Monday, October 22, 2018

WELCOME: Discover the Kingdom of Scone

PLEASE NOTE: THIS WEBSITE IS AN ARCHIVE OF THE KINGDOM OF SCONE'S FORMER WEB PRESENCE. THE UPDATED AND NEW KINGDOM OF SCONE WEB PRESENCE IS NOW AT: https://www.kingdomofscone.com/

WELCOME to the official presence of the Kingdom of Scone in the blogosphere.

Established on 1 March 2014, the Kingdom of Scone is a community dedicated to the celebration of the Anglo-Celtic cultures and traditions of the British Isles.

The Sconnish People have determined to structure and govern the community they form as a kingdom-in-miniature, complete with a figurehead king, a Westminster-style parliament, a government led by an elected prime minister, and a variety of other interesting political and cultural outlets which give form and atmosphere to the community.





EXPLORE THE REALM

Let this blogsite take you on an educational tour of the kingdom. Each page offers insights into who we are as a community. Learn about our traditions, our government, our monarchy, our history, and our culture. Discover what it means to be a Sconnishman.

Click on each of the bullet points below to tour this site:


BECOMING A SCONNISH SUBJECT

Anyone may become a Sconnish subject.
 
Just fill out our citizenship application form linked below. There's nothing to it. We won't ask any invasive questions, subject you to any tests, or demand any documentation of you. Just tell us a little bit about how you discovered us and what you hope to experience with us. In no time flat, you'll be admitted as a "Ward-in-Chancery" (our quaint term for "probationary subject"). Once we've gotten to know you for a couple of weeks and once you've gotten to know us, we can decide together if full-fledged membership is for you.


Fully-initiated "citizens" of the Kingdom of Scone are eligible to sit in Parliament, to be admitted to the Royal Court and Household, and to become officers of the Crown or even peers of the Realm. Your level of commitment is up to you. As with anything else, you'll get out of your Sconnish experience as much as you're willing to put into it. An active and eager Sconnishman is a Sconnishman indeed!



FAQ

We encourage all visitors and prospective Scones to ask any questions they may have about our charming little kingdom, or about what it means to be a Sconnishman. For your benefit, here are answers to some frequently asked questions...


Q: Do I have to be English or Scottish or Irish or Welsh to become a citizen?
A: Certainly not! All are welcome. While this kingdom is culturally Anglo-Celtic, citizenship is open to all, regardless of ethnicity, creed, or anything else.

Q: Where is the Kingdom of Scone?
A: The Kingdom of Scone is a kingdom of people, not of land. We make no pretense to sovereignty over any territory. You can't get to us by plane, train, or boat, therefore. Wherever a Sconnishman stands, that is where you'll find the Kingdom of Scone. Our citizens hail from all over the world. We communicate mostly via Facebook. 

Q: Where can I find a list of all the Bills and Resolutions adopted by the Sconnish Parliament?
A: All bills and resolutions that are passed by Parliament are available for public viewing on the Parliament Roll blogpost page.

Q: What is your connection to the ancient Kingdom of Scone?
A: There is no connection whatever. The name "Scone" being associated as it is with ancient Scottish coronations and scones being the essential treats of English teas, the name seemed utterly appropriate for our community.

Q: Are you a micronation?
A: Not exactly, no. That may be a common word to describe this sort of community, but we do not claim any territory. We don't issue passports or any other sorts of immigration documents and don't issue any real currency. We simply regard Scone as a "kingdom." That is our official designation.

Q: Can I immigrate to the Kingdom of Scone?
A: No. The Kingdom of Scone claims no territory and exists entirely online. Therefore, we do not issue immigration documents.

Q: Are you some sort of a Renaissance faire or society for creative anachronism?
A: No. We are a contemporary community living heart and soul in the 21st century. While there may be some among us who would wish to turn back the clock to a bye gone era, we do not, by any means, attempt to recreate a "period." Scone is governed as a modern constitutional monarchy.

Q: What is this prospective citizen's "probationary period" all about?
A: Citizenship applicants are asked to wait a short while before committing to full Sconnish citizenship. We want to get to know you, first, and we're sure you want to take time to get to know us before you join us. The probationary period allows you to wade a bit before deciding whether or not to dive into the deep end of the Sconnish pool. Don't worry, we aren't going to interrogate you or anything. We just want you to have time to discover what we're all about so that you can make an informed decision about your potential citizenship.

Q: Citizenship...that sounds so legal. Is this going to get me in trouble with the authorities of the country I live in?
A: Not at all. We are not a secessionist group, we have no political agenda and, remember, we don't claim any territory. There is no more a legal concern in becoming a subject of the Sconnish Crown than there is in joining an Elks lodge, a softball league, or the Independent Order of Foresters. There isn't very much more to it than being enrolled, affirmed, and welcomed.

