[1640/6/30]¹

Act 15

Act discharging the going of salt-pans and mills upon the Sabbath day

Forasmuch as the estates of parliament, presently convened by his majesty's special authority, considering that God's public worship upon the Sabbath day is hindered and the Sabbath day profaned by the going of mills and salt-pans upon Sundays, for remedy hereof the estates of parliament, presently convened by his majesty's special authority, discharge and prohibit all salt-pans and mills within this kingdom from all going, grinding, making of salt or in any way working upon Sundays in any time hereafter, and ordain the salters, millers and other servants in the said mills and salt-pans to attend God's public worship hereafter every Sabbath day, under the pains and censures contained in the acts of the assembly or other kirk acts set down regarding this, to the which acts the said estates of parliament interposes the civil sanction and authority of parliament for the better execution thereof.

[1640/6/31]²

Act 16

Act appointing all grievances to be given in in plain parliament

The estates of parliament, presently convened by his majesty's special authority, considering that the act of parliament made in 1594 in the 14th parliament of King James VI, chapter 218, whereby all matters and grievances to be given in to the parliament are appointed to be given in to his majesty's clerk register and by him presented to the estates, has bred great hurt and prejudices to the liberty of this kirk and kingdom and subjects thereof in time bygone, as is evident by experience of the evils that have flowed therefrom, therefore the said estates, for remedy hereof, retreat, rescind, make void and annul the foresaid act of parliament and declare the same to be null and of no value, force nor effect in all time coming, and ordain and appoint all grievances and other matters that are to be handled and treated of hereafter in parliament to be given in and presented in open and plain parliament in all time coming.

[1640/6/32]³

Act 17

Annulling all unlawful and unjust proclamations made under the pain of treason against the disobeyers

Forasmuch as the estates of parliament, presently convened by his majesty's special authority, having taken to their consideration that there have been diverse unjust and unlawful proclamations made commanding the obedience of things unjust and unlawful (tending to the overthrow and prejudice of the laws and liberties of kirk and kingdom) under the pain of treason, as also declaring the disobeyers of these unlawful and unjust proclamations to be rebels and traitors, which is against law, equity and reason, no trial nor declarator of treason having proceeded against them of before, find and declare all these proclamations, with the pretended acts and warrants for making and proclaiming thereof, to be null and of no value, force nor effect with all that has followed or may follow thereupon. And therefore the said estates of parliament make void and annul the foresaid pretended proclamations, with all the said acts and warrants whereupon the same proceeded, and find and declare that no person nor persons can be declared traitors but either by the parliament itself and by act and sentence thereof or than by the lawful ordinary judge after trial and finding that the said persons have contravened a law and act of parliament made under the pain of treason against the disobeyers and contraveners thereof.

[1640/6/33]⁴

Act 18

Act regarding the ratification of the covenant and of the assembly's supplication, act of council and act of assembly concerning the covenant

The estates of parliament, presently convened by his majesty's special authority, considering the supplication of the general assembly at Edinburgh, 12 August 1639, to [John Stewart, earl of Traquair], his majesty's high commissioner, and the lords of his majesty's honourable privy council, and the act of the council, 30 August 1639, containing the answer of the said supplication, and the act of the said general assembly ordaining by their ecclesiastical constitution the subscription of the Confession of Faith and covenant mentioned in their supplication, and moreover having supplicated his majesty to ratify and enjoin the same by his royal authority under all civil pains as tending to the glory of God, preservation of religion, the king's majesty's honour and the perfect peace of this kirk and kingdom, do ratify and approve the said supplication, act of council and act of assembly, and according thereto ordain and command the said confession and covenant to be subscribed by all his majesty's subjects of whatever rank and quality under all civil pains; and ordain the said supplication, act of council and act of assembly, with the whole confession and covenant itself, to be inserted and registered in the acts and books of parliament, and also ordain the same to be presented at the entry of every parliament and before they proceed to any other act that the same be publicly read and sworn by the whole members of parliament claiming voice therein, otherwise the refusers to subscribe and swear the same shall have no place nor voice in parliament. And also ordain all judges, magistrates and other officers of whatsoever place, ranks or quality and ministers at their entry to swear and subscribe the same covenant, whereof and of the said supplication, act of council and act of assembly the tenor follows etc.