Treason Felony Act 1848

Treason Felony Act 1847

1848 CHAPTER 12

An Act for the better Security of the Crown and Government of the United Kingdom.

[22d April 1848]

WHEREAS by an [36 G. 3. c. 7.] Act of the Parliament of Great Britain passed in the Thirty-sixth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act for the Safety and Preservation of His Majesty s Person and Government against treasonable and seditious Practices and Attempts, it was among other things enacted, that if any Person or Persons whatsoever, after the Day of the passing of that Act, during the natural Life of His said Majesty, and until the End of the next Session of Parliament after the Demise of the Crown, should, within the Realm or without, compass, imagine, invent, devise, or intend Death or Destruction, or any bodily Harm tending to Death or Destruction, Maim or Wounding, Imprisonment or Restraint of the Person of His said Majesty, His Heirs or Successors, or to deprive or depose Him or Them from the Style, Honour, or Kingly Name of the Imperial Crown of this Realm or of any other of His said Majesty's Dominions or Countries, or to levy War against His said Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, within this Realm, in order, by Force or Constraint, to compel Him or Them to change His or Their Measures or Counsels, or in order to put any Force or Constraint upon or to intimidate or overawe both Houses or either House of Parliament, or to move or stir any Foreigner or Stranger with Force to invade this Realm or any other of His said Majesty's Dominions or Countries under the Obeisance of His said Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, and such Compassings, Imaginations, Inventions, Devices, or Intentions, or any of them, should express, utter, or declare, by publishing any Printing or Writing, or by any overt Act or Deed, being legally convicted thereof, upon the Oaths of Two lawful and credible Witnesses, upon Trial, or otherwise convicted or attainted by due Course of Law, then every such Person or Persons so as aforesaid offending should be deemed, declared, and adjudged to be a Traitor and Traitors, and should suffer Pains of Death, and also lose and forfeit as in Cases of High Treason: And whereas by an [57 G. 3. c. 6.] Act of Parliament passed in the Fifty-seventh Year of the same Reign, intituled An Act to make perpetual certain Parts of an Act of the Thirty-sixth Year of His present Majesty, for the Safety and Preservation of His Majesty's Person and Government against treasonable and seditious Practices and Attempts, and for the Safety and Preservation of the Person of His Royal Highness the Prince Regent against treasonable Practices and Attempts, all the herein-before recited Provisions of the said Act of the Thirty-sixth Year of His said Majesty's Reign which relate to the Heirs and Successors of His said Majesty, the Sovereigns of these Realms, were made perpetual: And whereas Doubts are entertained whether the Provisions so made perpetual were by the last-recited Act extended to Ireland: And whereas it is expedient to repeal all such of the Provisions made perpetual by the last-recited Act as do not relate to Offences against the Person of the Sovereign, and to enact other Provisions instead thereof applicable to all Parts of the United Kingdom, and to extend to Ireland such of the Provisions of the said Acts as are not hereby repealed:

Be it therefore enacted by the Queen'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,