Q: Do I have to call the king "Your Majesty?"
A: That or "sir," yes. Etiquette and protocol are essential to maintaining the dignified atmosphere of a kingdom. All Scones are expected to address one another according to traditional styles, titles, and forms of address.  

Q: What if I get it wrong?
A: You will. Everybody does. Don't sweat it. If you make a social faux pas, we won't toss you in the dungeon or feed you to the lions or anything. For the benefit of everyone, however, there are guidelines to assist you as you begin to learn the language of society etiquette.

Q: How would one go about forming a majority party in the context of your Parliamentary system?
A: Why don't you join us, bring a lot of your friends with you, and we'll all find out?

Q: This community sounds more like "Downton Abbey" than "Braveheart."
A: Yes, well, if you expected to encounter a pack of mad Picts who want the heads of the English on a spike, I can understand your disappointment. Not really our thing, I'm afraid; just don't expect to find the Dowager Countess of Grantham lurking around here, either. 

Q: My religion forbids the taking of oaths. Will I be asked to take any?
A: Not at all. There are a few affirmations of loyalty or allegiance which are NOT oaths that citizens are asked to subscribe to. You will never be asked to do anything which conflicts with your faith or deeply-held beliefs.

Q: Can I sit in Parliament or become a member of the Royal Court?
A: All fully-initiated Sconnish subjects are eligible to do just about anything. Scones are joiners! We encourage everyone to get involved. There's hardly any point to joining a community like this only to then do nothing, is there? If there's any particular position or appointment you're interested in, talk to the Prime Minister. The Government is always open to creating new appointments and positions that are in keeping with our tradition and a Westminster-Style Kingdom.

Q: I want to join a Persian-themed tsarist empire with Norse gods!
A: Then you've really gotten off at the wrong exit, haven't you? Individuals wanting something completely different or foreign to who and what we are should not expect to sign up only to then set about to refashion in their own image everything we've created here. The Kingdom of Scone is what it is, and always will be.


THE CROWN: In Parliament and in Council



At the very center of Scone's constitutional sphere stands the Sovereign, who is the embodiment of the state in all its majesty and dignity. From the Crown, all the power and authority of the Realm emanates and by the Crown is that power and authority distributed among those whose charge it is to govern in His Majesty's name.


THE CROWN IN PARLIAMENT


The Kingdom of Scone is a constitutional parliamentary monarchy according to the Westminster model seen throughout most of the English-speaking world. The King-in-Parliament is the most profound expression of the Sconnish State, and it is in and through Parliament that the Crown gives laws to the Sconnish people in the form of Acts of Parliament. 

In our system of government, the Monarch reigns alone, but rules in cooperation with his people in the democratic institution of Parliament. Parliament consists of three distinct components:
  • The Sovereign
  • The Peers of the Realm
  • The Burgesses (commoners)

Each of the three constituent elements of Parliament has a voice and a role in the governing of the Kingdom of Scone and in the making of her laws. 

According to the Charter of Scone Act, Parliament must sit at least once each calendar year. It is the Sovereign who opens and prorogues sessions of Parliament, or who dissolves Parliament on the advice of the Government. The State Opening of Parliament is the premier event of a Parliamentary session. On the occasion of the State Opening of Parliament, the King (or his representative) reads the Speech from the Throne.

At variance with the Westminster custom, the Throne Speech (also known as the "Gracious Speech" or the "King's Speech") is simply a personal greeting delivered by the monarch (or his representative) on the occasion of the opening of Parliament. The legislative programme of the Government is presented by the Prime Minister following the King's Speech. 

At the moment, all fully-initiated Sconnish subjects are entitled to a seat and voice in Parliament for as often as Parliament shall sit. In Parliament, the Peers and Burgesses gather to consider bills and other matters brought before the "common council" of the Realm. 

Bills passed during a session of Parliament are presented to the Sovereign at end of session for his Royal Assent. In another formal ceremony similar to the State Opening of Parliament, His Majesty (or his representative) signifies the royal approbation to each bill with the reading of the instrument granting the Royal Assent.  Once the Royal Assent has been given to a bill, it becomes an Act of Parliament. 

In addition to its legislative functions, the King-in-Parliament is the highest court of the Realm. Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly referred to as "Law Lords," hear all cases appealed to the Appellate Committee of Parliament by lower Courts.

THE CROWN IN COUNCIL

The day-to-day executive functions of the Realm are executed by the Privy Council on the advice of the Government of the day. His Majesty's Government is composed of the Prime Minister and other ministers (secretaries of state) appointed by the Sovereign, following an election. Orders-in-Council (executive orders) are issued by the Crown-in-Council as directed by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The Cabinet is the central committee of the Privy Council.


