sumed a general character, laying down a table of
prohibited degrees, within which marriage might not under any pretence
be in future contracted; and demanding that any marriage which might
already exist within those degrees should be at once dissolved. After
this provision, it again returned to the king, and fixed the order in
which his children by Queen Anne were to succeed. The details of the
regulations were minute and elaborate, and the rule to be observed was
the same as that which exists at present. First, the sons were to
succeed with their heirs; if sons failed, then the daughters, with their
heirs. And, in conclusion, it was resolved, that any person who should
maliciously do anything by writing, printing, or other external act or
deed to the peril of the king, or to the prejudice of his marriage with
Queen Anne, or to the derogation of the issue of that marriage, should
be held guilty of high treason; and whoever should speak against that
marriage, should be held guilty of misprision of treason;--severe
enactments, such as could not be justified at ordinary times, and such
as, if the times had been ordinary, would not have been thought
necessary; but the exigencies of the country could not tolerate an
uncertainty of title in the heir to the crown; and the title could only
be secured by prohibiting absolutely the discussion of dangerous
questions.

The mere enactment of a statute, whatever penalties were attached to the
violation of it, was still, however, an insufficient safeguard. The
recent investigation had revealed a spirit of disloyalty, where such a
spirit had not been expected. The deeper the inquiry had penetrated, the
more clearly appeared tokens, if not of conspiracy, yet of excitement,
of doubt, of agitation, of alienated feeling, if not of alienated act.
All the symptoms were abroad which provide disaffection with its
opportunity; and in the natural confusion which attended the revolt from
the papacy, the obligations of duty, both political and religious, had
become indefinite and contradictory, pointing in all directions, like
the magnetic needle in a thunderstorm.

[Sidenote: All persons, at the king's pleasure, liable to be called upon
to swear to this act.]

It was thought well, therefore, to vest a power in the crown, of trying
the tempers of suspected persons, and examining them upon oath, as to
their willingness to maintain the decision of parliament. This measure
was a natural corollary