The following is the substance of the bill to empower his Majesty to secure and detain persons charged with, or suspected of, the crime of high treason, committed in North America, or on the high seas, or the crime of piracy, viz.

Whereas a rebellion and war have been openly and traiterously levied and carried on in certain of his majesty's colonies and plantations in America, and acts of treason and piracy have been committed upon the ships and goods of his Majesty's subjects; and many persons have been seized and taken, who are expressly charged or strongly suspected of such treasons and felonies, and many more such persons may be hereafrer so seized and taken:

And whereas such persons have been or may be brought into this kingdom, and into other parts of his Majesty's dominions; and it may be inconvenien,t in many such cases to proceed forthwith to the trial of such criminals, and at the same time of evil example to suffer them to go at large:

Be it therefore enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in the present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that all and every person or persons, who have been, or shall hereafter be seized or taken in the act of high treason, committed in any of the colonies, or on the high seas, or in the act of piracy, or who are, or shall be charged with, or suspected, of the said crimes, and who have been, or shall be committed for the said crimes, or either of them, or for suspicion of them, or either of them, in any part of his majesty's dominions, to the common gaol, or any other place of confinement specially appointed for that purpose by warrant under his majesty's sign manual, by any magistrate having competent authority in that behalf (who is hereby authorised to commit such persons to the place so to be appointed) all and every such person and persons shall and may be thereupon secured and detained in safe custody, without bail or mainprize, until the————and that no judge or justice of peace shall bail or try any such person or persons, without order from his majesty's honourable privy council, signed by————of the said privy-council, until the said————any law statute, or usage, to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That this act shall continue and be in force, until the said————and no longer.