THE SOLEMN AFFIRMATION OF A PRIVY COUNSELLOR
Membership of the Privy Council is both a tremendous honour and a grave responsibility, the duties of which must never be taken lightly. There can be no question at all of a Privy Counsellor's loyalty and devotion to the Sconnish Crown. 
Privy Counsellors are required, therefore, to subscribe to a very solemn affirmation before being admitted into the Council:

You do solemnly affirm that you will be a true and faithful Servant unto The King’s Majesty as one of His Majesty’s Privy Council. You will not know or understand of any manner of thing to be attempted, done, or spoken against His Majesty’s Person, Honour, Crown, or Dignity Royal, but you will lett and withstand the same to the uttermost of your power, and either cause it to be revealed to His Majesty, Himself, or to such of his Privy Council as shall advertise His Majesty of the same. You will in all things to be moved, treated, and debated in Council, faithfully and truly declare your Mind and Opinion, according to your Heart and Conscience; and will keep secret all matters committed and revealed unto you, or that shall be treated of secretly in Council. And if any of the said Treaties or Counsels shall touch any of the Counsellors you will not reveal it unto him but will keep the same until such time as, by the consent of His Majesty or of the Council, Publication shall be made thereof. You will to your uttermost bear Faith and Allegiance to the King’s Majesty; and will assist and defend all civil and temporal Jurisdictions, Pre-eminences, and Authorities, granted to His Majesty and annexed to the Crown by Acts of Parliament, or otherwise, against all Foreign Princes, Persons, Prelates, States, or Potentates. And generally in all things you will do as a faithful and true Servant ought to do to His Majesty.


DESIGN COURTESY W. MORAY 2018

HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT



His Majesty's Government, formed and presided over by the Prime Minister, is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Kingdom of Scone.


THE PRIME MINISTER

The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Chatsworth of Bakewell, GCGE, KC was appointed Prime Minister on 16 March 2020. Lord Chatsworth is the Third Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Scone, appointed after the resignation of the Duke of Walsingham who ascended the throne after the abdication of King Edward.

The Prime Minister


RESPONSIBILITY TO PARLIAMENT

The Prime Minister and the Government are responsible to Parliament. At any time, members of Parliament may request that the Prime Minister or any other Cabinet minister respond to questions concerning the Government's policies or activities. The details of anything not deemed by law to be an official secret of the State must be divulged at the request of any member of Parliament who has received permission from the Woolsack (Chair) to make inquiries. The Prime Minister or other ministers may also be asked to explain or defend their policies, actions, or statements to Parliament's satisfaction. The Prime Minister is elected year by Parliament in Mid-October for a one-year term.

THE GOVERNMENT

It is the Prime Minister's privilege and responsibility to advise the Sovereign on the formation of His Majesty's Government. From among Sconnish subjects qualified to sit in Parliament, the Prime Minister presents to the Sovereign the names of those persons he feels are best suited to constitute the Government. The Sovereign, in turn, appoints them on the Prime Minister's advice.

Members of His Majesty's Government who sit in Cabinet hold the various portfolios of His Majesty's Secretary of State. Each portfolio of responsibility is focused on an area of administration which has been established based upon needs identified by the sitting Prime Minister. Other ministers who are not strictly speaking considered Cabinet ministers (such as Ministers without Portfolio) may also comprise His Majesty's Government. Such ministers may, nevertheless, sit in on meetings of the Cabinet at the Prime Minister's discretion. 


THE CABINET


Lord High Steward; Prime Minister:

The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Chatsworth of Bakewell, GCGE, KC

Lord High Chancellor; HM Principal Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs:

The Most Hon. The Marquess of Avebury, CSP, OGE, KBA

Lord President of the Council:

The Most Noble The Duke of Bergen, CHM, CSP, CGE, KBA


Lord High Admiral; HM Principal Secretary of State for the Home Dept. & HM Principal Secretary of State for Foreign & Colonial Affairs:

The Most Noble The Duke of Marly, CKE, CSP, CGE, KBA


Lord Privy Seal; HM Principal Secretary of State for Hospitality & Culture:

The Rt. Hon. The Countess of Sterlington, CGE


Master of the Rolls; HM Principal Secretary of State for Information:

The Rt. Hon. The Baron Paul of Chandernagor, MGE. KC


PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARIES OF STATE



For the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs: The Most Noble The Duke of Bergen, CHM, CSP, CGE


PERMANENT SECRETARIES


None


TIMELINE OF PRIME MINISTERS:

The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Rockcliffe (2014-2015)
His Majesty King Erik II [Then The Duke of Walsingham] (2015-2020)
The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Chatsworth of Bakewell (2020-Present)



                                                                   


HM GOVERNMENT . 2020

THE JUDICIARY

THE JUDICIARY OF THE KINGDOM OF SCONE


Between the Charter of Scone and several bills passed into law by Parliaments of the Kingdom, the Kingdom has built up several judicial organs throughout the Kingdom. These Courts handle various types of matters that may arise within the Kingdom requiring adjudication and are staffed by Sconnish Citizens.



