CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD Kinge of England Scotland France and Ireland defendor of the faith etc HIS MAJESTIES Declaration CONCERNING His Proceedings with His Subjects of SCOTLAND Since the Pacification in the Camp neere Berwick LONDON Printed by R. Young His Majesties Printer for Scotland and R. Badger Printer to the Prince His Highnesse M.DC.XL C R HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE By the King WE did make accompt that the Pacification which We were pleased to condescend unto the last yeare in the Campe neere Berwick and to grant to Our Subjects of Scotland even then when they were in the height of their rebellion and in the field in Armes against Us had given such demonstration to the world of Our inclination to peace and desire to spare the blood of Our people and to winne them to the obedience which they owe unto Us as that all misunderstandings had beene utterly taken away as they were on Our part and that such conditions as were then agreed upon should have beene really performed by them according to those bonds of Allegeance dutie and promise in which they stand obliged to Us. But We have since found to our unexpressible grief that Our Princely goodnesse and mildnesse in passing by that offence hath produced nothing but extreame ingratitude and insufferable insolencies against Our Government And farther by sundry libellous Pamphlets and most false and seditious discourses sent from Scotland and dispersed purposely in this Our Kingdome of England especially in our Citie of London that the cause of these disorders is sought to be shifted off from the Rebels in Scotland and most unjustly cast upon Us. Wherfore We hold Our selfe bound in that dutie which we owe to God and love to truth not to suffer Our honour to be thus betrayed and vilified by faction and rebellion but to vindicate it from all calumnie and clamour by giving hereby a cleare and just accompt to all the world of Our proceeding with Our Subjects of that Our Kingdome and of the most materiall and remarkable occurrents since that Pacification that so all those that are not partiall or will not wilfully shut their eyes against the truth may judge who they are that have beene the disturbers and infractors of the peace and that under the maske and visour of Religion seek to undermine and subvert all Monarchicall and civill Government Which accompt followes thus After We had beene some time in the Campe neere Berwicke and that Our Subjects of Scotland had encamped with their Armie in view of Ours upon an overture from them We were contented to condescend to the receiving of a Petition in which it is expressed that they falling downe at Our feet did most humbly supplicate Vs to appoint some of this Our Kingdome of England to heare by some of them their humble desires Which We having granted and severall meetings by those of both Kingdomes having been held at all which Our self to shew Our hearty and earnest desire to meet Our subjects in a peacable way were contented to be present much beyond their own expectation as they have since acknowledged and We are sure exceedingly beyond their merit at the last those of Scotland were commanded to make their demands in writing in which after they had presented their desires of which one was That the acts of the late assembly at Glasgow holden by Our Indiction might be ratified in the ensuing Parliament they professe It is their griefe that We should have beene provoked to wrath against them Our most humble and loving Subjects and that it shall be their delight upon Our gracious assurance of the preservation of their Religion and Lawes to give example to others of all civill and temporall obedience which can be required or expected of loyall subjects Whereupon We letting them know that for the better clearing of particulars We expected from them the grounds reasons of their desires but that We would not surprise them and therefore gave them time to come prepared with their grounds in writing The Lord Lowdon said Their desires were onely to enjoy their Religion and Liberties according to the Ecclesiasticall and Civill Lawes of the Kingdome and in clearing particulars they would not insist upon any that were not such This We willed him to set downe in writing under his hand which he did in these words Memorandum that our desires are onely the enjoying of our Religion and Liberties according to the Ecclesiasticall and Civill Lawes of His Majesties Kingdome To cleare by sufficient Grounds that the particulars which we humbly crave are such and shall not insist to crave any point which is not so warranted And that we humbly offer all civill and temporall obedience to Your Majesty which can be required or expected of loyall subjects Signed Lowdon To which We answered That if their desires were onely the enjoying of their Religion and Liberties according to the Ecclesiasticall and Civill Lawes of Our Kingdome of Scotland We do not onely