intreatirtgs of some men of authoritie, specially sent at that time thither for the same purposes, and how that finally Thomas Cranmer then newly made Archbishop of Canterburie, most ungodly and against all Lawes, equitie and conscience, prosecuting the said wicked devise of divorse, and reparation of the said King your father, and Queene your mother, called before him ex officio, the hearing of the said matter of manage, and taking his foundation partly upon his owne unadvised judgment of the Scripture, joyning therewith the pretended testimonies of the said Universities, and partly upon bare and most untrue conjectures, gathered and admitted by him upon matters of no strength or effect, but only by supposal, and without admitting or hearing any thing that could be said by the Queene your mother, or by any other on her behalfe, in the absence of the said late Queene your mother, proceeded, pronounced, discerned, declared and gave sentence the same most lawfull and undoubted matrimonie to bee nought, and to be contracted against Gods Law, and of no value, but lacking the strength of the Law. And the said most noble King your father, and the said noble Queene your mother so maried together, did separat and divorse, and the same your most noble father King. Henry the eight, and the said noble Queene your mother, from the bands of the same most lawfull matrimonie, did pronounce and declare by the same his unlawfull sentence, to be free discharged and set at libertie. Which sentence and Judgement so given by unlawfull and corrupt meanes and wayes, by the said Archbishop of Canturburie, was afterwards upon certaine affections ratified and confirmed by two severall Acts, the one made in the 25. yeere of the reigne of the said King your highnesse father, and Intituled, An Act declaring the stablishment of the succession of the Kings most royall Majestie of the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme. The other Act of Parliament made in the 28. yeere of the reigne of the said King your highnesse father, intituled, An Act for the stablishment of the succession of the Imperial Crowne of the Realme. In which said two Acts was cotained the illegitimations of your most noble person, which your said most noble person being borne in so solemne a manage, so openly approved in the world, and with so good faith both first contracted, and also by so many yeeres continued betweene your most noble parents, and the same mariage in very deed not being prohibited by the Law of God, could not by any reason or equitie in this case be so spotted. And now we your highnesse said most loving, faithfull and obedient Subiects, of a godly heart and true meaning, freely and frankly without feare, fanfie or any other corrupt motion or sensuall affection, considering that this foresaid mariage had his beginning of God, and by him was continued:, and therefore was ever and is to be taken for a most true, just, lawfull and to all respects a sincere and perfect marriage, nor could nor ought by any mans power, authoritie or jurisdiction, bee dissolved, broken, or separated (for whom God joyneth, no man can nor ought to put asunder) and considering also, how during the same mariage in godly concord, the Realme in all degrees flourished to the glory of God, the honor of the prince, & the great reputation of the subiects of the same, and on the other side understanding manifestly that the ground of the said devise, & practise for the divorse proceeded first of malice and vaine glory, and after was prosecuted and folowed of fond affection & sensual fantasie, and finally executed and put in effect by corruption, ignorance and flattery : and feeling to our great sorrow, damage and regret, how shameful ignominies, rebukes, flanders, contempts, yea, what death, pestilence, warres, disobediences, rebellions, infurrections, and divers other great and grievous plagues, God of his Justice hath sent upon us, ever since this said ungodly purpose was first begun and practised, but also feeing evidently before our eyes that unlesse so great an injustice as this hath bin, and yet continueth, be redubbed, and that the said false and wrongfull processe, iudgement and sentence, with their dependences be repealed and revoked, nothing is lesse to be doubted, then that greater plagues and strokes are like to increase and continue daily more and more within this Realme, do beseech your most excellent Maiestie, as well in respect of your owne honour, dignitie and just title, as for truths sake, wherewith (we doubt not) but your highnes also will be specially moved in conscience, and also for the entire love, favor & affection which your Maiestie beareth to the Commonwealth of this your Realme, and for the good peace, unitie and rest of us your most bounden Subjects, and our posteritie, that it may be enacted by your highnes with the consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall, and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled." And be it enacted by the authoritie of this present Parliament, That all and every decree, sentence and Judgement of divorse, and separation betweene the said King your father, and the said late Queene your mother, and all the processe commensed, followed, given, made or promulged by the said Thomas Cranmer then Archbishop of Canturburie, or by any other person or persons whatsover, whereby the fame most just, pure, and lawfull mariage betwixt the said late King your father and the laid late Queene your mother was or is pronounced, or in any wise declared to be unlawfull, or unjust, or against the Law of God, be and shalbe from the beginning, and from henceforth of no force, validitie or effect, but be utterly nought, void, frustrat and adnihilat to all intents, constructions and purposes, as if the same had never bene given or pronounced.
III. And be it also enacted by the authority aforesaid, That aswell the said Act of Parliament, intituled, An Act declaring the establishment of the succession of the Kings most royall Maiestie of the Imperial crowne of this Realme, made in the 25 yeere of the reigne of the King your father be repealed, and be void and of none effect, as also all and every such clauses, articles, branches and matters conteined and expressed in the foresaid Act of Parliament, made in the said 28. yeere of the reigne of the said late King your father, or in any other Act or Acts of Parliament, as whereby your highnes is named or declared to be illegitimat, or the said mariage betweene the said King your father, & the said Queens your mother, is declared to be against the word of God, or by any meanes unlawfull, shall bee, and be repealed, and bee voyd and of no force nor effect, to all intents, constructions and purposes, as if the same sentence or Acts of Parliament had never bin had nor made. And that the said mariage had and solemnized betwixt your said most noble father King Henry and your said most noble mother