The Court of Common Pleas

The Court of Common Pleas is the ordinary Court of First Instance within the Kingdom and hears both civil and criminal matters. The Court of Common Pleas may also be called upon to render legal opinions by the Government or a citizen of the Kingdom through the "Question of Law" process. Any citizen can introduce a civil or criminal case within the Kingdom of Scone through the Grosvenor Hall Facebook Group. Individuals concerned that a criminal matter should be considered before the Court are strongly encouraged to contact the Attorney or Solicitor-General first for assistance.

The Court of Common Pleas may consist of anywhere between 1-5 judges. The current composition of the Court is as follows:

Chief Judge: Lord Ryen Rasmus, Bt.

Associate Judge: The Lord Carlton of Quincet
Associate Judge: Sir Andrew Pollock, CSP, Bt.

Former Judge: The Viscount York of Hamilton (Resigned, former Chief Judge)

The Court is presided over by the Chief Judge who may issue administrative orders for the Court as he sees fit, within the bounds of Sconnish Law. All judges are appointed by His Majesty in Council and serve at the pleasure of His Majesty. Judgments made by the Court may be appealed to the Court of His Majesty the King in Parliament. Whenever Parliament is not sitting, appeals are heard by the Court of Lord High Steward instead.

The Court of Lord High Steward

The supreme judicial authority in Westminster Style systems has traditionally been placed in Parliament--but what happens when Parliament is prorogued and can not hear a matter? The Court of Lord High Steward is largely antiquated in modern Westminster-style systems, but centuries ago it served as a Court to hear cases that could only be heard by Parliament when it was prorogued, dissolved, or otherwise wasn't sitting. In the Kingdom of Scone, this Court serves a similar function, allowing appeals that would normally be heard by Parliament to be heard in this special Court instead whenever Parliament was otherwise not sitting and will not be sitting for at least 2 weeks from the date of appeal.

The Court of Lord High Steward just has one ordinary member: The Lord High Steward. Traditionally, this post has been held by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom. In the event of a conflict of interest, the Lord High Chancellor serves in this position. Judgments made by the Court may be appealed to the Court of His Majesty the King in Parliament once Parliament resumes sitting.

The Court of His Majesty the King in Parliament

The supreme judicial authority of the Kingdom is invested in His Majesty the King in Parliament and the decisions of this Court are final and may not be appealed any further. The Court of His Majesty the King in Parliament is comprised of the Lord Chancellor assisted by "Lords of Appeal in Ordinary" who are Peers of the Realm learned in law. This Court is an appellate Court, hearing appeals from inferior Courts. The Court also has original jurisdiction for any case where a person is accused of treason.

The current composition of the Court is as follows:

The Lord Chancellor: The Marquess of Avebury, CSP, OGE, KBA *

Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary: The Duke of Bergen, CHM, CSP, CGE, KBA
Second Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary: The Duke of Walsingham, GCSP, CKE, KGE, KBA, KC

*As Lord Chancellor, Lord Avebury is automatically the Presiding Officer of the Court. Lord Avebury has separately been appointed as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. Should he ever cease being Lord Chancellor, Lord Avebury would remain on this Court.



HIS MAJESTY'S COUNSEL LEARNED IN LAW

His Majesty's Counsel Learned in Law (commonly known as "King's Counsel") are authorized to represent any individual before Sconnish Courts in any matter whatsoever. In order to become a King's Counsel, a citizen must pass a 3-part open book bar exam that tests the citizen's knowledge of Sconnish Law, judicial structure, and procedure. If you are interested in taking the Sconnish Bar exam, please contact the Lord Chancellor or Prime Minister. In order to be appointed as a judge, magistrate judge, or an officer within the Crown Prosecutor or Crown Defender's office, a citizen must first pass this exam.

The current roll of King's Counsel are as follows:

The Duke of Bergen, CHM, CSP, CGE, KBA
The Duke of Walsingham, GCSP, CKE, KGE, KBA
The Marquess of Avebury, CSP, OGE, KBA
The Viscount York of Hamilton, CSP
The Lord Carlton of Quincet, Bt.
The Lord Paul of Chandernagor, GCGE, KC
The Lord Fensome-Kemp of Worchester GCGE
Lord Ryen Rasmus, Bt.
Sir Andrew Pollock, CSP, Bt.
Sir Adam Ferguson, Bt.
Sir John Sanders, Bt.
Sir Ritoban Paul, MGE
Mr. John Lowndes


MAGISTRATE JUDGES

Parliament passed the Magistrate Judges Act 2018 allowing for the appointment of Magistrate Judges to serve when needed on the Court of Common Pleas or Court of Lord High Steward. Magistrate Judges may be appointed when a full panel is needed for a case but one or more Associate Judges are conflicted out of a case for some reason or are otherwise unavailable to hear cases. Magistrate Judges must be King's Counsel before their appointment. Magistrate Judges may serve in various other legal positions in the Kingdom such as in the Crown Prosecution or Defender services.