agree to the same but shall alwayes protect them to the uttermost of Our power And if they shall not insist upon any thing but that which is so warranted We will most willingly and readily condescend unto it so that in the meane time they pay unto Vs that civill and temporall obedience which can be justly required and expected of loyall subjects This being the ground of the agreement on both sides We were pleased to proceed to a finall determination of this businesse which was brought to a conclusion upon the 17. of June 1639 And Our Declaration of that date conformable to these grounds was thereupon made which was not onely accepted by those that came in the name of all those of the Covenant but most humble thankes were given to Us by them for Our gracious answer vouchsafed to their Petition in the said Declaration which was fully agreed upon together with sundry Articles by all parties The Pacification thus concluded the Articles on both sides were to be performed accordingly Those on Our part were in the Declaration following We having considered the papers and humble petitions presented to Vs by those of Our subjects of Scotland who were admitted to attend Our pleasure in the Camp and after a full bearing by Our Selfe of all that they could say or alledge thereupon having communicated the same to Our Councell of both Kingdomes there present upon mature deliberation with their unanimous advice We have thought fit to give this just and gracious answer That though We cannot condescend to ratifie and approve the acts of the pretended Generall Assembly at Glasgow for many grave and weighty considerations which have happened both before and since much importing the Honour and Security of that true Monarchicall Government lineally descended upon Vs from so many of Our Ancestors yet such is Our gracious pleasure that notwithstanding the many disorders committed of late We are pleased not onely to confirm and make good whatsoever our Commissioner hath
preceding Parliaments contrary to the liberties of this free and ancient Kingdome and very repugnant to His Majesties Royall intentions promise and gracious expressions in the Articles of the late Pacificà tion c. And wee doe further declare that any Prorogation made by the Commissioners Grace alone without consent of the Parliament by himselfe or any Commissioner in his name under the Quarter Seale or by the Lords of the Councell who have no power at all in matters of the Parliament during the sitting thereof shall be ineffectuall and of no force at all to hinder the lawfull proceedings of the Subjects and the doers thereof to be censurable in Parliament And further wee declare that the Commissioner his nomination of the Articles by himselfe his calling together those Articles and commanding them to sit continually and proceed notwithstanding their daily Protestations to the contrary his keeping frequent sessions of Councell and determining causes in Councell during the time of session in Parliament his calling downe and calling up of money during the session of Parliament without consent of the Estates of Parliament notwithstanding the Parliament had taken the money to their consideration and had purposed to have given their advice for a determination thereanent his frequent prorogating of the riding of the Parliament without consent of the Estates or mentioning in the Acts of Prorogation the consent of the Articles although it were done by their advice are contrary to the liberties of the Kingdome freedome and custome of Parliament and that they be no preparatives practiques nor prejudices in time comming against us or our successors But because we know that the eyes of the world are upon us that Declarations have been made and published against us c. that our proceedings may be made odious to such as know not the way how these commandements are procured from His Majestie nor how they are made knowne nor intimate to us and doe as little consider that wee are not private Subjects but a sitting Parliament or what nationall prejudices we have sustained in time past by mis-information and what is the present case of the Kingdome We therefore declare that whatsoever by the example of our predecessours in like cases of necessity by His Majesties Indiction and by the Articles of Pacification wee might doe lawfully in sitting still and which in this extreme necessity were justifiable not onely before so just a King but to the faces of our Adversaries yet out of our most reverend regard and humble desire to render not onely all reall demonstrations of civill obedience but to put farre from us all shew or appearance of what may give His Majestie the least discontent wee have resolved for the present onely to make remonstrance to His Majestie of the reason of our propositions and proceedings in this Parliament c. and in expectation of His Majesties gracious answer to these our humble Remonstrances some of each Estate having power from the whole