Article One. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act the following constructions and interpretations shall apply.

Abdication: the voluntary and irrevocable surrender of a peerage title 9 and its appurtenances by a peer to his designated heir.

Appurtenance: a title, office, benefice, prerogative, right, advowson, privilege or the like which by ancient tradition or statute has been enjoyed or exercised by a peer or peers who bore the same peerage title as a peer of contemporary creation.

Co-heir: one of two or more members of a deceased peer's family having equal rights in the peer's estate and, therefore, claims of equal strength or validity to the peer's title.

Designated heir: the person named by a peer within six (6) months of his creation or succession to be his heir and successor.

Designation: the voluntary act of a peer in naming his heir, and the written instrument evidencing the act.

Dormancy: the period of time between the death of a peer and the qualification and succession of his heir, if at the time of his death the peer had not named his heir, during which time no person may hold the peerage title or any of its appurtenances.

Extinction: the cessation of all and nay right, title and interest in a peerage title and its appurtenances in the family of a deceased peer from which no heir or legitimate claimant to the perage has come forward or been found, or in the family of a rusticated peer.

Family: those persons related to a peer by blood or adoption who in ancient tradition would or could succeeded to a peer's estates, and from whose number the Steward may determine a peer's heir as prescribed herein.

Forfeiture: the punitive separation of a peer from his peerage title and its appurtenances by action of the Council-General.

Heir: the person who according to the practices of antiquity would succeed to and assume a deceased peer's title and its appurtenances.

Minor: a person under eighteen years of age.

Peer: a person who has been granted, by competent authority in the name of His August Majestie the King of Gondor and Arnor, the name, estate, title, dignity, style, honour and pre-eminence of a duke, marquess, earl, viscount, baron or baronet, and his successors.

Precedence: the ranking or peers within each degree of the peerage by date of creation of the peerage dignity, and otherwise as the Table of Precedence may specify.

Renunciation: the voluntary and irrevocable surrender of a peerage title with its appurtenances to the Crown by a peer for himself and his heirs and his family.

Rustication: the extinction of a peerage title for non-user.

Succession: the assumption of a deceased or former peer's title by his designated heir, or in default of a designated heir, by the heir named by the Steward under the provisions of Article Four of the Act.

Article Two. Succession. A peerage title and its appurtenances shall devolve upon and become vested in the designated heir of a peer immediately upon the death or abdication of the peer, or upon such other person as the Steward may name at the time and in the manner described below, and the succeeding peer in either case shall enjoy the same precedence as the peer he succeeds.

Article Three. Designation. Section One. Within six (6) months of his creation by competent authority or his succession to a peerage, a peer shall name the person who will succeed him in his peerage by executing an instrument of the nature, substance and intent of Article Thirteen of this Act.

Section Two. A peer may designate any person, related or not, and the Attorney General shall defend a peer's voluntary designation against all claimants and litigants in the Steward's Court, which shall have and is hereby given primary jurisdiction in all peerage cases involving claims to peerage titles and precedence.

Section Three. A peer shall encourage his designated heir to become subject to His August Majestie if he is not already a subject . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Act or other Acts, no person who is not 68 a subject of His August Majestie may succeed to a peerage dignity. An alien designated heir may be given two (2) months' time following the death or abdication of a peer to become a subject of His August Majestie, failing which he shall become ineligible to succeed to the title and the Steward shall proceed as described in Article Four. For the purposes of this Section Three, the peerage title of a deceased or abdicated peer having an alien designated heir shall remain dormant pending the heir's rendering of his homage and fealty.

Section Four. A peer who enjoys more than one peerage title may not devise his several titles on more than one heir without the prior consent of the Council-General, nor may he alien or transfer the appurtenances from any of his peerages without the prior consent of the Council-General. A peerage dignity subject to special entail by its patent of creation shall not be affected by the provisions of this Section Four, except as prescribed in Article Twelve, Section Four, below.