Currently, the following citizens are appointed as Magistrate Judges:

The Lord Paul of Chandernagor, MGE



THE CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE

The Crown Prosecution service is an independent agency that can investigate accusations of criminal misconduct in a fair and impartial way. If the Government believes that some criminal misconduct has occurred, it may forward the matter to the Crown Prosecution service for further investigation. Any person may also contact the Crown Prosecution service if they believe laws have been violated, though citizens may also file cases directly with the Court if they wish. The Crown Prosecution Service may also be called upon from time to time to represent the Government in civil proceedings or initiate civil litigation.

The two primary officers of the Crown Prosecution Service are the Attorney General, who leads the office, and the Solicitor General who assists.

The current composition of the office is as follows:

Attorney General: Sir Adam Ferguson, Bt.
Solicitor General: Sir John Sanders, Bt.

THE CROWN DEFENDER SERVICE

The Crown Defender service provides legal representation for anyone who needs counsel who is charged with a criminal offense. Any citizen can have any person represent them in legal proceedings, but this office provides specialized services to individuals who are accused of offenses. The Crown Defender service can also represent people who are involved in civil litigation.

At present, the Crown Defender service has no staff. Please contact the Prime Minister if you are interested in the appointment.

THE CHARTER OF SCONE

THE CHARTER OF SCONE


2014 - THE CHARTER OF SCONE ACT
 
 
The Charter of Scone Act 2014
 
An ACT to provide for the constitution of the various major aspects and institutions of the Sconnish State.


Whereas an earnest band of friends and compatriots has determined to unite together in a common bond, forming a community to be styled a kingdom and governed as such:
 

And whereas the said community has determined to be known to the world henceforth and forevermore by the name of SCONE:

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Burgesses of the Realm, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

I. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the Charter of Scone Act 2014


II. PRELIMINARY

1. All references within this Charter to the “King” or “His Majesty” and any and all other references by which the Sovereign is referred to in the masculine shall also be construed to refer to a regnant Queen (“Her Majesty”) in the event of a female occupant of the Throne.

2. This Charter, and all laws made under it, shall be binding upon all courts, judges, and people of every shire and of every part of this Kingdom.

3. This Charter shall come into force upon the publication of the same in sight of the People of Scone.




III. THE STYLE OF THIS REALM

This Kingdom shall be styled "The Kingdom of Scone."



IV. THE SOVEREIGN

1. His Majesty the King, who is the Sovereign, reigns under God as the first servant of the Sconnish People and as the governor of their common society. The Sovereign is the personification of the State, and shall be known by his royal style and titles proclaimed from time to time.  All power and authority in and over the Sconnish realm emanate
s from the Sovereign and is exercised in His name. 


2. The person of the Sovereign is inviolable. He shall not be prosecuted. 


3. The Sovereign is not responsible. His Ministers are responsible.


4. All ambassadors, consuls, and other diplomatic representatives of foreign powers shall be accredited to the Sovereign; their credentials shall be received in the Sovereign’s name, in his presence or in the presence of His representative. 


5. The Sovereign is the fount of honour. Honours are bestowed by the Sovereign or by His representative in his name.


6. The Command-in-Chief of any and all the protective services of the Kingdom of Scone is vested in the Sovereign, who may from time to time appoint officers as he shall think fit . 


7. The Sovereign shall take care to appoint at least one but no more than five principal men or women of the kingdom to serve as Counsellors of State, any or all of which shall, according to the prescriptions of the Sovereign, have the responsibility of carrying out the duties of the Sovereign in any and all cases wherein temporary indispositions or sudden and unforeseen emergencies shall deprive the State of the necessary executive, legislative, or judicial actions or decisions of the Sovereign.  
In the event of the demise of the Sovereign, the Counsellors of State appointed by him shall retain their offices until they shall be dismissed from them by his lawful successor.

 

8. The laws of succession to the Throne shall be determined by Act of Parliament.

9. In the event that there shall be in place no clear laws of succession to the Throne upon the demise or abdication of the Sovereign, or in the event that no heir has been appointed by the Sovereign prior to his demise or abdication, some suitable successor to His Majesty shall be designated by Act of Parliament, or if there sits no Parliament, by the Government, by means of Orders-in-Council approved by the Counsellors of State.


