Security of the Succession, etc. Act 1701
1701 CHAPTER 6 13 and 14 Will 3
An Act for the further Security of His Majesties Person and the Succession of the Crown in the Protestant Line and for extinguishing the Hopes of the pretended Prince of Wales and all other Pretenders and their open and secret Abettors.

Recital of Stat. 1 W. & M. Sess. 2. c. 2. § 1;
and of Stat. 12 & 13 W. III. c. 2. § 1; and that the French King had caused the pretended Prince of Wales to be proclaimed King of England, &c. and that the said pretended Prince had assumed the said Style and Title.; Reasons for passing this Act.; All Persons bearing Office Civil or Military, &c.; Persons in the Service of Prince George and the Princess Ann of Denmark, and all Ecclessiastical Persons, being of the Age of 18, and other Persons herein described residing in London and Westminster or within 30 Miles thereof at the Time and in Manner herein mentioned to take the Oath following.Whereas by an Act made in the First Year of the Reign of Your most Excellent Majesty and Your late
Royal Consort Queen Mary of ever blessed Memory intituled An Act declaring the Rights and Liberties
of the Subject and settling the Succession of the Crown It was enacted established and declared That the Crown
and Regal Government of the Kingdoms of England France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging
should be and continue to Your said Majesties and the Survivor of You during Your Joint Lives and the Life
of the Survivor of Your Majesties and that after the Decease of Your Majestie and of the said late Queen Mary
the said Crown and Regal Government should be and remain to the Heirs of the Body of the said late Queen
and for Default of such Issue to her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark and the Heirs of Her Body
and for Default of such Issue to the Heirs of the Body of Your Majesty And whereas by One other Act made
in the Twelfth Year of Your Majesties Reign entituled An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown and better
securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject It was enacted That the Crown and Regal Government of the
said Kingdoms and the Dominions thereunto belonging with the Royal State and Dignity of the said Realms and
all Honours Stiles Titles Regalities Prerogatives Powers Jurisdictions and Authorities to the same belonging and
appertaining after the Decease of Your Majesty and of the said Princess Ann of Denmark and in Default of Issue
of the said Princess Ann of Denmark and of Your Majesty respectively should be remain and continue to be to
the most Excellent Princess Sophia Electoress and Dutchess Dowager of Hanover Daughter of the most Excellent
Princess Elizabeth late Queen of Bohemia Daughter of Our late Sovereign Lord King James the First and the
Heirs of the Body of the said Princess Sophia being Protestants And whereas the French King in Hopes of
disturbing the Peace and Repose of Your Majesty and Your Kingdoms and creating Divisions therein hath since
the making the said Act caused the pretended Prince of Wales to be proclaimed in Your Majesties said Kingdom
of France by the Name Stile and Title of James the Third King of England Scotland and Ireland whereupon the
said pretended Prince hath assumed the said Stile and Title in open Defiance of the Provisions made for the
Establishment of the Title and Succession of the Crown by the said several Acts of Parliament on which said
Acts the Safety of Your Majesties Royal Person and Government the Continuance of the Monarchy of England
the Preservation of the Protestant Religion the Maintenance of the Church of England as by Law established the
Security of the ancient and undoubted Rights and Liberties and the future Peace and Tranquillity of this
Kingdom, do (under God) intirely depend To the Intent therefore that the said Acts may be for ever inviolably
preserved and that all future Questions and Divisions by reason of any pretended Titles to the Crown may be
prevented We Your Majesties most dutiful and loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons
in this present Parliament assembled do humbly beseech Your most Excellent Majesty that it may be enacted and
be it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual
and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by Authority of the same That all and
every Person and Persons as well Peers as Commoners that shall bear any Office or Offices Civil or Military or
shall recieve any Pay Salary Fee or Wages by reason of any Patent or Grant from His Majesty or shall
have Command or Place of Trust from or under His Majesty or from any of His Majesties Predecessors or by
His or Their Authority or by Authority derived from Him or Them within the Realm of England Dominion of
Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed or in His Majesties Navy or in the several Islands of Jersey and Guernsey
or shall be of the Houshold or in the Service or Imployment of His Majesty or of His Royall Highness Prince
