CA P. XXXI.

An act for enabling his Majefty to fettle on their royal highnesses the princes Frederick bishop of Ofnaburgh, William Henry, Edward, Erneft Auguftus, Auguftus Frederick, and Adolphus Frederick, an annuity of fixty thousand pounds per annum; and also to fettle on their royal highneffes. the princeffes Charlotte Augufta Matilda, Augusta Sophia, Elizabeth, Mary, and Sophia, one other annuity of thirty thousand pounds per annum; and alfo to fettle on his bigness prince William Frederick one other annuity of eight thousand pounds per annum, and on her highness the princefs Sophia Matilda one other annuity of four thousand pounds per

annum.

Moft gracious Sovereign,

W

I

HEREAS your Majesty hath been pleased to recommend to Preamble. the confideration of your faithful commons, that a competent provifion fhould be made for your Majesty's fix younger fons, and also for your Majesty's daughters, to take effect after the demife of your Majesty, (whom God long preferve); and alfo for the fon and daughter of your Majesty's dearly beloved brother the duke of Gloucester, to take effect after the deceafe of the faid duke of Gloucester: and whereas by an act, made in the first year of the reign of her late majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for the better fupport of her Recital of Majefty's houthold, and of the honour and dignity of the crown, Ann. stat. 1. to the end that the land revenues of the crown might be preferved, C. 7. improved, and encreafed, to the best advantage thereof, it was among other things enacted and declared, That all and every grant, leafe, or other affurance, which, from and after the twenty-fifth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and two, fhould be made or granted, in manner therein mentioned, of any the manors, mefuages, lands, tenements, and bereditaments, therein specified, other than fuch grants, leafes, and affurances, as are therein excepted, fhould be utterly void and of no effect; and by another act, made in the ninth year of her faid late Mijefty's reign, intituled, An act for establishing a gene- 9 Ann. c. 10. ral poft-office for all her Majesty's dominions; and for fettling a weekly fum out of the revenues thereof, for the service of the war, and other her Majesty's occafions; to the intent that the inheritance of fuch part of the duties and revenues arifing in and by the general letter-office or post-office, which was thereby vested in her faid late Majefty, her heirs and fucceffors, undeterminable, as therein mentioned, might be preserved in the crown for the future benefit thereof, it was (among other things) enacted and declared, That the fame, or any part thereof, fhould not be alienable, chargeable, or grantable by her Majesty, her heirs or fucceffors, for any eftate, term, or time whatsoever, to endure longer than the life of her Majesty, or of fuch King or Queen as fhould make fuch alienation, charge, or grant reSpectively; and that all gifts, grants, alienations, or affurances whatfoever, to be had or made of, or charged upon, the fame duties or revenues, or any part thereof, contrary to the provifions of that act, should

C. 25.

be null and void: and whereas by an act, made in the first year of & Geo. 3. c. x. your Majefly's reign, intituled, An act for the fupport of his Majefty's houthold, and of the honour and dignity of the crown of Great Britain, the duties and revenues commonly called The Hereditary Revenues, together with several temporary duties and revenues thereby continued, and all other branches and revenues which, on the twenty fourth day of October, one thousand feven hundred and fixty, food fettled or appointed to go and be paid towards the fupport of the houshold of his late majesty King George the Second, of blessed memory, and the honour and dignity of the crown, and certain other Small branches of your Majesty's revenues therein also expressed, (except as therein excepted,) were, during your Majesty's life, carried to and made part of the general or aggregate fund, established by an act made in the first year of the reign of his late majesty King George the First: and whereas by another act, made in the fifth year of your and 5 Geo. 3. Majefty's reign, intituled, An act to alter certain rates of poftage; and to amend, explain, and enlarge, feveral provifions in an act made in the ninth year of the reign of Queen Anne, and in other acts relating to the revenue of the poft-office; it was enacted, That all the monies arifing by the rates therein before-mentioned (except as is therein excepted) fhould be appropriated and applied to fuch and the fame ufes to which the then rates of postage were refpectively by law appropriated and made applicable: now we, your Majesty's nost dutiful and loyal fubje&s, the commons of Great Britan, in parliament affembled, having taken into confideration the present state of your royal family, more numerous in its branches than these kingdoms have had the happiness of Jeeing in any former reign; and thinking it highly just and reasonable that your Majesty should be enabled to make provifion for their honourable support and maintenance; do therefore moft humbly beleech your Majefty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's moft excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual and temporal, and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the auHis Majesty thority of the fame, That it (hall and may be lawful to and for impowered to the King's most excellent majesty, by any letters patent, or by feveral letters patents, under the great feal of Great Britain, hereafter to be made, to give and grant unto their royal highneffes prince Frederick bishop of Ofnaburgh, prince William Henry, 60,000l. per prince Edward, prioce Erneft Auguftus, prince Auguftus Frederick, and prince Adolphus Frederick, and to the furvivors and furvivor of them, or to fuch other perfon or perfons as his Majefty fhall think fit to be named in fuch letters patent, and his or their heirs, during the lives of their faid royal highneffes, and the life of the survivor of them in truft for their faid royal highneffes, and the furvivors or furvivor of them, one annuity or yearly fum of money, not exceeding the fum of fixty thousand pounds of lawful money of Great Britain by the year, to commence and take effect from the day of the demile of his Majefty, (whom God long preferve), and to be paid and payable, by even and equal portions, on the four moft ufual days of payment in the year; (that is to fay,) The fifth day of January, the fifth day of April, the