body of the Parliament remaine still here at Edinburgh to attend the returne of His Majesties gracious answer to our humble and just demands and further to remonstrate our humble desires to His Majestie upon all occasions that hereby it may be made most manifest against all contradiction that it was never our intention to deny His Majestie any part of that civill and temporall obedience which is due to all Kings from their Subjects and from us to our dread Soveraigne after a more especiall manner but meerly to preserve our Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome without which Religion cannot continue long in safety And if it shall happen which God forbid that after wee have made our Remonstrances and to the uttermost of our power and duty used all lawfull meanes for His Majesties Information that our malicious enemies who are not considerable shall by their suggestions and lyes prevaile against Informations and generall Declarations of a whole Kingdome we take God and men to witnesse that wee are free of the outrages and insolences that may be committed in the meane time and that it shall be to us no imputation that we are constrained to take such course as may best secure the Kirke and Kingdome from the extremity of confusion and misery Which Declaration above written wee the Estates of Parliament required the Clerke to insert in the records thereof and grant extracts thereof under his hand and subscription This Declaration was produced and read in the outer house of Parliament upon Decemb. 18. 1639. according whereunto the Nobility nominated and appointed the Earles of Lothian and Dalhouse the Lords Yester Balmerino Cranston and Naper The Barons nominated the Commissioners of the three Lothians Fife and Tweddell The Burroughes nominated the Commissioners of Edinburgh Linlithgow Sterline Hadington Dunbarre to attend at Edinburgh the returne of His Majesties gracious answer to their humble Remonstrances In this Protestation or Declaration though there be a specious shew and sundry professions of obedience to Us yet it is evident they have wounded Our Authority in the person of the Earle of Traquair Our Commissioner who did nothing in that Prorogation but by Our speciall commandement and therefore for that they cannot censure Him without reflection upon Us And besides it is positively affirmed that any Prorogation made by the Commissioner alone without consent of the Parliament shall be ineffectuall and of no force which necessarily implies that Wee have no power to prorogue whereas the contrary is most manifest truth And though upon Our command there was a shew of Prorogation yet they continued part of their Body at Edinburgh upon pretence of receiving Our answer to their Remonstrance which if it shall not be to their liking they conclude with a menacing Protestation that It shall be no imputation to them if they be constrained to take such course as may best secure the Kirke and Kingdome from the extremity of confusion and misery having first taken God and Men to witnesse that they will be free of all outrages and insolencies that may bee committed in the meane time then which nothing can be more boldly and insolently spoken After this these divided members of that distracted Parliamentary Body remaining thus at Edinburgh did send the Earle of Dumfermlin and the Lord Lowdon as their Deputies to make their Remonstrance to Us but because We understood that they came without warrant or licence from Our Commissioner and had not acquainted Him with what they were to propound unto Us We held this like the rest a great and insufferable disobedience and would not admit them to Our presence comming in this manner and so commanded them to returne without hearing them Then Our Commissioner came hither and made a report to Us of the state of Our affaires there with which We thought fit to acquaint the Lords of Our Councell of England as also with this carriage of the Parliament in Scotland and to advise with them what was to bee done for redresse of
these disorders Whereupon Wee commanded Our said Commissioner the Earle of Traquair to make relation to the Boord of all their exorbitant demands of which some accompt had been formerly given them by the Lord Marquesse Hamiltoun Upon this Our command the Earle of Traquair made a large and exact representation to the Boord of the most considerable matters proposed and agitated in Parliament and of the insolencie of their demands and the Petitioners themselves sent from Scotland have since their comming to Us insisted upon all and every particular of Our said Commissioners relation and in a most bold way offered to justifie them all by which they have more then justified the report of the said Earle of Traquair Whereupon We were further pleased to acquaint the Lords that they had lately sent Us a Petition which carried some shew of submission and humility but was indeed nothing lesse wherein they desired that some might be allowed