westminster the eight and twentyeth day of April, and there continued untill the eight and twentyeth day of June next following.

"HERE the Kings most excellent majestie is by Gods law supreame head immediatly under him of this whole Church and congregation of England, intending the conservation of the same Church and congregation in a true, sincere and uniforme doctrine of Christs religion, calling also to his blessed and most gracious remembrance, as well the great and quiet assurance, prosperous increase, and other innumerable commodities, which have ever insued, come and followed of concord, agreement and unitie in opinions, as also the manifold perils, dangers and inconveniences, which have heretofore in many places and regions growne, sprung, and arisen, of the diversities of mindes and opinions, especially of matters of christian religion : and therefore desiring, that such an unitie might and should be charitably established in all things touching and concerning the same, as the same so being establifhed might chiefly be to the honour of Almighty God, the very Author and fountaine of all true unitie and sincere concord, and consequently redound to the common-wealth of this his highnesse most noble realme, and of all his loving Subjects and other resiants and inhabitants of