fettle on his fix younger fons an annuity of

annum, to commence

from the demite of his

Majefty;

fifth

:

fifth day of July, and the tenth day of October; the first payment thereof to be made on such of the faid days which shall next happen after the demife of his faid Majefty; and that fuch an- and to be nuity, or yearly fum of money as aforefaid, fhall or may, by fuch charged upon letters patent as aforefaid, be given and granted to iffue, and fhall any of the hereditary accordingly iffue and be payable out of,and be charged and charge- duties which, able upon, all or any part or parts of fuch of the hereditary du- by 1 Geo. 3. c. ties, revenues, and branches, as were by the faid act, made in 1. were made the first year of his present Majefty's reign, intituled, An act for part of the the fupport of his Majesty's household, and of the honour and dignity fund, etc. of the crown of Great Britain, carried to, and made part of, the faid general or aggregate fund, and thall be then fubfifting; and out of and upon fuch part of the rates of postage granted by the said act, made in the fifth year of the reign of his present Majefty, intituled, An act to alter certain rates of postage; and to amend, explain, and enlarge, several provisions in an act made in the ninth year of the reign of Queen Anne, and in other acts relating to the revenue of the post-office, as fhall then belong to, and be part of, the hereditary revenues of the crown.

aggregate

II. Provided always, That nothing in this act, or in the let- No one of the ters patent to be made in purfuance thereof, contained, or to be princes to have a greater contained, shall extend, or be construed to extend, to give and grant a greater annuity or yearly fum than fifteen thousand 15,000 1. a pounds by the year, to any one of the faid princes.

anquity than

year.

from the de

III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, His Majesty That it shall and may be lawful to and for the King's most ex- impowered to cellent majesty, by any letters patent, or by feveral letters patents, fettle on the under the great feal of Great Britain, hereafter to be made, to five princeffes give and grant to their royal highneffes princefs Charlotte Augufte an annuity of his daughters Matilda, princess Augufta Sophia, princess Elizabeth, princefs 30,000l. per Mary, and princefs Sophia, and to the furvivors and furvivor of annum, to them, or to fuch other perfon or perfons as his Majefty fhall commence think fit to be named in fuch letters patent, and his or their mife of his heirs, during the lives of their faid royal highneffes, and the life Majefty; of the furvivor of them, in truft for their faid royal highneffes, or the furvivors or furvivor of them, one other annuity or yearly fum of money, not exceeding the fun of thirty thousand pounds of lawful money of Great Britain, by the year, to commence and take effect from the day of the demife of his Majefty, (whom God long preferve,) and to be paid and payable, by even and equal portions, on the four most usual days of payment in the year; (that is to fay) The fifth day of January, the fifth day of April, the fifth day of July, and the tenth day of October; the. first payment thereof to be made on fuch of the faid days which

mentioned.

fhall next happen after the demife of his faid Majefty; and that and to be fuch laft-mentioned annuity or yearly sum of money fhall or charged onthe may, by fuch letters patent as aforefaid, be given and granted to duties aboveiffue, and fhall accordingly iffue and be payable out of, and be charged and chargeable upon, all or any part or parts of such of the hereditary duties, revenues, and branches, as were by the faid act, made in the first year of his prefent Majesty's reign, intituled,

E 4

Regulations for dividing

the laid annuity upon the marriage

or death of any of the princesses.

His Majefty

tituled, An act for the fupport of his Majesty's household, and of the bonour and dignity of the crown of Great Britain, carried to, and made part of, the faid general or aggregate fund, and fhall be then fubfifting; and out of and upon fuch part of the rates of postage, granted by the faid act, made in the fifth year of the reign of his prelent Majefty, intituled, An act to alter certain rates of postage; and to amend, explain, and enlarge, feveral provifions in an at made in the ninth year of the reign of Queen Anne, and in other acts relating to the revenue of the post-office, as shall then belong to, and be part of, the hereditary revenues of the crown.