10. In the event that the Sovereign shall be in his minority, a Regency shall be declared and a Regent appointed without delay by the Privy Council by means of Royal Proclamation signed by the Counsellors of State. The Regency for a Sovereign in his minority shall obtain until his 18
th birthday, upon the commencement of which calendar day at midnight the said Regency shall cease and the Regent deprived automatically of his office.


 

11. In the event that the Sovereign shall inform Parliament of his own incapacity, or that, according to statute, he shall be judged by Parliament to be incapacitated, a Regency shall be declared by Act of Parliament, which Regency shall obtain until the Sovereign shall inform Parliament of the cessation of his incapacity by way of an instrument signed by the Sovereign in his own hand, sealed with the Great Seal, and countersigned by the Prime Minister or other the most senior minister or secretary of state of His Majesty’s Government.


 

12. His Majesty’s Government, alone, without the consent of Parliament, has neither the competence to determine the incapacity of the Sovereign, nor to initiate a Regency. At times when no Parliament is sitting, the Sovereign shall, if he is able, summon a Parliament to sit in order that Parliament may confirm his incapacity and initiate a Regency. If the Sovereign is incapable of summoning a Parliament, however, on account of severe incapacity, His Majesty’s Counsellors of State shall be empowered to summon a Parliament in His Majesty’s name at the Government’s request.  



13. Every reference to the Sovereign in any document or instrument in force on or after the commencement of this Charter shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to include a reference to His Majesty’s heirs and successors.


V. THE EXECUTIVE POWER

1. The Executive Government and Authority of and over the Kingdom of Scone is vested in the Sovereign and shall be exercised in his name.

 
2. The Sovereign may, from time to time, create public offices as he shall think fit and shall summon and appoint persons to those offices by instrument under the Great Seal.

 
3. The Sovereign shall appoint from time to time, as elections or other circumstances warrant, a Prime Minister to preside over His Majesty’s Government, and shall compose his Ministry of various subjects, on the Prime Minister’s advice.

 
4.  There shall be a council to advise and aid the Sovereign to be styled His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council. The persons who are to be members of that Council shall be from time to time chosen and summoned by the Sovereign as he shall think fit, and members thereof may be from time to time removed by the Sovereign as he shall think fit. Executive orders issued in Council and approved by His Majesty shall bear the counter-signature of the Prime Minister, or in his absence the next most senior secretary of state, minister, or other member of His Majesty’s Government.

5. Privy Counsellors, His Majesty’s ministers, and all holders of public offices shall, before assuming the duties of their offices, make and subscribe before the Sovereign or some person authorized by him the Affirmation of Loyalty as prescribed in the First Schedule of this Charter. Members of the Privy Council may furthermore be required to subscribe to a special affirmation for Privy Counsellors at His Majesty’s direction or as mandated by statute.


VI. THE LEGISLATIVE POWER

1. There shall be One Parliament for the Kingdom of Scone which shall ordinarily consist of the Sovereign, the Peers of the Realm, and any other His Majesty’s subjects qualified to have a place and a voice in Parliament, which subjects shall be styled Burgesses.  Parliament may, at the discretion of His Majesty in consultation with his ministers, consist extraordinarily of the Sovereign together with the Peers of the Realm, only, at times when the kingdom shall be manifestly depopulated, or whenever the Burgesses of the Realm cannot be conveniently summoned to attend upon His Majesty.

 
2. His Majesty the King in Parliament, under God, is the most profound and perfect expression of the State, and is furthermore, as the common Council of the Realm, the insuperable source of Legislation. 

3. The Peers of the Realm may sit together with the Burgesses in one single house, or they may resolve, instead, to sit separately in a house of their own. The Peers of the Realm should not resolve to sit separately from the Burgesses at times when inadequate numbers
 should cause such an arrangement to be impracticable.

 
4. Should the Peers of the Realm sit separately from the Burgesses in a house of their own, their assembly shall be styled the House of Peers, whereas the assembly of the Burgesses shall be styled the House of Burgesses.

 
5. The Chancellor of the Kingdom of Scone (under any style or title by which he shall be known) shall be the ordinary moderator of the whole of Parliament for as often as the Peers and the Burgesses shall sit together in the same house, or over the House of Peers whenever they shall sit in separate houses. For as often as the Peers and the Burgesses shall sit in separate houses, a Speaker shall be elected by the House of Burgesses, according to their own rules or customs, to preside therein.  

 
6. For as often as the Peers of the Realm shall sit separately from the Burgesses in a house of their own, a Bill initiated and passed in one house shall, upon passage, be introduced and passed in the other before being sent to the Sovereign for the Royal Assent.  A bill that shall fail in the house which initiated it shall not be introduced to the other house. A bill that shall pass in one house but shall subsequently fail in the other shall not be introduced again during the same Parliamentary session.  
7. The size of the population permitting, there shall be a session of Parliament once at least in every year, either in its ordinary or extraordinary consistency according to the first Article of this Section, so that twelve months shall not intervene between the last sitting of Parliament in one session and its first sitting in the next.

