[1609/4/28]¹

²Act against scandalous speeches and libels

Our sovereign lord, foreseeing that there is nothing so necessary for the perpetual well and quietness of all his subjects of this monarchy as the furtherance and accomplishment of the union of his two famous and most ancient kingdoms of Scotland and England, whereof his majesty, out of his fatherly care of the peace and happiness of his good and faithful people, having most instantly and earnestly solicited the perfection and by the worthiest members of both kingdoms so effectually advanced the same, as he hopes (God willing) in his reign to see the wished end of that great work which in his royal person has received so miraculous and happy a beginning, and nevertheless finding therein such malicious impediments as the devil and his adherents do usually suggest to the hindrance of all just and godly enterprises, specially by false and calumnious brutes' speeches and writings craftily uttered and dispersed by some lawless and false people of this realm, as well in private conferences as in their meetings at taverns, ale houses and plays, and by their pasquils, libels, rhymes, satires, comedies and likewise occasions whereby they slander, malign and revile the people, estate and country of England, and diverse his majesty's honourable councillors, magistrates and worthy subjects of that his majesty's kingdom, the continuance whereof, being able to incense the people of England to just grief and discontent, may not only hinder the intended union of all the good subjects of this monarchy, but stir up in them such irreconcilable evil will as with time might bring forth most dangerous and harmful effects; for remedy and preventing whereof his majesty, remembering how strict and severe punishment has by the laws and actions of his most noble progenitors, kings of this realm heretofore, been ordained to be inflicted upon such as should devise or utter false and slanderous speeches and writs to make dissentions between the prince and his subjects or raise sedition in the realm, and considering that all such purposes and writs as may breed disliking between the inhabitants of the said kingdoms of Scotland and England, being now all become his majesty's liege people, equally subject and equally beloved of his highness, tend to most dangerous dissension and sedition amongst his subjects, therefore his majesty, with advice and consent of the whole estates of this parliament, statutes and ordains that whosoever shall hereafter by word or writing devise, utter or publish any false, slanderous or reproachful speeches or writs of the estate, people or country of England or of any councillor thereof, tending to the remembrance of the ancient grudges borne in time [of]³ past troubles (the occasion whereof is now happily abolished by the blessed conjunction of the said kingdoms under his majesty's sovereignty and obedience), or to the hindrance of the wished accomplishment of the perfect union of the said kingdoms, or to the slander or reproach of the estate, people or country of England, or dishonour or prejudice of any councillor of the said kingdom, whereby hatred may be fostered or maintained, or misliking raised between his majesty's faithful subjects of this isle, the authors of such seditious, slanderous and injurious speeches or writs or dispersers thereof, after trial taken of their offence either before his majesty's justice or the lords of his highness's privy council, shall be severely punished in their persons and goods by imprisonment, banishment, fining or more rigorous corporal pain as the quality of the offence shall be found to merit at his majesty's pleasure, and all such as hearing and getting knowledge of any such speeches or writs shall conceal the same and not reveal them to his majesty's ordinary officers, magistrates or councillors, whereby the authors and dispersers thereof may be punished, shall underlie the like trial and pain.