[1661/1/22]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The king's majesty and estates of parliament considering how necessary it is for the honour of the parliament and the common interest of his subjects that the public peace and good order be kept in the place where the parliament is, and that all persons who have evidenced their disaffection to his majesty and his government may be removed at this time, do therefore ordain and command all such persons as had accession to the western remonstrance by contriving, presenting or adhering to the same, or who had accession to that unworthy paper entitled, The Causes of God's Wrath, or afterwards concurred in any act to the prosecution thereof (excepting such as are under bond or citation to appear before the parliament, or shall obtain special warrant from his majesty's commissioner or the lord chancellor to that effect) to remove out of this town and to repair home to their own houses and not to come within ten miles of this town during this session of parliament (unless their dwelling houses be nearer) in which cases they are to stay within their own parishes within forty-eight hours after the publication hereof under the pain to be esteemed and seized upon as public enemies to his majesty's government. And for the better order within the town ordains all persons of what rank or quality soever to repair to their several lodgings every night before 10 o'clock, with power hereby to the public guards of the city to seize upon, apprehend and secure all such persons as they shall find in the streets after that time, and it is hereby declared that if any persons shall be found offering any trouble or disturbance to the guards after the time foresaid they shall, of what quality soever they be of, be punished and censured as contemners of the authority of his majesty and estates of parliament and disturbers of the public peace, and ordains publication hereof to be made by a herald so none may pretend ignorance.
[1661/1/23]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, considering that the maintenance of his majesty's authority and royal prerogative, in and concerning the making of leagues and the convention of the subjects, is not only a necessary duty of the people but of singular advantage to their happiness and peace, and that their predecessors, wisely foreseeing the good and benefit thereof, and the prejudices and miseries that inevitably did accompany the neglect of the same, did therefore, by many several acts and laws, assert the king's prerogative and authority therein, and particularly by the 131st act of the eighth parliament of King James VI, it is statute and ordained that none of his highness's subjects of whatsoever quality, state or function, presume to convocate, convene or assemble themselves for holding of councils, conventions or assemblies, to treat, consult and determine in any matter of state, civil or ecclesiastic (except in the ordinary judgements) without his majesty's special command or express licence, had and obtained thereto, under the pains made against such as unlawfully convocates the king's lieges; and by the 12th act of the tenth parliament held 10 December 1585 it is by his majesty, with advice of his three estates, statute and ordained that no leagues nor bonds be made among his subjects of any degree, upon whatsoever colour or pretence, without his majesty or his successors' privacy and consent had and obtained thereunto, under the pain to be held and executed as movers of sedition to the breach of the peace. And now finding that the due observance of these laws might have contributed much to the preventing of these confusions and troubles, which in these later times have almost ruined both the king's majesty and all his loyal subjects, therefore his majesty, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, does revive, renew, ratify and approve these acts above-mentioned, and ordain the same to be punctually obeyed in all time coming, conforming to the tenor thereof and under the pains therein-contained,† and declares that any explanation or gloss, that during these late troubles has been put upon these acts, as that they are not to be extended against any leagues, councils, conventions, assemblies or meetings, made, held or kept by the subjects for preservation of the king's majesty, the religion, laws and liberties of the kingdom, or for the public good either of kirk or kingdom, are false and disloyal and contrary to the true and genuine meaning of these acts, and therefore his majesty, with advice foresaid, does discharge and forever annul the same, and all acts and practices that have been in pursuance thereof.
[1661/1/24]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The estates of parliament, considering the great happiness that this kingdom has for many ages enjoyed under the princely government of their royal kings, who by the special blessing of Almighty God have reigned over them in so long and unparalleled series of royal descents; and the obligation thereby lying upon them in conscience, honour and gratitude, to own and assert the royal prerogatives of the imperial crown of this kingdom, which the king's majesty holds from God Almighty alone, and to vindicate the same from these invasions, which by the malice or specious pretexts of ill-affected persons, and the confusions and disorders of the late times have been made upon it, do therefore declare that the power of arms and making of peace and war or treaties and leagues with foreign princes or estates, does properly reside in the king's majesty, his heirs and successors, and that it was and is their undoubted right and theirs alone to have the power of raising in arms the subjects of this kingdom, and of the commanding, ordering and disbanding, or otherwise disposing thereof, and of all strengths, forts or garrisons within the same as they shall think fit; the subjects always being free of the provisions and maintenance of these forts and armies, unless the same be concluded in parliament or convention of estates. Likewise the king's majesty, with advice and consent foresaid, does hereby declare that it is and shall be high treason to the subjects of this kingdom or any number of them more or less, upon any ground or pretext whatsoever, to rise or continue in arms, to maintain any forts, strengths or garrisons, or make peace or war, or to make any treaties or leagues with foreign princes or estates, or among themselves, without his majesty's special authority and approbation first interposed thereto; and does discharge all his majesty's subjects to offer upon any pretext whatsoever, to attempt the doing of any of these things hereafter, under the said pain of treason. And in further detestation of such unlawful and unwarrantable practices, the king's majesty, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, does hereby rescind and annul all acts, statutes, ordinances or deeds passed or done in any parliaments, conventions or other meetings whatsoever, or any otherwise in so far as they are or may be contrary to or inconsistent with this present act; and declares the same (dispensing with the generality and holding all the particulars as word for word herein inserted) to be void and of no force nor effect in all time coming.
[1661/1/25]*[print] [email] [cite] [preceding] [following]
The king's majesty's commissioner represented to the parliament that it was his majesty's pleasure that the corpse and bones of Colonel George Drummond, who died in his majesty's service, and which were unworthily buried, should be raised by his friends and buried where they should think fit. Wherewith the estates of parliament, being well satisfied, ordains the magistrates and other public ministers next adjacent to the place to be assisting to the raising of the corpse and allows the friends to bury it in some convenient place where they shall think fit.
The lord commissioner and estates of parliament gives hereby warrant and order to the magistrates of Edinburgh to set the person of Alexander Jaffray at liberty furth of their tolbooth, he finding caution at the lord register's sight to stay within the town of Edinburgh until the parliament's further order.
The lord commissioner continues the parliament until Friday at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and all summons as above etc.