 
8. A Parliament shall commence upon the opening of the same by the Sovereign, a Regent, or otherwise His Majesty’s lawful representative and no sooner, and shall persist until the Sovereign, a Regent, or otherwise His Majesty’s lawful representative shall dissolve it. No session of a sitting Parliament shall conclude until it shall be prorogued by the Sovereign, a Regent, or otherwise His Majesty’s lawful representative.

9. The Sovereign (or a Regent) shall be free to legislate personally, on the advice and consent of the Privy Council, by Royal Proclamation, Orders-in-Council, or other instrument at times when a Parliament cannot be summoned. Parliament, when convened, however, shall be free to review and to amend all such unilateral statutory decrees of the Sovereign (or Regent).

 
10. The Sovereign (or a Regent) shall be free to issue Royal Proclamations, Orders-in-Council, or other instruments of the Royal Will with the advice and consent of the Privy Council, provided that all such Proclamations, Orders-in-Council, and other instruments shall in no wise contradict Acts of Parliament in force at the time.


VII. THE JUDICIAL POWER

1. His Majesty the King in Parliament constitutes the highest court within and over the Kingdom of Scone, beyond which there is no appeal. A Judicial Committee of the Peers of the Realm, presided over by the Chancellor of the Kingdom of Scone (under any style or title by which he shall be known), and otherwise comprised of Peers learned in the Laws of the Realm and appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Privy Council, shall hear and adjudicate in His Majesty’s name all cases appealed to the King in Parliament from the Court of His Majesty in Council. His Majesty the King in Parliament shall be the court of first instance and of final appeal for all cases touching upon acts of treason, or the high crimes and misdemeanors of the Peers of the Realm, the Great Officers of State, the Burgesses of Parliament, and Members of the Privy Council.

 
2. His Majesty the King in Council shall constitute the court of first instance for all cases of every nature arising concerning the affairs of His Majesty’s ministers, and shall be the court of appeal for any and all cases adjudicated by lower courts having no other courts above them.  For as often as no court lower than the Court of His Majesty in Council shall be constituted, His Majesty in Council shall be the court of first instance for any and all civil and criminal cases arising. A Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, presided over by the presiding moderator of the Council (under any style or title by which he shall be known), and otherwise comprised of other members of the Privy Council appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister, shall hear and adjudicate in His Majesty’s name all cases brought before His Majesty in Council.


3. His Majesty the King in Parliament may constitute lower courts from time to time by Act of Parliament.

 
4. The Sovereign may appoint judges and legal officers from time to time by instrument under the Great Seal.


VIII. THE COUNTIES AND OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITIES

1. The Kingdom of Scone shall be composed of five Counties, as constituted in the Third Schedule of this Charter.


2. His Majesty the King may devise and grant charters for cities, towns, villages, and other local communities from time to time as he shall think fit.

 
3. Fully-initiated subjects of His Majesty shall be registered as freemen of one borough or another, and as such shall be qualified to have a seat and a voice in Parliament.


IX. THE PEERAGE

His Majesty the King shall be free to constitute a Peerage through the creation, by Letters Patent, of any ranks or titles of nobility that he shall think fit from time to time to create, and to elevate to the Peerage such subjects as he shall think fit to elevate. 

 
X. THE GREAT OFFICERS OF STATE

The Sovereign shall, from time to time as he shall think fit, constitute the Great Officers of State by Royal Proclamation, appointing them by instrument under the Great Seal.

XI. ALTERATION OF THIS CHARTER

Any and all amendments to or alterations of this Charter shall be made by Act of Parliament. 


XII. EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT

This Act shall come into force upon the date that it shall receive the Royal Assent.


SCHEDULES


THE FIRST SCHEDULE.

The Affirmation of Loyalty.

I, A.B., do solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King James, his heirs and successors according to law.

(NOTE- The name of the King or Queen for the time being is to be substituted from time to time.)


THE SECOND SCHEDULE.

The Royal Capital.

The Royal Capital of Our Kingdom of Scone shall be styled "The City of Tartannac” and shall be regarded to subsist within the Shire of Glennainshire.


THE THIRD SCHEDULE.

Administrative Divisions of the Kingdom of Scone.

A. The Kingdom of Scone shall be divided into five counties, which counties shall be:
1. Glennainshire
2. Mountcastle
3. Forth
4. Murchaidh
5. Willanchurch


 
B. The counties of Scone shall each have a borough, and they shall be as follows:
 
 
1. For the County of Glennainshire: Glennainburgh
2. For the County of Mountcastle: Heathminster
3. For the County of Forth: Greenwood
4. For the County of Murchaidh: Breninton
5. For the County of Willanchurch: Kingston

 
NOTES ON THE CHARTER OF SCONE.
 
