Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/591

 King CHARLES the I I. i&J'i. "%. to receive the fame at four terms in the year,, viz. V/hitfunday, ■LamhneJSe, Meftimefo, and Caadlemejfe, by equal proportions, beginning the firft terms payment at luimbmejje next,, for the three moneths oiMay, June, and. July, immediatlypreceedingthe fame : And which Commiffioners, are by theie prefents impovvered to put in execution the whole forementioned Orders and InftruftioiiSj for railing and inbringing of the laid Excife for their relief. As alio the Kings Majefty, with advice and cpnfent of His Eftates ol Parliament, gives power to the Lords of His Majefties Privy Council, to nominate and appoint CommiiTioners of Excife in the refpeetive Shires and Burghs upon the death or inability of any of the Commiffioners above-named. XV. A$ Refcinding and Annulling the fret ended 'parliaments-, in the year s± 1640, 1 641, &c. THe Eftates of Parliament, conlidering that the Peace and happinefs of this Kingdom, and of His Majefties good Subjects therein, doth depend upon the Safety of His Majefties Perfon, and the Maintenance oi: His Royal Authority, Power and Greatnefs ; And that all the miferies, con^ fufions and diforders which this Kingdom hath groaned under, thefe twenty years, have iiiued irom, and been the neceiTary and natural products of thefe neglects, contempts and mvafions, which in and from the beginning of thefe troubles, were upon thefpecious (but fake) pretexts of Reformation (the common cloak of all Rebellions) offered unto the Sacred Perfon and Royal Authority 01 rhe Kings ! Majefty, and His Royal Father of blefled memory. And notwithftanding, that by the iacred Right, I Inherent to the Imperial Crown (which His Majefty holds imraediatly irom GOD Almighty alone) and jby the ancient conftitution and fundamental Laws of the Kingdom ; the power of convocating and keep* lag Affembkes of the Subjects ; the power of Calling,Holding,Proroguing and Difiblvingoi tarnaments, and making of Laws, the power of entering into Bonds, Covenants, Leagues and Treaties; the power of railing Armes, keeping of Strengths and Forts, are EfTential parts, and Infeparable priviledges of the Koyal Authority and Prerogative of the Kings of this Kingdom: Yet, fuch hath Lten the j|madnels and deiufion of theie times, that even Religion it felf, which holds the Right of. Kings to be iacrec. and Inviolable, hath been pretended unto, for warrand ol' all thefe injurious Violations land Incroachments, fo pubiickly done and owned, upon and againft, HisMajefties juft Powers Au- thority and Government; By making and keeping of unlawfull Meetings and Convocations of the people; By >:nie,-mg into Covenants, Treaties and Leagues; By leizing upon, and pofieffingthemfelves ijof His Mytfties Caftles, Forts and Strengths of the Kingdom; and by holding of pretended Far- iliaments, making oi Laws, and raifing of Armes for the maintaining of the fame : And that not only [[Without warrand, but contrary to His Majefties exprefs Commands. And although the late Kings KMajefty, out of His mecr grace and refpects to this His native Kingdom, and the peace and quiet Kof His people, and for preventing the coniequences, which fuch a bad example, and practice might Ijoccaiiori.to the diiturbance of the Peace of His other Kingdoms, was pleafed in the year, one thculand t.ifix hundred and fourty one, to come into this Countrey, and by His ownprefence, at their pretended Parliaments and otherwayes, to comply with, and give way to, many things needy concerning the liundoubted Intereft and Prerogative of the Crown, expecting that luch unparileld Ccrdifcentions Iphould have made His Subjects aihamed' of their former mifcarriages, and the very thoughts thereof, < to be hateful! to them and their poiterityfor ever. Yet fuch was the prevalency of the ipirit of Re- 1 .bellion that raged in many for the time, that not content of that peace and happinefs, which even I (above their defires, wasfecuredto them; nor of thofe many Grants of honour and profit, by which, His Majefty endeavoured to endear the molt defperate of them to their duty and obedience, they t .then, when His Majefty had not left unto them any pretence or fhadow of any new defire to be pro- L jpofed, either concerning themfelves or the Kingdom, did molt unworthily engage, to fubvert His V Majefties Government, and the publick Peace of the Kingdom of England: For which purpofe, having -llioyned in a League with fomc there, they, for the better profecution of the fame, did affume unto i themielves, 1 of which, by the Kings Authority „ dienceunto their unlawfull demands ; and with all manner of violence purlued fuch as out oiduty to His Majefties Authority oppofed them, by fines, confirmations, imprifonment, banilhment, death, ahg