George or Her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark and all Ecclesiastical Persons all Members of
Colledges and Halls in either University that are or shall be of the Foundation (being of the Age of Eighteen
Years) and all Persons teaching Pupils in either University or elcewhere and all Schoolmasters and Ushers and all
Preachers and Teachers of separate Congregations and every Person that shall act as a Serjeant at Law Councellor
at Law Barrister Advocate Attorney Sollicitor Proctor Clerk or Notary by practising in any Manner as such in
any Court or Courts whatsoever who shall inhabit reside or be within the Cities of London or Westminster or
within Thirty Miles distant from the same on the First Day of Easter Term which shall be in the Year of our
Lord One thousand seven hundred and two or at any Time during the said Term shall personally appear before
the End of the said Term or of Trinity Term next following in His Majesties High Court of Chancery or in His
Majesties Court of Kings Bench Common Pleas or Exchequer and there in publick and open Court between the
Hours of Nine of the Clock and Twelve in the Forenoon take the Oath herein after mentioned that is to say.Form of Oath.I A: B: do [truly and sincerely acknowledge profess testify and declare in my Conscience before God and the
World That our Sovereign Lord King William is lawfull and rightful King of this Realm and of all other
His Majesties Dominions and Countries thereunto belonging And I do solemnly and sincerely declare That I do
believe in my Conscience that the Person pretended to be the Prince of Wales during the Life of the late King
James and since his Decease pretending to be and taking upon himself the Stile and Title of King of England by
the Name of James the Third hath not any Right or Title whatsoever to the Crown of this Realm or any other
the Dominions thereto belonging And I do renounce refuse and abjure any Allegiance or Obedience to him And
I do swear that I will bear Faith and true Allegiance to His Majesty King William and Him will defend to the

utmost of my Power against all Traiterous Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever which shall be made against His Person
Crown or Dignity And I will do my best endeavour to disclose and make known to His Majesty and His Successors
all Treasons and Traiterous Conspiracies which I shall know to be against Him or any of them And I do faithfully
promise to the utmost of my Power to support maintain and defend the Limitation and Succession of the Crown
against him the said James and all other Persons whatsoever as the same is and stands limited (by an Act intituled
An Act declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and setling the Succession of the Crown) to His Majesty
during His Majesties Life and after His Majesties Decease to the Princess Ann of Denmark and the Heirs of Her
Body being Protestants and for default of such Issue to the Heirs of the Body of His Majesty being Protestants
And as the same by one other Act intituled An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown and better securing
the Rights and Liberties of the Subject is and stands limitted after the Decease of His Majesty and the Princess
Ann of Denmark and for default of Issue of the said Princess and of His Majesty respectively to the Princess
Sophia Electoress and Dutchess Dowager of Hanover and the Heirs of Her Body being Protestants And all these
Things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to these express Words by me spoken and
according to the plain and common Sense and Understanding of the same Words without any Equivocation mental
Evasion or secret Reservation whatsoever And I do make this Recognition Acknowledgment Abjuration Renunciation
and Promise heartily willingly and truly upon the true Faith of a Christian So help me Godto be subscribed; During the Time of taking Oath Pleas to cease.; Persons not having taken the said Oath to take the same at General or Quarter Sessions in open Court.Unto which Oath so taken every such Person so taking the same shall subscribe or make his Name or Mark
and during the Time of taking the said Oath all Pleas and Proceedings in the said respective Courts shall cease
and all and every the said respective Persons and Officers not having taken the said Oath and subscribed the
same as aforesaid shall on or before the First Day of August in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven
hundred and two at the General or Quarter Sessions for that County Riding Liberty City Borough Town
Corporate or Place where he or they shall be inhabit or reside on the Twentieth Day of May in the Year of
our Lord One thousand seven hundred and two take the said Oath in open Court between the said Hours of
Nine and Twelve of the Clock in the Forenoon and subscribe his Name or make his Mark under the same as
aforesaid
The Persons herein mentioned to take the said Oath at the Time that they make and subscribe the Declaration of Stat. 25 Car. II. c. 2. § 8.
II. 