IV. Provided alfo, and it is hereby enacted by the authority aforefaid, That upon the death of any of their faid royal highneffes the princeffes, or upon the marriage of any one of them, and the payment of a portion on or in confideration of fuch marriage, not lefs than forty thoufand pounds fterling, the right, title, share, and interest, of such princess so dying, or being married, in and to the faid yearly rent or annuity of thirty thousand pounds, or any part thereof, thall ceafe and determine, and the faid whole annuity hall, from thenceforth, accrue and remain to the four other princeffes; and upon the death or marriage of any other of the faid princeffes, and the payment of a portion, not less than forty thousand pounds sterling, on or in confideration of fuch marriage, the right, fhare, and intereft, of fuch other princess so dying, or being married, in or to the faid annuity of thirty thousand pounds, thall ceafe and determine, and the faid whole annuity thall from thenceforth accrue and remain to the three other princeffes; and upon the death or marriage of any other of the faid princeffes, and the payment of a portion, not less than forty thousand pounds fterling, on or in confideration of fuch marriage, the right, thare, and interest, of fuch other princess so dying, or being married, in or to the said annuity of thirty thousand pounds, thall cease and determine, and two third parts of the faid annuity of thirty thousand pounds, amounting to twenty thousand pounds per annum, and no more, fhall accrue and belong to the other two princesses then uninarried; and upon the death or marriage of either of the faid. two last-mentioned princeffes, and payment of a portion, not lefs than forty thousand pounds fterling, on or in confideration of fuch marriage, the right, fhare, and intereft, of fuch princefs, of, in, and to the faid annuity of twenty thousand pounds, fhall cease and determine, and the other of the faid princeffes then living, fhall be intitled to twelve thoufand pounds per annum, part of the said rent or annuity of twenty thousand pounds, and no more, to cease and be determined on her death or marriage, and the payment of a portion, not lefs than forty thousand pounds fterling, on or in confideration of fuch marriage.

V. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That it fhall and may be lawful to and for the King's moft impowered to excellent majesty, by any letters patent, or by feveral letters pa-tents, under the great feal of Great Britain, hereafter to be made, nuity of 8,000 1. per to give and grant unto his highnefs prince William Frederick, the

fetrie an an

fon

commence

fun of his faid royal highness the duke of Gloucester, or to fuch annum, on other person or perfons as his Majesty (hall think fit to be named prince William in fuch letters patent, and his or their heirs, during the life of Frederick, to him the faid prince William Frederick, in truft for him the faid from the deprince William Frederick, one other annuity or yearly fum of ceale of the money, not exceeding the fum of eight thousand pounds of law- duke of Glouful money of Great Britain by the year, for and during his naceiter; tural life, to commence and take effect from the day of the decease of his faid royal highness the duke of Gloucefter, and to be paid and payable, by even and equal portions, on the four most ufual days of payment in the year; that is to fay, the fifth day of January, the fifth day of April, the fifth day of July, and the tenth day of October; the first payment thereof to be made on fuch of the said days which shall next happen after the decease of the faid duke of Gloucester; and that fuch laft-mentioned annuity and to be or yearly fum fhall or may, by fuch letters patent as aforesaid, the aggregate charged on be given and granted, during the continuance of the faid act, fand, made in the first year of his present Majesty's reign, and of another act, made in the feventeenth year of his present Majesty's reign, for the fupport of his Majefly's household, and of the honour and dignity of the crown of Great Britain, to iffue, and fhall accordingly iffue and be payable out of, and be charged and chargeable upon, the several yearly rents or fums by the faid acts directed to be paid and payable out of, and charged and chargeable upon, the duties and revenues compofing the faid fund commonly called The General or Aggregate Fund, for the support of his Majesty's household, and of the honour and dignity of the crown of Great Britain; and, from and immediately after the and the hereexpiration of the faid acts, the fame fhall or may be given and ditary duties, granted, by fuch letters patent as aforefaid, to iffue, and thall accordingly iffue and be payable out of, and be charged and chargeable upon, all or any part or parts of fuch of the faid hereditary duties, revenues, and branches, as were thereby carried to, and made part of, the said general or aggregate fund, and shall be then fubfifting; and out of and upon fuch part of the rates of poftage granted by the faid act, made in the fifth year of the reign of his prefent Majefty, intituled, An act to alter certain rates of postage; and to amend, explain, and enlarge, several provifions in an act made in the ninth year of the reign of Queen Anne, and in other acts relating to the revenue of the post-office, as fhall then belong to, and be part of, the hereditary revenue of the

crown.

etc. beforementioned.

fettle an an

VI. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority afore- His Majefty faid, That it fhall and may be lawful to and for the King's most impowered to excellent majefty, by fuch letters patent, or by feveral letters nuity of patents, under the great feal of Great Britain, hereafter to be 4,000l. per made, to give and grant unto her highness princefs Sophia Ma- annum, on the tilda, the daughter of his faid royal highnefs the duke of Glou- princessSophia cefter, or to fuch other perfon or perfons as his Majefty fhall commence Matilda, to think fit, to be named in fuch letters patent, and his or their from the deheirs, during the life of her the faid princefs Sophia Matilda, in ceafe of the

truft

duke of Glou

cefter;