Transcription

(14) King dyes, but leaving it under uncertainty for some time & perhaps a long time ffor it was doubtfull how long ye uncertainty might continue. Should ye eldest Son of ye deceased King happen to be an Infant of tender yeares, it would be many yeares before he would be capable to make a renunciation, but how many precisely, would depend upon ye Laws of ye Empire fixing ye Age at which Acts of yt kind may be valid, wh were not known to us, neither was it known what was necessary after an Instrument of renunciation signed, to make it compleat, & what power those who are to receive it might have to [[deletion]] deferre [[/deletion]] [[addition]] delay [[/addition]] it, upon pretence of judging of ye Validity of it, or of being satisfyed in ye proof of its being rightly & fairly done, for it was thought of great consequence not to put ye Settlemt of ye Crown here into ye Power of any Prince or Councill abroad to delay it & keep it in suspence at their Pleasure. But it was supposed yt in all cases it must take up some time, & it would require consideration how ye Governmt here shd be carryed on & who must be King or have ye Regall Power during that time An absolute Interregnum would be a perfect Anarchy wh would carry ruin with ^ [[addition]] it [[/addition]]& not to be born or thought off. It was [[deletion]] necessary [[/deletion]] therefore [[deletion]] to [[/deletion]] consider'd where the Regall Power [[deletion]] [[unclear]] [[/deletion]] ^ [[addition]] might [[/addition]] be in that time lodged, & how ye Person once possessed of it, shall be obliged to part wh it again. It was said that whoever has it, must of course be judge of ye performance of ye Conditions required of ye Prince ye eldest Son, & by artifice or perhaps violence at home & intrigues abroad may delay ye compleat performance or however may deferre ye owning it, till there be strength to get ye old Law of Succession repealed & ye Crown setled on him who was intitled only to be temporary King, & ye rightfull heire quite excluded.