[1648/3/218]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament now conveened, considdering how necessarie it is to establish ther union in the preservatioune and mantenance of religion, lawes and liberties of this kingdome and of his maties authoritie, and to prevent all factiones, contentiones and divisiounes which may arryse in prejudice therof frome malicious suggestiounes and misinformatiounes of ther adversaries, doe heirby testifie and declaire thaire resolutioune and obligatioune to acknawledge this present parliament to have bene and to be a frie and lawfull parliament. Lykas they bind and obleidge themeselves upone ther honors and credite, and as they desyre to be, and to be holden true loveris of ther countrey and of the religion, lawes and liberties therof efauldlie and faithfullie to the uttermost of ther power, to joyne and concurr with ther persones and estates, everie ane according to thair severall stationes and callinges, in the mantenance of the friedome and laufulnes of this foirsaid parliament, and in the advancement, furtherance and assistance of the executioun, obedience and observatioune of the actis and constitutiounes therof as the most fitt and necessarie remedies of the bygane and present evillis and distractiones of this kirk and kingdome, and for the preservatioune of religion, lawes and liberties therof, and of his maties authoritie; and have ordained and ordaines this present act to be subscryved by all the memberis of parliament present and absent and by all noblemen, barrones, burgesses and all uther subjectis and inhabitantis of the kingdome in thair shires and burrowes as they sall be directed by the commissioneris of parliament left at Edinburgh and to be reported to the clerk betuixt and the first day of August nixtocome, with certificatioun to suche as refuise or postpone and delay to subscryve the samyne, [that they] sall be holden as enemies and opposites to the commoune caus, consisting in the mantenance of the trew reformed religione and of the lawis and liberties of this kingdome and his maties authoritie.