Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/423

 XX. PARLIAMENT. XX IF. of June. 1609. 401 what flaacler and contempt hes arifen to the Ecclefiaftical Eftate of this Kirigdome by the occafion of the light and undecentapparell ufed by fome of that profeffion, and cheeflie thefe having vote in Parliament. It is therefore ftatute that every Preacher of Gods word fhall hereafter weare black, grave and comelie apparrell Minifim: befeeming men of their eftate and profeffion. As lykwyfe that all Pryors, Abbots and Prelats having vot in Parliament, and fpeciallie Bifhops , mall weare grave and decent apparrell agreeable to their function., and VreUts - asappertainestomenoftheirrank, dignitie and place. And becaufe the haill Eflaites humblie and thank- fullie acknawledges that GOD of his great mercy hes made the people and fubjects ofthis Countrie fa happieastohaveaKingraigneoverus, wha is maift godlie, wyfe and religious; hating all erronious and vainefuperftition, juft in governement, and of lang experience therein, knawing better then any King living what appertains and is convenient for every eftate in their behaviour and duetie. Therefore it is agreed and confented to by the faids Eflaites, that what order fa ever his Majeftie in his great wifdome fhall thinke 4P>*»*t} meet to prefcrive for the apparrell of Kirk-men agreable to their eftate and moyen ; the fame being fent in writ ^jf'^ by his Majeftie to his Clerk of Regifter, fhall be a fufficient warrant to him for inferring thereof in the Buikes red to tfe ^ of Parliament to have the ftrengdi and effect of ane act thereof, with executorial of horning to be direct K '"& there-upon, againfl fik perfons as within the fpace of fourtie dayes after the publication or intimation to them of the faid act or charges ufed againfl them there-upon , lhall not provyde themfelves of the apparreli to be appointed by his Majeftie for men of their vocation and eftate, to be ufed and worne by them and their fuc- cefTors at the tymes, and in maner to be exprefled in the faid act to be made by his Heighnes there-anent. 9. i^Afl againfl skandalous fpeeches and lybels. OUR SOVERAIGNE LORD forefeing that there is nathing fa neceflare for the perpetual well and quyetnefle of all his fubjects of this Monarchic as the furtherance and accomplifliment of the union of his twa famous and maift auncient Kingdomes of Scotland and England, whereof his Majeftie out of his fatherlie care of the peace and happines of his good and faithfull people , having maift inftantlie and earneftlie folicited the perfection, and by the afliftance of the worthieft members of baith Kingdomes , fa effectually advanced the fame, as he hopes (God willing) in his Reigne to fee the wifhed end of that great work, whilk in his royal perfon hes received fa miraculous and happy a beginning : And nevertheles finding therein fik malicious letts, as the devill and his fuppofts do ufually f uggeft , to the hindrance of all juft and godlie inter- pryfes, fpecially by the falfe and calumnious brutes, fpeeches and writs, craftelie uttered and difperfed by fomelawles and faules people of this Realme, afwell in privat conferences as in their meetings at tavernes, ail-houfes and playes, and by their pafquils, lybels, rymes, cockalans, comedies and fiklyke occafions wherby they flander, maligne and revile the people , eftate and country of England, and divers his Majefties honor- able Counfellers, Magiftrats and worthie fubjects of that his Majefties Kingdome. The continuance wherof ?eing able to incenfe the people o{ England to juft grief and mifcontentment, may not only hinder the in- tended union of all the good fubjects of this Monarchic, but ftir up in them fik irreconciliable evill will , as with time might bring forth maift dangerous and harmfull effects. For remeed and preventing whereof, his Majeftie remembring how ftrait and feverepunilhment hes by the Lawes and acts of his maift Roy all Proge- litors Kings of this Realme heretofore bene ordeined to be inflicted upon fik as fhould devife or utter falfe and flanderous fpeeches and writtes to make dihentions betwene the Prince and his fubjects, or raife fedition in the. lealme ; and confiddcring that all fik purpofes and writtes as may breed diflyking betwene the inhabitants of the faids Kingdomes of Scotland and England, being now all become his Majefties Leige-people, equallie ubject and equallie beloved of his Heighnes; tends to maift dangerous diflentidn and fedition amangs his fub- ects. Therefore his Majeftie with advyce and confent of thehaill Eflaites of this Parliament, ftatutesand jrdeins, that whafoever fhall hereafter by word or write , devife , utter or publifh any falfe, flanderous or re- jrochfull fpeeches or writtes of the Eftate, People or Countrie of England, or of any Counfeller thereof, lending to the remembrance of the auncient grudges borne in tyme of by-paft troubles, (the occafion whereof s now happilie abolifhed by the blefled conjunction of the faids Kingdomes under his Majefties Soveraignitie ind obedience) or to the hindrance of the wifhed accomplifhment of the perfect union of the faids Kingdomes, [pr to the flander or reproch of the Eftate, people or Countrie oiEngland, or difhonour or prejudice of any I Counfeller of the faid Kingdome, whereby hatred may be foftred and intertained , or miflyking raifed be- Ifwene his Majefties faithfull fubjects of this Ifle. The authors of fikfeditious, flanderous and injurious peeches or writtes, or difperfers thereof , after tryell taken of their offence , either before his Majefties Ju-
 * (lice, or the Lords of his Heighnes privie Coilncell, fhall be feverelie punifhed in their perfons and goods,

fpyimprifonment, banifhment, fyning or mair rigorous corporallpaine, as the qualitie of the off ence fhall nr writtes, fhall conceale the fame, and not reveale them to his Majefties ordinare officers , Magiftrats or Counfellers , whereby the authors and difperfers thereof may be punifhed , fnall underly the lyke tryell I [nd painc. 10. i_At~l anent fugitive perfons of the Borders to the in-Conntrie. FORSAMEIKLE As the Kings Majeftie is refolved to purge the middle-fhyres of this Ifle, hereto- fore called the Borders of Scotland and England of that barbarous crueltie, wickednes and incivilitie I i i z whilk
 * pe found to merite at his Majefties pleafure. And all fik as hearing or getting knawledge of any fik fpeeches