to come from them to Us to represent their affaires which to make Our Subjects of Scotland the more inexcusable Wee todl the Lords Wee had granted though Wee had little cause to hope for any good from those that had so much forgotten their duty and allegeance to Us. When the Lords had heard the relation of Our Commissioner Wee thought fit upon the whole matter to put this question to them Whether considering the insolencie and height of these demands even concerning civill obedience it were not fit to reduce them to their dutie by force rather then to give way to these demands so prejudiciall to Us in honour and safety To this Wee commanded every one of Our Councell to give his answer and to declare his opinion by vote which was accordingly done and they unanimously voted in the affirmative whereupon soone after We resolved to call a Parliament After this Our Subjects in Scotland according to the answer We gave them upon their Petition having sent up hither foure Deputies viz. the Earle of Dumfermlin the Lord Lowdon Sir William Douglas and Master Berkeley We were pleased to admit them to Our presence and to receive Petitions from them which were after by Our direction subscribed by them in one of which they in the name of the Assembly convened at Edinburgh gave Us thankes for that Wee had made knowne to them that all matters Ecclesiasticall should be determined in free nationall Assemblies and matters Civill in Parliaments and desired Our ratification of the Constitutions of the Assembly in Parliament And in the other they desired to bee heard before Us and some of Our Councell of both Kingdomes and that the report made by the Earle of Traquair to Our Councell here in England might be delivered them in writing under his hand which was a most insolent demand Immediately after this Wee thought fit to appoint a speciall Committee of some of Our Councell to heare them and accordingly gave order to the Earle of Traquair to assigne them a day to come to that Committee They refused to come alledging that they had order and instructions to treat with none but Our Selfe Whereupon Wee appointed them to attend Us at the Committee though it were the day of Our appointed remove to Hampton Court at which time they did attend Us accordingly There the Lord Lowdon made a long speech the effect whereof was a Protestation of the independencie of the Parliament of Scotland and that it is subject to no other Judicatory a profession of their loyaltie and affection to Us and a justification of their proceedings in the Assembly and Parliament as agreeable to the Articles of Pacification and to the Lawes and Practices of that Kingdome and thereupon a desire that We would ratifie and confirme those their proceedings and to that purpose command that the Parliament might proceed freely for the determining of all the Articles delivered in to them and the establishing of Religion and Peace in the Kingdome undertaking that whatsoever objections or informations should be made against their proceedings in Parliament if they might receive them in writing they would make answer to them This discourse ended Wee demanded what power and commission they had to give Us satisfaction and to oblige those from whom they came seeing if they had none Wee should heare them upon great disadvantage they expecting satisfaction from Us who have power to give it but they none to render the like to Us. They answered that which they should propose being agreeable to Law they were confident would give Us satisfaction We asked who should be Judge of that They answered the Lawes would be so cleere that there should be no need of a Judge and though We insisted much hereupon they would give Us no other satisfaction they avowing they had powers and would bring them to Us they were ordered to doe so at the next meeting and so for that time were dismissed After Our returne from Hampton Court they attended Us at the Committee againe where they produced Instructions signed by some Scottish Lords and others persons of no great eminencie which Instructions having been read were judged by Us all the Committee concurring in the same opinion to be no commission nor that they had any power or authority by them to give Us satisfaction or to oblige those from whom they said they came to any thing that Wee should yeeld to or desire Wherefore We demanding whether they had any other powers they said they had a paper formerly subscribed by some of the Lords in Parliament by which the Earle of Dumfermlin and Lord Lowdon onely were authorised to come and present their justification to Us and they could for the present have no other the Parliament now not sitting Whereupon Wee advising seriously with the Committee what were best to bee done in this weighty businesse and considering that if they should bee dismissed without further hearing they would take occasion to clamour Although Wee held Our Selfe bound neither in Honour nor Justice to heare them any