Security of King and Government Act 1695
Encyclopedia
The Security of King and Government Act 1695 (7&8 Will.3 c.27) was an Act
of the Parliament of England
. Its long title
was An act for the better security of his Majesty's royal person and government. It was passed in 1696 but backdated to the beginning of the parliamentary session.
It required all officers to take the oath
required by the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy Act 1688
or be disenfranchised
. It also said that anyone who said that William III
was not the lawful king, or that James Francis Edward Stuart
(the "Old Pretender") or his late father James II and VII
had any title to the Crown, or that anyone else had such title other than according to relevant Acts of Parliament was guilty of praemunire
. It was high treason
to return to England from France without a licence after 1 May 1696.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
. Its long title
Long title
The long title is the formal title appearing at the head of a statute or other legislative instrument...
was An act for the better security of his Majesty's royal person and government. It was passed in 1696 but backdated to the beginning of the parliamentary session.
It required all officers to take the oath
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
required by the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy Act 1688
Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy Act 1688
The Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy Act 1688 was an Act of the Parliament of England passed in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution. The Act required all office-holders, Members of Parliament and clergy to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy for the new monarchs, William III and Mary II...
or be disenfranchised
Disfranchisement
Disfranchisement is the revocation of the right of suffrage of a person or group of people, or rendering a person's vote less effective, or ineffective...
. It also said that anyone who said that William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
was not the lawful king, or that James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
(the "Old Pretender") or his late father James II and VII
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
had any title to the Crown, or that anyone else had such title other than according to relevant Acts of Parliament was guilty of praemunire
Praemunire
In English history, Praemunire or Praemunire facias was a law that prohibited the assertion or maintenance of papal jurisdiction, imperial or foreign, or some other alien jurisdiction or claim of supremacy in England, against the supremacy of the Monarch...
. It was high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
to return to England from France without a licence after 1 May 1696.
See also
- JacobitismJacobitismJacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
- Correspondence with Enemies Act 1691Correspondence with Enemies Act 1691The Correspondence with Enemies Act 1691 was an Act of the Parliament of England which made it high treason to correspond with the deposed King James II. It was repealed and replaced by the Correspondence with the Pretender Act 1697...
- Treason Act 1695Treason Act 1695The Treason Act 1695 is an Act of the Parliament of England which laid down rules of evidence and procedure in high treason trials. It was passed by the English Parliament but was extended to cover Scotland in 1708 and Ireland in 1821...
- Treason ActTreason ActTreason Act or Treasons Act is a stock short title used for legislation in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland on the subject of treason and related offences...