Attainder of the Pretended Prince of Wales, March 7, 1702

On March 7, 1702 (March 17, 1702 N.S.), the Prince of Orange gave his assent to the following act attainting King James III of high treason. The following day, the Prince of Orange died.

A printed version of the text can be found on pages 397 and 398 of volume 10 of Statutes at Large, edited by Danby Pikering (Cambridge: Printed by Joseph Bentham for Charles Bathurst, 1764).

Whereas the pretended Prince of Wales has, since the decease of the late King James, by the incitation and encouragement of the French King (being bred up and instructed to introduce the Romish superstition and French government into these Your Majesty's kingdoms) openly and traitorously, with design to dethrone Your Majesty, assumed the name of James the Third, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and caused himself to be so proclaimed in the kingdom of France, in manifest violation of Your Majesty's most lawful and rightful title to the crown of these realms, and of the several acts of Parliament made, as well for recognising of the same, as for settling the succession of the crown, contrary to the duty of his allegiance, and to the disturbing of the peace of these Your Majesty's kingdoms: to the end therefore that Your Majesty's good and loyal people of England, assembled in Parliament, may in the most solemn manner express their utmost resentment of so great an indignity done to Your Majesty's most sacred person and government, and that the said traitor may be brought more certainly and speedily to condign punishment; may it please Your Majesty that it may be enacted and be it enacted by the King's 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 the authority of the same, that the said pretended Prince of Wales stand and be convicted and attainted of high treason, and that he suffer pains of death, and incur all forfeitures, as a traitor convicted and attainted of high treason.

II. And for preventing traitorous correspondence between Your Majesty's subjects and the said pretended Prince of Wales, or his adherents; be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any of the subjects of the crown of England, from and after the first day of March, one thousand seven hundred and one, shall, within this realm or without, hold, entertain, or keep any intelligence or correspondence in person, or by letters, messages, or otherwise, with the said pretended Prince of Wales, or with any person or persons employed by him, knowing such person to be so employed, or shall by bill of exchange, or otherwise, remit or pay any sum or sums of money for the use of service of the said pretended Prince of Wales, knowing such money to be for such use or service, such person so offending, being lawfully convicted, shall be taken, deemed, and adjudged to be guilty of high treason, and shall suffer and forfeit as in cases of high treason.

III. And be it further enacted, that where any of the offences against this act shall be committed out of this realm, the same may be alleged, and laid, inquired of, and tried, in any county of this kingdom of England.