further they having offered no foundation for an accommodation nor having power to doe it yet to the end that no colour of sinister construction might be left and that Wee might justifie Our Selfe to God and the World that Wee have omitted nothing on Our part that might tend to peace and to the settling of a better intelligence between Us and them Wee did resolve that Wee would continue to heare them and make Our objections to such particulars as had been proposed in Parliament and against which Wee had just ground of exception that so it might appeare whether they could give Us that satisfaction which they promised and presumed This Wee having declared to them not one of them made shew of the least sense of this Our grace and goodnesse so expressed to them which the Lord Marquesse Hammiltoun observing tooke occasion of himselfe to say that though hee were not of their companie yet being a Scottishman hee held himselfe obliged to acknowledge with all humility this Our
singular and Princely favour to his Countrie and besought Us to accept his most humble thankes for it This drew them to do the like and so they presented their humble thanks to Us on their knees At the next meeting of the Committee the said Petitioners produced the paper above-mentioned subscribed by some of the Lords remaining at Edinburgh as aforesaid by which the Earle of Dumfermlin and Lord Lowdon onely were heretofore authorised to come and present their justification to Us which paper being read the whole Committee agreed that the Petitioners had no power by this paper no more then by the former to give Us any satisfaction or to oblige those from whom they came but onely to endeavour to justifie themselves and the former proceedings of the Parliament Of all this Wee were pleased to give accompt to Our whole Councell of England who unanimously concurred in opinion with the Committee that the above-mentioned papers gave them no power at all Neverthelesse Wee were contented according to Our promise to heare them and Wee did make objections to the most exorbitant of their demands but their answers were very impertinent and rather justifications of them then any way satisfactory Which could not be otherwise seeing those demands were for the most part so contrary to Law and Monarchicall government that they did answer themselves as by Our answers to them formerly set downe more particularly may appeare Concerning Our promise of a free Parliament no man of ordinary sense can imagine We ever intended it should be so free as not to bee limited with their owne conditions subscribed by the Lord Lowdon which were to enjoy their Religion and Liberties according to the Ecclesiasticall and Civill lawes of that Our Kingdome and if they passe those bounds as it is evident they have done We remaine dis-obliged unlesse they will have Us onely obliged and themselves left at all liberty to fly at Our Monarchicall government without controll to wrest the Scepter out of Our hand to rob Our Crown of the fairest flowers belonging to it and to destroy Our Regall power and authority as manifestly they have endevoured to doe by their insufferable intended Acts and Demands contrary to all law and reason If it be further objected that they assume this liberty by Our allowing of the Covenant and commanding Our former High Commissioner the Lord Marquesse of Hamiltoun and other Our subjects to subscribe it the answer is very ready That there is a great difference between the Covenant and Band subscribed by Our Commandment and their Band for that Covenant and Band was made by Our late Father King James of blessed memory Anno 1580. and obligeth those that sweare to it that they should mutually assist one another as they should be commanded by the King or any authorised by him But this new Band was made without Our consent and by it they sweare mutually to assist one another not excepting the King which is indeed a meere cunning combination against the King Besides when any have beene required to subscribe the Covenant as the Lord Marquesse Hamiltoun was and did and in that sense which he declared in print the principall Heads of them did not onely refuse it themselves but disswaded as much as in them lay all Our good subjects from subscribing it though the Covenant were all one with theirs and so acknowledged by themselves whereby it doth evidently appeare that it was not Religion they aimed to secure as they pretended for then they would have acquiesced with these Our commands but meerely by adhering to their owne Band to keepe Our Subjects in that condition as they might be alwayes tied and conceive themselves obliged by Oath to take up Armes against Us whensoever the time should be fit for a totall Rebellion which they have never left endevouring till they have brought to passe so that by Our approbation of the old Covenant and Band or by the subscription of Our Commissioner they can have no solid foundation to justifie their now proceedings