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I. The name of this Confederacy shall be "The Realm of York." The sovereign kings each of the aforementioned Duchys doth hereby enter into this agreement with each of the others. Further, the sovereigns of each land shall henceforth retain the title of Duke as a sign and symbol of the Unity of the Realm.
II. Each Duchy retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the Realm, in Council assembled.
III. The said Duchys hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.
IV. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different Duchys in this Realm, the free inhabitants of each of these Duchys, paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives from justice excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several Duchys; and the people of each Duchy shall free ingress and regress to and from any other Duchy, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof respectively, provided that such restrictions shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any Duchy, to any other Duchy, of which the owner is an inhabitant; provided also that no imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid by any Duchy, on the property of the Realm, or either of them.
V. For the most convenient management of the general interests of the Realm, delegates shall be annually appointed in such manner as the sovereigns of each Duchy shall direct, to meet in Council on the third Marketday in Ohramin, in every year, with a powerreserved to each Duchy to recall its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead for the remainder of the year.
Each Duchy shall be represented in Council by its sovereign, or by a delegate duly appointed by same. All decisions, ordinanaces and/or proclamations agreed to by the delegate of a Duchy shall be considered binding.
In determining questions in the Council of the Realm assembled, each Duchy shall have one vote.
Freedom of speech and debate in Council shall not be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Council, and the members of Council shall be protected in their persons from arrests or imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from, and attendence on Council, except for treason, felony, or breach of the peace.
VI. Appointed by the Council from within its own ranks shall be a man to be titled Grand Duke. The position of Grand Duke shall be maintained to act as moderator between disputes, and host of the meetings of Council. In negotiations and treaties with foreign powers, the Grand Duke shall preside as the delegate of the Realm. The appointment of Grand Duke shall be for the life of the appointee, and must be agreed upon by not less than seven of the delegates of the Council.
VII. No Duchy, without the consent of the Realm in Council assembled, shall send any embassy to, or receive any embassy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance or treaty with any King, Prince or Duchy.
No two or more Duchys shall enter into any treaty, confederation or alliance whatever between them, without the consent of the Realm in Council assembled, specifying accurately the purposes for which the same is to be entered into, and how long it shall continue.
No Duchy shall lay any imposts or duties, which may interfere with any stipulations in treaties, entered into by the Realm in Council assembled, with any King, Prince or Duchy, in pursuance of any treaties already proposed by Council.
VIII. When land forces are raised by any Duchy for the common defense, such forces shall be considered to be under the jurisdiction and command of the Grand Duke. Such troops may be called to muster, intimes of emergency or invasion, by the Grand Duke.
IX. The Realm in Council assembled, shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war, except in the cases mentioned in the seventh article -- of sending and receiving ambassadors -- entering into treaties and alliances, provided that no treaty of commerce shall be made whereby the legislative power of the respective Duchys shall be restrained from imposing such imposts and duties on foreigners, as their own people are subjected to, or from prohibiting the exportation or importation of any species of goods or commodities whatsoever -- of establishing rules for deciding in all cases, what captures on land or water shall be legal, and in what manner prizes taken by land or naval forces in the service of the Realm shall be divided or appropriated -- of granting letters of marque and reprisal in times of peace -- appointing courts for the trial of piracies and felonies commited on the high seas and establishing courts for receiving and determining finally appeals in all cases of captures, provided that no member of Council shall be appointed a judge of any of the said courts.
The Realm in Council assembled shall also be the last resort on appeal in all disputes and differences now subsisting or that hereafter may arise between two or more Duchys concerning boundary, jurisdiction or any other causes whatever; which authority shall always be exercised in the manner following. Whenever the legislative or executive authority or lawful agent of any Duchy in controversy with another shall present a petition to Council stating the matter in question and praying for a hearing, notice thereof shall be given by order of Council to the legislative or executive authority of the other Duchy in controversy, and a day assigned for the appearance of the parties by their lawful agents, who shall then be directed to appoint by joint consent, commissioners or judges to constitute a court for hearing and determining the matter in question: but if they cannot agree, Council shall name three persons out of each of the Duchys, and from the list of such persons each party shall alternately strike out one, the petitioners beginning, until the number shall be reduced to thirteen; and from that number not less than five, nor more than seven names as Council shall direct, shall in the presence of Council be drawn out by lot, and the persons whose names shall be so drawn or any five of them, shall be commissioners or judges, to hear and finally determine the controversy, so always as a major part of the judges who shall hear the cause shall agree in the determination: and if either party shall neglect to attend at the day appointed, without showing reasons, which Conuncil shall judge sufficient, or being present shall refuse to strike, the Council shall proceed to nominate three persons out of each Duchy, and the secretary of Council shall strike in behalf of such party absent or refusing; and the judgement and sentence of the court to be appointed, in the manner before prescribed, shall be final and conclusive; and if any of the parties shall refuse to submit to the authority of such court, or to appear or defend their claim or cause, the court shall nevertheless proceed to pronounce sentence, or judgement, which shall in like manner be final and decisive, the judgement or sentence and other proceedings being in either case transmitted to Council, and lodged among the acts of Council for the security of the parties concerned: provided that every commissioner, before he sits in judgement, shall take an oath to be administered by one of the judges of the supreme or superior court of the Duchy, where the cause shall be tried, 'well and truly to hear and determine the matter in question, according to the best of his judgement, without favor, affection or hope of reward': provided also, that no Duchy shall be deprived of territory for the benefit of the Realm.
