Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/571



THE LAWS and ACTS MADE IN THE FIRST PARLIAMENT, Of our mot High and Dread SOVERAIGN, CHARLES THE SECOND,

By the Grace of GOD, King of Scotland, England, France and Ireland Defender of the Faith. Begun at Edinburgh the firt of January, 1661.

I. ACT concerning the Preident and Oath of Parliament.

Oramuch as it hath pleaed Almighty GOD, to compaionat the troubles and confuions of this Kingdom, by returning the Kings mot Excellent Majety to the exercie of that Royal Government, under which, and its excellent contitution, this Kingdom hath for many ages injoyed o much happines, peace and plenty. And it being upon good and important coniderations, an inviolable practice in this Government, before thee troubles, that the peron nominat by His Majety, to be His Chancellor within this Kingdom, did of right, and as due to his place, preide in all Meetings of Parliament; and other publick Judicatories of the Kingdom, where he was preent tor the time. And His Majety now conidering the great advantages do accres to the publick good of His Subjects, by the due obervance of uch ancient and well grounded Cutoms and Contitutions, and the prejudices that do accompany a change thereof: Therefore His Majety, with advice and content of His Etates of Parliament, doth Declare, That the preent Lord Chancellor, and uch as hereafter hall be nominate by His Majety, or His Royal Succeors, to ucceed in that place; and in cae of their abence, uch as hall be nominate by His Majety, are by vertue and right of the aid office and uch nomination repictive, to preide in all meetings of His Majeties Parliaments or other publick Judicatories of the Kingdom, where they hall happen to be preent, and that they are now and in all time coming to enjoy this priviledge. And in dicharge of this trut, they are at the firt down-itting of every Parliament, to adminiter to all the Members thereof the Oath of Alledgiance, whereof the tenor follows;

I, for tetification of my faithful obedience to my mot gracious and redoubted Soveraign, CHARLES King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. Affirm, tetiie and declare, by this my olemn Oath, That I acknowledge my aid Soveraign only upream vernour