Whereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Sixth Year of the Reign of
the late Queen Anne, Our most Dear Sister, Intituled, An Act for the
Security of Her Majesties Person and Government, and of the Succession
to the Crown of Great Britain in the Protestant Line,[1] It was
Enacted, amongst other Things, That no Office, Place, or Employment,
Civil or Military, within any of Her said late Majesties Plantations,
should become Void, by reason of the Demise or Death of Her said late
Majesty, but that the Person and Persons in any of the said Offices,
Places, or Employments, should Continue in the respective Offices,
Places, and Employments for the Space of Six Months next after such
Death or Demise, unless sooner Removed and Discharged by Us; And in
regard it may happen, that Our Pleasure may not, within the said time,
be Declared touching the said Offices, which will, at the end of the
said Six Months, become Void: We, for the Preventing the Inconveniences
that may happen thereby, in Our Princely Wisdom and Care of the State
(reserving to Our Judgment hereafter the Reformation and Redress of any
Abuses in Misgovernment, upon due Knowledge and Examination thereof)
are Pleased, and do hereby Order, Signifie, and Declare, That all
Persons that, at the time of the Decease of Her said late Majesty,
were Duly and Lawfully Possessed of or Invested in any Office, Place
or Employment, Civil or Military, in any of Our Plantations, and
which have not been since Removed from such their Offices, Places, or
Employments, shall be and shall hold themselves Continued in the said
Offices, Places, or Employments, as formerly they Held and Enjoyed the
same, until Our Pleasure be further known, or that other Provision be
made, pursuant to Her late Majesties Commissions and Instructions to
Her Governors and Officers of the Plantations aforesaid.[2] And that
in the mean time for the Preservation of the Peace, 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,
do not fail every one severally, according to his Place, Office, or
Charge, to proceed in the Performance and Execution of all Duties
thereunto belonging, as formerly appertained unto them while the late
Queen was Living. And further We do hereby Will and Command all and
singular Our Subjects in the said Plantations, of what Estate or Degree
they or any of them be, to be Aiding, Helping and Assisting, at the
Commandment of the said Officers, in the Performance and Execution of
the said Offices and Places, as they tender Our Displeasure, and will
answer for the contrary at their utmost Perils.
Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Two and twentieth Day of
November, 1714. In the First Year of Our Reign.