Section Five. The designated bier of a peer, being a subject of His August Majestie, may assume as a courtesy title one of the subsidiary titles held by the peer, but he shall not be entitled to a writ of summons in right of such subsidiary courtesy title or to any of its appurtenances until he shall have succeeded to the title in his own right. [Cf. The Writs in Acceleration Act of 7574]

Article Four. Succession in Default of Designated Heir. Section One. Should a peer die before he has designated his heir, the Lord Great Steward shall immediately declare the peerage dormant and proceed to consider the claims of any heir, co-heirs or other heirs in ancient tradition of the deceased peer to the title. In the absence of such claims, the Steward shall confer privately with the deceased peer's family to determine if any of them may be qualified and willing to accept the succession. If any such heir is found, the Steward will terminate the dormancy and allow the succession and the heir shall have the precedence enjoyed by the deceased peer.

Section Two. If within six (6) months of the death of a peer having no designated heir no claims to the peerage shall have been initiated and the Steward has found no willing or qualified heir, the peerage shall become extinct without further recourse or notice to the deceased peer's family, and two (2) years after the date of the peer's death the title may be granted to another person in a Second Creation having no continuity with the previous creation.

Article Five. Minors. A minor designated heir may succeed to a peerage, but may not exercise any of the rights or privileges appurtenant thereto—other than its precedence—until he has attained his majority, saving only that income necessary for the minor peer's maintenance and education may be paid to his parent or guardian out of funds arising from the minor peer's peerage. The [Lord High] Chancellor shall be ex-officio one of the trustees of such funds. Office of State and other duties appurtenant to a minor peer's peerage shall be exercised by such Deputy, Commissioner, Surrogate or other substitute as applicable statutes provide for, or as the Steward, in the absence of statutory provisions, shall appoint. Orphaned minor peers shall become wards of the Chancellor.

Article Six. Surviving Spouses. A peer's surviving spouse may continue to enjoy the late spouse's principal title with the qualifying adjective "quondam" until the earlier of the surviving spouse's remarriage, renunciation of the title, or death, and such other privileges of the surviving spouse's former dignity as may be conceded or granted to the surviving spouse by the succeeding peer.

Article Seven. Abdication of Title. A peer may, during his lifetime and for good and sufficient reason, pass all his titles and their appurtenances to his designated heir irrevocably and without prejudice to himself. The former peer may assume the honorific "The Honourable", but may not use, display or claim any of the rights, privileges or insignia of the peerage unless or until he shall be advanced to the peerage again by another title; except that coronets of peerage rank forming an integral part of the structural, architectural or topiary decoration of the former peer's residence need not be destroyed and will be deemed to be mere historical curiosities, or indicative of the succeeding peer's rank. An abdicated peer may not fall heir to his abdicated titles, but may be designated heir to another peer's titles.

Article Eight. Renunciation of Title. Section One. A peer may, for good and sufficient reason, surrender his titles and their appurtenances or any of them to the Grown for himself, his heirs, or his family, and the renounced titles shall not be revived during the lifetime of the former peer. Any Office of State appurtenant to a renounced peerage shall be exercised by such Deputy, Commissioner or Surrogate as the statutes may provide for, or as the Steward, in the absence of statutory provisions, may name. All other appurtenances shall accrue to the Crown and be exercised as the Steward may direct.

Section Two. At the death of the former peer, the renounced titles may be revived and granted to another person in a Second Creation having no continuity with the previous creation, even though the titles might be given to a member of the former peer's family. Appurtenances to such revived titles may be restored to the peerage, in the discretion of the Steward.

Article Nine. Rustication of Title. A peer of the rank of Viscount or Viscountess or above who has without good and sufficient reason failed to take his seat at three (3) consecutive Councils-General shall become rusticated at the close of the third such Council-General missed, and after a lapse of one (1) year his title may be given to another person in a Second Creation having no continuity with the previous creation, even though the title might be given to a member of the rusticated peer's family; and a Baron, Baroness or Baronet who is a Councillor-General and has likewise failed to take his or her seat at three (3) consecutive Councils-General shall forfeit his or her membership and shall not be summoned to succeeding Councils-General without first obtaining a new Certificate of Membership from the Lord Great Steward.