Ecclesiastical Persons within Places herein mentioned, within Three Months after Admittance to Preferment or Office to take and subscribe the said Oath.
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Person and Persons that shall be
admitted entred placed or taken into any Office or Offices Civil or Military or shall recieve any Pay Salary Fee
or Wages by reason of any Patent or Grant from His Majesty or shall have Command or Place of Trust from
or under His Majesty or by His Authority or by Authority derived from him within this Realm of England
Dominion of Wales Town of Berwick upon Tweed or in His Majesties Navy or in the several Islands of Jersey
and Guernsey or that shall be admitted into any Service or Imployment in His Majesties Houshold or Family or
of His Royal Highness Prince George or of Her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark after the said First
Day of Easter Term aforesaid shall take the said Oath at the same Time that he or they shall make and subscribe
the Declaration mentioned in a Statute made in the Five and twentieth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty
King Charles the Second intituled An Act for preventing Dangers which may happen from Popish Recusants and
all Ecclesiastical Persons all Members of Colledges and Halls in either University that are or shall be of the
Foundation being of or as soon as they shall attain the Age of Eighteen Years and all Persons teaching Pupils in either
University or elcewhere and all Schoolmasters and Ushers and all Preachers and Teachers of separate Congregations
and every Person who shall act as Serjeant at Law Councellor at Law Barrister Advocate Attorney Solicitor
Proctor Clerk or Notary by practising in any Manner as such in any Court or Courts whatsoever who shall at
any Time after the First Day of Easter Term aforesaid be admitted into or enter upon any of the beforementioned
Preferments Benefices Offices or Places or shall come into any such Capacity or shall take upon him or them
any such Practise Imployment or Business as aforesaid shall within Three Months after he or they shall be admitted
into or enter upon any such Preferment Benefice Office or Place or come into such Capacity or take upon him
or them such Practise Imployment or Business as aforesaid take and subscribe the said Oath in one of the said
Courts at Westminster or at the General Quarter Sessions of the County City or Place where he or they shall
reside
Proviso for Persons beyond Sea.
III. 
Provided That nothing in this Act contained shall extend to any Person now beyond the Seas who by vertue
of this Act ought to take the said Oath so as such Person do within Three Months after his Return into England
take the said Oath and subscribe thereunto according to the Appointment of this Act
Neglecting or refusing to take and subscribe the said Oaths,; Incapacity of Office, &c.
IV. 
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every the Person and Persons aforesaid that
do or shall neglect or refuse to take the said Oath and subscribe thereto as aforesaid in the said Courts and
Places and at the respective Times aforesaid shall be ipso facto adjudged incapable and disabled in Law to all
Intents and Purposes whatsoever to have occupy or enjoy the said Office or Offices Imployment or Imployments
or any Part of them or any Matter or Thing aforesaid or any Profit or Advantage appertaining to them or any
of them and every such Office or Place Imployment and Imployments shall be void and is hereby adjudged
void
Such Persons so neglecting or; refusing, continuing to execute Office,
V. 
disabled to sue, &c.; and Penalty £500
And be it further enacted That all and every such Person and Persons who shall neglect and refuse to take
the said Oath within the Times and at the Places aforesaid and yet after such Neglect or Refusal shall by himself
			or themselves his or their Deputy or Trustee execute any of the said Offices or Imployments after the said Time
is expired wherein he or they ought to have taken the said Oath and being thereof lawfully convicted in or upon
any Information Presentment or Indictment in any of the Kings Courts at Westminster or at the Assizes every
such Person or Persons shall be disabled from thenceforth to sue or use any Action Bill Plaint or Information
in Course of Law or to prosecute any Suit in any Court of Equity or to be Guardian of any Child or Executor
or Administrator of any Person or capable of any Legacy or Deed of Gift or to be in any Office within this
Realm of England Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed and shall forfeit the Sum of Five
hundred Pounds to be recovered by him or them that shall sue for the same to be prosecuted by any Action
of Debt Suit Bill Plaint or Information in any of His Majesties Courts at Westminster wherein no Essoign Protection
or Wager of Law shall lie.
Courts, upon Tender of Persons to take the said Oaths, to administer the same.;
VI. 
