Forasmuch as it has Pleased Almighty God, lately to Call unto His
Infinite Mercy, the most High and Mighty Prince William the Third, of
most Blessed Memory; And whereas by an Act of Parliament made in the
Seventh Year of the Reign of the said late King, It is Enacted, That
no Commission, either Civil or Military, should Cease, Determine or
be Void by reason of the Death or Demise of His said late Majesty, or
of any of His Heirs or Successors, Kings or Queens of this Realm, but
that every such Commission should Be, Continue and Remain in full Force
and Virtue, for the Space of Six Months next after any such Death or
Demise, unless in the mean time Superseeded, Determined or made Void by
the next and immediate Successor, to whom the Imperial Crown of this
Realm, according to the Act of Settlement therein mentioned is Limited
and Appointed to Go, Remain and Descend; The Queens most Excellent
Majesty,[1] in Her Princely Wisdom and Care of the State, (Reserving
to Her Own Judgment hereafter, the Reformation and Redress of any
Abuses in Misgovernment, upon due Knowledge and Examination thereof) is
Pleased, and doth hereby Signifie and Declare, That all Commissions,
both Civil and Military, Granted by His said late Majesty, and in Force
at the time of His Death, shall Be, Continue and Remain in full Force
and Virtue: And that all Persons, that at the time of the Decease of
the late King, were Duly and Lawfully Possessed of, or Invested in any
Office or Place of Authority or Government, either Civil or Military,
within His Majesties Realms of England, Ireland, the Islands of Jersey
and Guernsey, Sark or Alderney, or within His Majesties Colonies and
Plantations in America; and Namely all Governors, Lieutenants or
Deputy Governors, Counsellors, Judges, Justices, Provost-Marshals,
Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace, and all others in Place of Government
either Meaner or Superior, as aforesaid, and all other Officers and
Ministers shall Be, and hold themselves Continued in the said Places
and Offices, under the same Condition as formerly they Held and Enjoyed
the same, until Her Majesties Pleasure be further Known, or that
other Provision be made, pursuant to His late Majesties Commissions
and Instructions to His Governors and Officers of the Islands,
Colonies, and Plantations aforesaid; And that in the meanwhile, for
the Preservation of the State, and Necessary Proceedings in Matters
of Justice, and for the Safety and Service of the State, all the said
Persons, of whatsoever Degree or Condition, may not fail every one
severally according to his Place, Office or Charge, to Proceed in the
Performance of all Duties thereunto belonging, as formerly Appertained
unto them while the late King was Living; And further Her Majesty doth
hereby Will and Command all and singular Her Highness Subjects, of
what Estate, Dignity or Degree they or any of them be, to be Aiding,
Helping and Assisting, and at the Commandment of the said Officers
and Ministers, in the Performance and Execution of the said Offices
and Places, as they and every of them tender Her Majesties Pleasure,
and will answer the contrary at their utmost Perils. And further Her
Majesties Will and Pleasure, and Express Command is, That all Orders or
Directions Made or Given by the late King of most Blessed Memory the
Lords of His Privy Council, or His late Majesties Principal Secretaries
of State, or other Legal Authority Derived from His said Majesty in
His Life time, shall be Obeyed and Performed by all and every Person
and Persons, and all and every Thing and Things to be done thereupon,
shall Proceed as Fully and Amply as the same should have been Obeyed or
Done in the Life of the said late King, until Her Majesties Pleasure be
further Known thereupon.
Given at the Court at St. James's, the Ninth Day of March, In the
First Year of Her Majesties Reign, of England, Scotland, France and
Ireland, and other Her Majesties Territories and Dominions.