Article Ten. Forfeiture of Title. Section One. Thee peerage of a peer who has been convicted of treason or such other high crimes and misdemeanors as the Council-General may specify shall cease to exist on the peer's conviction. Between the time of his impeachment and conviction or acquittal, the peer may not renounce or abdicate his title, exercise any Office of State appertaining to his title, act as Privy Councillor, sit in the Council-General or hold any office of profit under the Crown.

Section Two. Offices of State appurtenant to a forfeited peerage shall be exercised by such Deputy, Commissioner or Surrogate s applicable statutes provide for, or as the Steward, in the absence of statutory provisions, may direct, and may become appurtenances to such other peerages as the Steward may name. All other appurtenances to a forfeited title shall accrue to the Crown and be exercised or granted as the Steward may direct.

Article Eleven. Restriction. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as granting to the designated heir of a peer or the heir nominated by the Steward any right, title or interest in any part of the deceased peer's estate of lands, hereditaments, tenements, fees, rents, mortgages. leases, goods, chattels and the like that are not part of the deceased peer's estate solely by virtue of and in right of the deceased peer's having been a Peer of the Realms of Gondor and Arnor, unless the said properties shall have been settled on such heir by the deceased peer by deed or by will and testament.

Article Twelve. Compliance. Section One. For the purposes of complying with the provisions of Article Three, above, existing peers shall have three (3) months from the date of the enactment of this Act in which to designate their heirs.

Section Two. For the purposes of this Act, all peerages extant or dormant at the time of the enactment of this Act that were not subject to special entail by the language of the instruments of their creation shall be and are hereby made subject to the provisions of this Act.

Section Three. For the purposes of this Act, all extant peerages at the time of the enactment of this Act that were granted for the term of the natural life of the grantee by the language of the instruments of their creation shall be and are hereby converted to continuing peerages subject to the provisions of this Act: and the Steward shall take action under the provisions of Article Four of this Act in the case of any peer who died possessed of a life peerage prior to the enactment of this Act as though such peer were a peer within the meaning of this Act and had died without designating an heir, and the sixth month period prescribed in Article Four for such cases shall commence with the enactment of this Act and not with the date of death of the peer; and any peer succeeding to a peerage under the provisions of this Section Three shall have the same precedence as the deceased peer.

Section Four. For the purposes of this Act, all peerages extant or dormant at the time of enactment of this Act that were subject to special entail by the language of the instruments of their creation shall be permitted to descend according to the intent of the original grant for one succeeding generation, whereupon the succeeding peer shall become subject to the provisions of this Act with respect to his peerage.

Section Five. For the purposes of this Act, any peerage that became extinct within the five (5) year period immediately preceding the enactment of this Act solely because of the failure of the line of heirs specified in the instrument of its creation may be revived in the family of the grantee in another line, in the discretion of the Steward acting under the authority of this Section Five and proceeding under the provisions of Article Four, above, as though the deceased peer were a peer within the meaning of this Act and had died without designating an heir; and any peer succeeding to a peerage under the provisions of this Section Five shall have the same precedence as the deceased peer.

Section Six. After the date of enactment of this Act, all new peerages by whatever means created, shall be subject to the provisions of this Act, and any written instruments of creation of such peerages shall contain the phrase "in pursuance of the Peerage Continuity Act of 7533" in their texts.

Article Thirteen. Sample Forms. Section One.