All controversies concerning the private right of soil claimed under different grants of two or more Duchys, whose jurisdictions as they may respect such lands, and the Duchys which passed such grants are adjusted, the said grants or either of them being at the same time claimed to have originated antecedent to such settlement of jurisdiction, shall on the petition of either party to the Council of the Realm, be finally determined as near as may be in the same manner as is before presecribed for deciding disputes respecting territorial jurisdiction between different Duchys.
The Realm in Council assembled shall never engage in a war, nor grant letters of marque or reprisal in time of peace, nor enter into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate the value thereof, nor ascertain the sums and expenses necessary for the defense and welfare of the Realm, or any of them, nor emit bills, nor borrow money on the credit of the Realm nor any of the Duchys, nor appropriate money, nor agree upon the number of vessels of war, to be built or purchased, or the number of land or sea forces to be raised, nor appoint a commander in chief of the army or navy, unless seven Duchys assent to the same: nor shall a question on any other point, except for adjourning from day to day be determined, unless by the votes of the majority of the Realm in Council assembled.
X. All bills of credit emitted, monies borrowed, and debts contracted by, or under the authority of Council, before the assembling of the Realm, in pursuance of the present confederation, shall be deemed and considered as a charge against the Realm, for payment and satisfaction whereof the said Realm, and the public faith are hereby solemnly pleged.
XI. Whereas the Council established and described in Item V of these Articles shall require a seat, and Whereas that seat will serve better if permanent and secure, and Whereas that August Assemblage with His Holiness may from time to time require and request council, or one with the other, and Whereas no Duke should have undue sway or position over the council by virtue of location, the City known as York in the Duchy of Hampshire is declared Free. The Free City of York shall be chartered in a separate Articles detailing the particulars of relationships or changes thereto with the Duchy of Hampshire, which Articles shall be drawn by the Duke and ratified by a governing body of the Free City as provided for in those Articles, or by delegates of five other Duchies, or both.
In Recognition and Consideration of this Cession of lands, the Duchy of Hampshire shall receive one half of any revenues received by the Free City of York. In addition, in consideration of its unique position wholly within the borders of that Duchy, the Duke of Hampshire shall have the right of confirmation for any singular Mayor of that City, should such be provided for in the City's charter.
Also, whereas the Free City of York is no longer part or parcel of any duly represented Duchy, it shall have the option of sending a delegate to the Council, which delegate shall have the right to speak before and debate with the other Delegates unencumbered. He shall have no right of vote with the following exceptions, in matters of direct consequence to the FC York or in the case of a tie vote which would require a simple majority, but never two-thirds. Additionally, the FC York shall enjoy all other protections, provisions, and responsibilities reserved and directed to Duchies, which are set forth in these Articles.
XII. Every Duchy shall abide by the determination of the Realm in Council assembled, on all questions which by this confederation are submitted to them. And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every Duchy, and the Union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them; unless such alteration be agreed to in a Council of the Realm by unanimous vote.
And Whereas it hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in Council, to approve of, and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union. Know Ye that we the undersigned delegates, by virtue of the power and authority to us given for that purpose, do by these presents, in the name and in behalf of our respective constituents, fully and entirely ratify and confirm each and every of the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union, and all and singular the matters and things therein contained: And we do further solemnly plight and engage the faith of our respective constituents, that they shall abide by the determinations of the Realm in Council assembled, on all questions, which by the said Confederation are submitted to them. And that the Articles thereof shall be inviolably observed by the Duchys we respectively represent, and that the Union shall be perpetual.
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