Register kept thereof, as by Stat. 25 Car. II.c. 2.
And be it further enacted That it shall and may be lawful to and for the respective Courts aforesaid to give
and administer the Oath aforesaid to the Person and Persons aforesaid and upon due Tender of any Person or
Persons to take the said Oath the said Courts are hereby required and enjoined to administer the same of the
taking and subscribing whereof the like Register shall be kept as by the said Act made in the Five and twentieth
Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second was directed to be kept of the subscribing the Declaration therin
mentioned.
In what case Persons, having forfeited Office capable of a new Grant.
VII. 
Provided always That any Person who by any Neglect or Refusal according to this Act shall lose or forfeit
any Office may be capable of a new Grant of the said Office or of any other and have and hold the same again
such Person taking the said Oath in such Manner as aforesaid so as such Office be not granted to or actually
enjoyed by some other Person at the Time of the regranting thereof
Proviso for Persons in His Majesty's Service in the Fleet or beyond Sea.
VIII. 
Provided also That nothing herein contained shall be construed to extend to any Person in His Majesties Service
on board the Fleet or beyond the Seas or who shall go beyond the Seas in His Majesties Service before the
Twentieth Day of May  One thousand seven hundred and two so as such Person take the said Oath and
subscribe thereunto as aforesaid according to the Appointment of this Act within Three Months after his Return
into England.
Peers or Members of the House of Commons not to sit or vote until they have taken the said Oath as herein mentioned.
IX. 
Time and Place for Peers,; and for Commoners.
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the Five and twentieth Day of March
in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and two no Person that now is or hereafter shall be a
Peer of this Realm or Member of the House of Peers shall vote or make his Proxy in the House of Peers or
sit there during any Debate in the said House of Peers nor any Person that now is or hereafter shall be a
Member of the House of Commons shall vote in the House of Commons or sit there during any Debate in the
said House of Commons after their Speaker is chosen until such Peer or Member shall from time to time
respectively take the Oath aforesaid and subscribe the same in Manner following (that is to say) the said Oath
shall be in this and every succeeding Parliament solemnly and publickly made and subscribed between the Hours
of Nine in the Morning and Four in the Afternoon by every such Peer and Member of the House of Peers at
the Table in the Middle of the said House before he take his Place in the said House of Peers and whilst a
full House of Peers is there with their Speaker in his Place and by every such Member of the House of
Commons at the Table in the Middle of the said House and whilst a full House of Commons is there duly
sitting with their Speaker in his Chair
Peers or Members of the House of Commons not having taken the Oath, and yet sitting and voting, deemed Popish
X. 
Recusant Convict, and disabled from Office and from sitting and voting, and from suing, being Guardian, &c; and Penalty £500.
And be it further enacted That if any Person that now is or hereafter shall be a Peer of this Realm or Member
of the House of Peers or Member of the House of Commons in this or any succeeding Parliament shall after the
said Five and twentieth Day of March presume to vote or make his Proxy not having taken the said Oath and
subscribed the same as aforesaid every such Peer or Member so offending shall from thenceforth be deemed and
adjudged a Popish Recusant Convict to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever and shall forfeit and suffer as a Popish
Recusant Convict and shall be disabled to hold or execute any Office or Place of Profit or Trust Civil or Military
in any of His Majesties Realms of England or Ireland Dominion of Wales or Town of Berwick upon Tweed or
in any of His Majesties Islands or Foreign Plantations to the said Realms belonging and shall be disabled from
thenceforth to sit or vote in either House of Parliament or make a Proxy in the House of Peers or to sue or use
any Action Bill Plaint or Information in course of Law or to prosecute any Suit in any Court of Equity or to be
Guardian of any Child or Executor or Administrator of any Person or capable of any Legacy or Deed of Gift and
shall forfeit for every wilful Offence against this Act the Sum of Five hundred Pounds to be recovered and
recieved by him or them that shall sue for the same and to be prosecuted by any Action of Debt Suit Bill
Plaint or Information in any of His Majesties Courts at Westminster wherein no Essoign Protection or Wager of
Law shall lie
Proviso for Persons having Office of Inheritance, acting by Deputy,
XI. 