Sample Designation of Heir

JOHN AUBREY Duke of Anorien Earl of Fenmarch Viscount Starkhorn Baron Hallfirien and Warden of Firien Wood Earl Marshal and Marshal of the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor &c &c &c TO all to whom these Presents shall come GREETING and the King's Peace: KNOW that I of my own free will and volition having in mind the preservation of the said Peace within these Realms and my own household and for the furtherance of the good governance of the said Kingdoms as well as of the fame and honour of the Duchy of Anorien Earldom of Fenmarch Viscountcy of Starkhorn Barony of Halifirien and Wardenship of Firien Wood and of the hereditary Marshalship exercised by Earls of Fenmarch from the time wherein the memory of man runneth not to the contrary and reposing full faith & confidence in the loyalty judgement and circumspection and honour of my ( relationship) A. B. of C. and in his ability to take part in the deliberations of His August Majestie's Councils and to exercise wisely courageously and justly the Marshalship of these Realms and in pursuance of the Peerage Continuity and Officers' Incapacity Act of 7533 have named the said A. B. and do by these presents namd and designate the said A. B. to be my lawful heir and successor in my said dukedom earldom viscountcy barony wardenship and marshalship willing that he should succeed to the said peerages and enjoy the style title estate dignity name honour and preeminence of Duke of Anorien Earl of Fenmarch Viscount Starkhorn Baron Halifirien and Warden of Firien Wood and exercise the High Office of Earl Marshal and Marshal of the said Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor and enjoy and exercise all of the rights and privileges to all or any of them appertaining. In witness whereof I have revoked and do hereby revoke, annul, cancel and hold for naught any and all previous nominations and designations of my heir made by me prior to this present nomination and designation, and have hereunto set my hand and seal at (place) this ______day of _______ in the year ______, and in the presence of the witnesses whose signatures appear below, and have caused a copy of this instrument to be sent to the Lord Great Steward as a perpetual memorial of the matter.

(seal) x (designating peer)

x (witness) (witness' seal)

x (witness) (witness' seal)

Certificate of Designated Heir

I have read the foregoing instruemnt (or, The foregoing instrument has been read to me), understand its intent and accept the said designation. And further, being a subject of His August Majestie, I shall assume the courtesy title of Earl of Fenmarch.

(seal) x (designated heir)

also known as Earl of Fenmarch

x (witness) (witness' seal)

x (witness) (witness' seal)

Certificate of the Lord Great Steward

The foregoing Designation and Certificate were received by me on (date).

X (Chancellor) x (signature)

Section Two.

Sample Renunciation

I (full name), (full title(s)), for good and sufficient reasons explained by me to His Highness the Lord Great Steward of the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, have renounced and do by these presents renounce, reject and abandon the name, style, title, dignity, estate, honour and pre-eminence of (title(s)) and all its appurtenances for myself and my heirs and my family forever and in perpetuity, and revoke, cancel, annul and hold for naught any and all instruments by me made in designation of an heir to the said peerage title(s), and do further acknowledge this to be my free and voluntary act and deed. In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this ______ day of _______ in the year ____ at (place), and have caused a copy of this instrument to be sent to the Lord Great Steward as a perpetual memorial of the matter.

(seal) x (former peer)

x (witness) (former designated heir) (witness' seal)

x (witness) (witness' seal)

x (witness) (witness' seal)

Certificate of the Lord Great Steward

The foregoing Renunciation was received by me on (date). I have caused the records to be searched and have determined that the appurtenances to the aforesaid renounced peerages are as follows: (list).

X (Chancellor) x (signature)

Section Three.

Sample Abdication

I (full name), (full title(s)), for good and sufficent reason explained by me to His Highness the Lord Great Steward of the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, have abandoned and do by these presents abandon, reject and abdicate the name, style, title, dignity, estate, honour and pre-eminence of (title(s)) and their appurtenances for myself and do further surrender, yield, cede, grant, transfer and assign the said titles of (specify) to my designated heir A. B., to have and to hold and to enjoy for himself in his own right, willing that he should be known from henceforth as (full title(s)). In witness whereof I acknowledge this to be my free and voluntary act and deed and have hereunto set my hand and seal this ______ day of _____ in the year _____ at (place), and have further caused a copy of this instrument to be sent to the Lord Great Steward.

(seal) x (signature)

x (witness) (witness' seal)

x (witness) (witness' seal)

Certificate of the Lord Great Steward

The foregoing instrument of abdication was received by me on (date). I do hereby acknowledge the said A.B. to be (full title(s)) and entitled to receive a Writ of Summons to the Council-Generals of these Realms.

X (Chancellor) x (Steward)