III All Elections of the Archbishops or Bishops shall be made by the Deans and Chapters, &c. under the King’s Licence and Letters missive naming the Person to be chosen; and in Default of such Election the King shall present by his Letters Patent. E+W
And at every advoydaunce of [X1every] Archibishopriche or bishopriche within this Realme or in any other the Kynges Domynyons, the Kynge our soveran Lorde hys heires and successours may graunt unto the Pryor and Convent or the Deane and Chapytour of the Cathedrall Churches or Monasteries where the See of souch Archibishopriche or Bishopriche shall happen to be voyde, a lycence under the greate seale as of old tyme hath byn accustomed to procede to eleccion of an Archibishope or Bishope of the See soo being voyde, with a letter myssyve conteynyng the name of the persone which they shall electe and chose; By vertue of which licence the seid Deane and Chapitour or Pryor and Covent, to whome any suche licence and letters myssyves shalbe directed, shall with all spede and seleritie in due forme electe and chose the seid person named in the seid letters myssyves to the dignitie and office of the Archebishopriche or Bishopriche soo being voyde, and none other; and yf they doo [X2or] deferre or delay theire eleccion above xij dayes next after suche licence and letters myssyves to theym delyvered, that then for every suche defaute the Kynges Highnes hys heires and successours at theire libertie and pleasure shall nomynate and present, by theire lettres patentes under theire greate seale, suche a person to the seid office and dignytie soo beinge voyde as they shall thynke abyll and convenyent for the same. And that every such nomynacion and presentment to be made by the Kynges Highnes hys heires and successours, yf it be to the office and dignytie of a Bishoppe shalbe made to the Archebisshope and Metropolitane of the provynce where the See of the same Bishopriche ys voyde, yf the See of the seid Archibishoprich be then full and not voyde; and yf it be voyde then to be made to suche Archebishope or Metropolitane within this Realme or in any the Kynges Domynyons as shall please the Kynges Highnes hys heires or successours: And yf any such nomynacion or presentment shall happen to be made for defaute of suche eleccion to the dignytie or office of any Archebishope then the Kynges Highnes his heires and successours, by hys letters patentes under hys greate seale, shall nomynate and present such person, as they wyll dispose to have the seid office and dignitie of Archebishopriche beyng voyde, to one suche Archebishope and ij. suche Bishoppes, or else to iiij. suche Bishopes wythin this Realme or in any the Kynges Domynyons as shalbe assigned by our seid Soveraigne Lorde hys heires or successours.
Editorial Information
X1Variant reading of the text noted in The Statutes of the Realm as follows: any O. [This O refers to a collection in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge]
X2Interlined in the Original Act.
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 3 applied by Cathedrals Measure 1931 (No. 7), s. 23(2)