[A1705/6/17]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
Overture for limitations on the successors of her majesty deceasing without heirs of her body, who shall be likewise kings of England
I. That elections shall be made at every Michaelmass head-court for a new parliament every year, to sit the first of November next following, and adjourn themselves from time to time, till next Michaelmass; that they chuse their own president, and that every thing shall be determin'd by balloting in place of voting.
II. That so many lesser barons shall be added to the parliament as there have been noble-men created since the last augmentation of that number of the barons, and that, in all time coming, for every noble-man that shall be created there shall be a baron added to the parliament.
III. That no man have vote in parliament, but a noble-man or elected member.
IV. That the king shall give the royal assent to all laws offered by the estates, and that the president of the parliament be impower'd by his majesty to give the royal assent in his absence, and have ten pound sterling a day salary.
V. That a committie of one and thirty members, of which nine to be a quorum, chosen out of their own number by every parliament, shall, during the intervals of parliament, under the king, have the administration of the government, be his council and accountable to the next parliament, with power in extraordinary occasions to call the parliament together; and that in the said council all things be determin'd by balloting in place of voting.
VI. That a king, without consent of parliament, shall not have the power of making peace and war or that of concluding any treaty with any other state or potentate.
VII. That all places and offices, both civil and military, and all pensions formerly confer'd by our kings, shall ever after be given by parliament.
VIII. That no regiment or company of horse, foot or dragoons be kept on foot in peace or war but by consent of parliament.
IX. That all the fencible men of the nation, betwixt sixty and sixteen, be arm'd with bagonets and fire-locks all of a calibre, and continue always provided in such arms with ammunition sutable.
X. That no general indemnity, nor pardon for any transgression against the publick, shall be valid without consent of parliament.
XI. That the fifteen senators of the college of justice shall be incapable of being members of parliament, or of any other office or any pension, but the salary that belongs to their place to be increas'd as the parliament shall think fit. That the office of president shall be in three of their number to be nam'd by parliament, and that there be no extraordinary lords. And also, that the lords of the justice court shall be distinct from those of the session, and under the same restrictions.
That if any king break in upon any of these conditions of government, he shall by the estates be declar'd to have forfeited the crown.