according to Stat.; 25 Car. II. c. 2. § 9. and approved by the King
 Provided always That neither this Act nor any Thing therein contained shall extend be judged or interpreted
to take away or make void any Office of Inheritance so as such Person or Persons having an Office of Inheritance
do or shall substitute and appoint his or their Deputy or Deputies according to a Proviso in the Act made in
the Five and twentieth Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second intituled An Act for preventing Dangers
			which may happen from Popish Recusants and so as such Deputy or Deputies do take and subscribe the Oath
in and by this present Act required and expressed and so as such Deputy or Deputies be from time to time
approved of by the Kings Majestie under His Privy Signet
Persons authorized to administer or tender the Oaths of Stat. 1 W. & M. c. 8. may administer or tender the Oaths of this Act.
XII. 
Refusal of Persons to whom Oath tendered, to be certified to Quarter Sessions by Person tendering the same, and recorded.
And be it further enacted That it shall and may be lawful to and for any Person or Persons lawfully authorized
to administer or tender the Oaths mentioned and appointed to be taken by an Act of Parliament made in the
First Year of the Reign of His present Majesty and of the late Queen intituled An Act for the abrogating the
Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance and appointing other Oaths to administer and tender the Oath herein before
appointed to be taken to any Person or Persons whatsoever And if any Person or Persons to whom the said Oath
shall be so tendred shall neglect or refuse to take the same the Person or Persons tendring the said Oath shall
certify the Refusal thereof to the next Quarter Sessions of the County Riding Liberty Borough Town Corporate
or Place in which such Refusal shall be made and the said Refusal shall be recorded amongst the Rolls of that
Sessions and shall be from thence certified by the Clerk of the Peace of such County Riding Liberty Borough
Town Corporate or Place into His Majesties Court of Chancery or Kings Bench there to be recorded amongst the
Rolls of the said Courts in a Roll or Rolls there to be provided and kept for that Purpose only
Proviso for inferior and private Officer's herein mentioned.
XIII. 
Provided That this Act or any Thing therein contained shall not extend to the Office of any High Constable
Petty Constable Tythingman Headborough Overseer of the Poor Churchwardens Surveyors of the Highways or
any like inferior Civil Office or to any Office of Forrester or Keeper of any Park Chace Warren or Game or
Bayliff of any Mannor or Lands nor to any like Private Offices nor to any Person or Persons having only any
the before mentioned or the like Offices
Compassing or imagining and attempting the Death of the Princess Ann of Denmark, or the Hindrance of her Succession to the Crown, or abetting the same,
XIV. 
High Treason.
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Person or Persons at any Time after the
Five and twentieth Day of March One thousand seven hundred and two shall compass or imagine the Death of
Her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark or endeavor to deprive or hinder Her from succeeding to the
Imperial Crown of, this Realm and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging after the Demise of His
Majesty (whom God long preserve) and the same maliciously advisedly and directly shall attempt by any overt
Act or Deed every such Offence shall be adjudged High Treason and the Offender and Offenders therein their
Abettors Procurers and Councellors and all and every their Aiders and Comforters knowing the said Offence to
be done being thereof convicted or attainted according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm shall be deemed
and adjudged Traitors and shall suffer Pains of Death and all Losses and Forfeitures as in Cases of High-Treason
Recital of Stat. 7 & 8 W. III. c. 27. § 3.
XV. 
Reasons for passing this Enactment. The said Clause altered.
And whereas by an Act made in the Seventh Year of the Reign of His present Majesty intituled An Act for
the better Security of His Majesties Royal Person and Government the Persons therein mentioned were obliged to
subscribe the Association therein contained whereby the Persons subscribing the same do amongst other Things
mutually promise and engage to stand by and assist each other to the utmost of their Power in the Support and
Defence of His Majesties most Sacred Person and Government against the late King James and all his Adherents
And whereas by the Death of the said late King James the said Clause is become useless Be it therefore
enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the said Five and twentieth Day of March there shall be
omitted and left out of the said Association these Words (against the late King James and all his Adherents) and
in the Room and Place thereof there shall be incerted these Words [against all His Majesties Enemies whatsoever.