and it will handly appeare that ever any Covenant was made in the Christian world except in cases of Rebellion and Treason as this is where the Head was left out or had not a negative voice Neither can the Earle of Traquair Our High Commissioner his subscription or allowance of the subscribing of the Covenant be any warrant for their rebellious courses seeing as appeares by their owne Petition to him they declare that Now following the laudable example of their Predecessors they doe humbly supplicate for the same and that they may bee allowed and warranted to subscribe it which cleerely evinces that what they did before and of themselves without warrant of Authority was neither laudable nor warrantable As also before the allowing thereof by the said Earle of Traquair it is acknowledged as appeares by that which is prefixt to his subscription that it is one and the same Covenant with that of 1580. which as appeares by the Reasons heretofore deduced will no way inferre any ground or the least shadow of reason for their treasonable combinations or taking up of Arms against Us or Our authority or any deniall of Our negative voice Now upon debate of this point at the Councell Boord the Lords were of opinion that untill the Petitioners sent from the Covenanters would acknowledge that the Supreme Magistrate must have authority to call Assemblies and to dissolve them and to have a negative voice in them as is accustomed in all Supreme Powers of Christendome they ought not to be heard If they shall alledge as they did when they came to the Committee that their Demands aforesaid were but matters in fieri and not absolutely resolved nor concluded it is to be answered That the impediment was not on their part that they were not concluded Nay the Lord Lowdon in his first speech to Us at the Committee did not onely justifie their proceedings in the Assembly and Parliament as agreeable to the Articles of Pacification and to the Lawes and practice of that Kingdome but did desire that We would ratifie and confirme those their proceedings and to that purpose command that the Parliament might proceed freely and determine anent all those Articles delivered in to them Howsoever good subjects ought to be wary how they come neere the suspition of Rebellion or Treason much more how they make Demands that carry with them more then a suspition of rebellious and treasonable intentions as these above-mentioned most manifestly doe Now besides the Insolencies and Acts of Rebellion and Treason above-mentioned committed before and in the Assembly and Parliament Wee cannot but observe and publish to the world that their carriage hath beene no lesse exorbitant since the Parliament and since the comming of their Petitioners hither then before for without any Authority or Commission from Us they have taken upon them to levie and raise forces in severall parts of that Our Kingdome in great numbers which they have continually
the Advice and upon the humble Petition of Our Privie Councell here in England and particularly by such Noblemen as were pretended by them to be witnesses to the same ordered to be damned by Proclamation and publikely burnt by the hand of the Hangman which was done accordingly Thirdly whereas it was promised that the Forces of that Our Kingdome of Scotland raised without Our warrant and against Our Selfe should be disbanded and dissolved within 48. hours after publication of Our said Declaration in their Camp they did neverthelesse for some time keep in body diverse Forces and have ever since held in pay almost all their Officers in manifest breach of those Articles contempt of Our Royall Authority contrary to the Lawes of that Our Kingdome and to the great danger of all Our Subjects who did give obedience to Our Commandements there which cleerely shewed their intention of putting themselves againe in armes against Us. Fourthly Whereas it was promised that Our Forts Castles and Amunitions should be restored so soone as We should send to receive them yet full restitution was not made accordingly And for the Fortification at Lieth which was with the rest remitted to Our pleasure it stands entirely as it did though We often commanded the demolishing thereof Fifthly It was promised there should be no Meetings Treatings Tables Consultations Convocations or Conventicles but such as are warranted by act of Parliament and yet We were pleased to give them warrant to meet for the space of one moneth to consult advise and resolve upon such affaires and businesse as concerned the reliefe of their mutuall burthens only Neverthelesse after that time expired which was on the twentieth day of July 1639. they did and doe still continue their unlawfull meetings and consultations upon matters of State both Ecclesiasticall and Civill contrary to the Laws and Acts of Parliament of that Our Kingdome and Our expresse warrant In which Conventicles they daily vex and trouble such of Our Subjects as doe not adhere to their