Students and interpreters of this Charter should be very mindful of the fact that it has been composed in the context of the same paradigm by which all nations in the English-speaking world subscribing to the Westminster system of government conceive of law and government. This Charter should never be adjudged, therefore, according to the standards of American-style democracy or looked at through the lens of any other tradition of law and government foreign to our own, as to do so would be to remove this document, entirely, from its proper context.
 
 
Persons familiar with the context in which this document was written will not scruple, therefore, over those parts of it which seem, out of context, to give the monarch sweeping and totalitarian authority. Lines written so as to seem to suggest that the King shall freely rule and make decisions “as he shall think fit,” for example, are understood by persons familiar with the proper context to give liberty to the King, as guided by his democratically elected ministers, to provide for the efficient administration of the kingdom, and nothing more. The Sovereign, of course, never acts independently of the advice of his ministers, all of whom are accountable to Parliament. In most if not all circumstances, in fact, the monarch does not really act at all, but rather gives his tacit approval to the decisions and activities of Parliament and his Government as a matter of course. While all power and authority must be said to emanate from the Crown, in theory, that same power and authority is not wielded by the person who wears the Crown, in practice. This principle is clearly understood by those familiar with the system of government upon which ours is based.
 
 
Readers of this Charter are apt to notice that it is a constitution in the strict sense, that is to say that it constitutes the state and its various major components. It is not, however, meant to be a document which outlines the rights and liberties of the people, as many republican constitutions are wont to be, inspired as they typically are by either the French or American constitutions. The rights, liberties, and responsibilities of the Sconnish people will be defined by subsequent Acts of Parliament, executive actions, judicial decisions, and local statutes, as circumstances warrant, as the people petition, and as time goes by. So many of the rights and liberties of the people are a matter of common supposition, and so much of what is not specifically spelled-out in this document is implied by the context in which it has been composed, that it will hardly be necessary to itemize or define every minute detail concerning the welfare of the populace until circumstances shall arise which warrant further clarifications. The purpose of this Charter is to constitute the major aspects of the Sconnish polity, and not to supply for every conceivable right, need, or contingency.
 
 
Readers of this Charter will immediately be struck by certain terms and usages which vary from those at Westminster and in the United Kingdom, generally. This is to be expected. Although the Kingdom of Scone is inspired by the United Kingdom and takes much of its instruction from Westminster, it is not supposed that our community must mimic, in every respect, the institutions, styles, and titles of Great Britain. This Charter, for example, does not mandate a bicameral Parliament composed of a “House of Lords” and a “House of Commons,” but instead allows for the possibility of a bicameral Parliament, but one composed of a “House of Peers” and a “House of Burgesses.” The Charter also advises that Parliament may, and ought to be, unicameral at times when the population of the Realm is too small to practically support a bicameral Parliament.  Despite the variant terminology and the allowance for a single-house Parliament, however, the essential legislative principles of Westminster remain intact.
 
 
To address the concerns of those susceptible to fears for unexpected contingencies arising from the incapacitation, demise, indisposition, or minority of a figurehead monarch, this charter has extensively addressed such concerns in such a way as ought to put anyone’s mind at ease. The processes for compensating for a monarch’s absence or inability to attend to his or her duties is thoroughly treated by this Charter, including a detailed procedure outline for the initiation of a Regency.  It should be stated, however, that undue concerns for the efficient operations of the mechanisms of the state in the event of the monarch’s absence, indisposition, or incapacity may be said to be misplaced in a mature environment in which modern democratic principles are understood to obtain. In any such environment, the polity is inherently equipped with a realization that the person of the Sovereign is neither a god nor a roadblock, but rather a device to be utilized by the state in such a way that the symbolic unity of the community is solemnly maintained and projected with dignity. The People of Scone are capable of governing themselves and of resolving, with their own ingenuity, any problems which may arise concerning the monarchy, within the context of the system they have adopted for their use. There is no circumstance which can be considered so inflexible that the People, utilizing the tools understood to be at their disposal, cannot adjust to suit their needs of the moment through thoughtful deliberation and mature consensus. The People of Scone do not exist for the benefit of this Charter, rather this Charter exists for the benefit of the People of Scone.

 
Section VIII and the corresponding Third Schedule of this Charter suppose that the Kingdom of Scone will be divided into five counties. It is understood by everyone, of course, that the Sconnish People possesses no territory. Scone is a kingdom of people, not of land. The proper way to interpret such localities, therefore, is to think of them as organizational tools by which the needs of a growing populace may be better managed. It will, of course, be observed that it is hardly necessary to style such divisions and subdivisions of the population as “counties” or “cities” or “boroughs,” however these designations are traditional and therefore lend a certain atmosphere to the community that has come to be expected.