rebellious Covenant and pretended assembly at Glasgow and the acts of the same Sixthly Whereas all Fortifications were to be remitted to Our pleasure to be demolished or continued and We having given commandement for the demolishing of them all raised and built without Our warrant no obedience is given to the same but they are still continued to the fostering of sedition among Our Subjects and the disturbance of the peace of that Our Kingdome Seventhly Whereas all Our good Subjects should have their liberties and goods restored to them yet such is the violence and furie of the people animated thereunto by the said Protestation scandalous papers spred and seditious Sermons preached as many of Our said Subjects are deterred from going to their owne dwelling and places of aboad and threatned with the losse of their lives in case they shall repaire to their own houses Eightly Whereas in Our Declaration before mentioned We did make knowne that We could not approve the late pretended generall Assembly at Glasgow for the reasons conteyned in Our former Proclamations yet contrary to that Our pleasure they daily presse Our Subjects to subscribe the approbation of the said pretended assembly and acts thereof and to sweare the same so that whereas We did expect to have found our Subjects setled in peace and quietnesse against Our repaire to Edinburgh We heard of nothing but new disorders meetings and molestations of Our Subjects well affected to Our service which as it doth evidently appeare by the insupportable insolencies committed as aforesaid upon the persons of Our High Treasurer the Earle of Kinnoul Our Justice Generall Sir Iames Hamilton and others Our Counsellours and good Subjects so doth it clearly evince that nothing was lesse intended then obedience to Our authoritie or performance of what was promised or is due to Us in right of Our Crowne and by the lawes of that Our Kingdome Ninthly Whereas We were pleased to grant a free Generall Assembly for setling and composing the divisions cunningly raised and fomented in the Church of that Our Kingdome expecting a faire choice of the Commissioners and such as might stand with the respect due to Our authoritie they did labour to pervert Our Subjects by anticipating their voices in making them sweare to and subscribe the acts of the pretended Assembly at Glasgow and making choise of such Commissioners and no others as adhered thereunto and by Oath were bound to maintaine the same and further deterred others whom We by Our Warrant did lawfully call to the next Assembly from repairing thereunto threatning them with the losse of their lives and what worse may be committed against their persons in manifest contempt of Our authority and derogation from the freedome of the said assembly Tenthly To divert all Our good Subjects from their due obedience to Us and to debauch them to their factious mutinies and disorders they brand all such as adhere to Us and have attended Our person with the vile aspersion of Traitors to God and their Countrey threatning to proceed against them with censures accordingly as though the due respect given by them to Us and their adhering to Us and their assisting Us in their persons were Treason whereas by right of that Our Crown and the Acts of Parliament of that Our Kingdome all Our Subjects are to rise with Us and to assist Us with their bodies and goods and whosoever refuses or rises in Armes or rebellion against Us or commits any act of Hostility against Our Sacred Person are declared Traitors and are to incurre the paine of High Treason Lastly Their disobedience appeares in that unparallel'd contempt of Our Royall authority and shaking off all respect due to Sacred Majestie by their protesting that all members of the Colledge of Justice and all Our Lieges were not to attend the Session and that all Acts Decrees and Sentences therein past against any of them shall be nul void and ineffectuall contrary to Our expresse warrant for the downesitting thereof and to the heavie dammage of Our good Subjects who were thereby frustrated of Justice taking by this meanes Our Royall Power out of Our hand which alone belongeth to Us none but Our selfe being to command Our Subjects to attend the Session or to discharge their attendance as We in Our Princely wisdome and justice shall think fit Having laid these insolent and seditious foundations for a Parliament it could not in reason be expected but the structure to be raised thereupon must be full of disorder and confusion and indeed it prooved all of a piece for in all the progresse of the Parliament their actions and demands were full of undutifulnesse and disloyaltie denying to Us the most essentiall and inherent prerogatives of Our Crowne and striving by all meanes to change and alter the Constitutions of the Parliament and frame of Government as appeares by their first Act at and after the chusing of the Lords of the Articles where in a most insolent and peremptory way