Page:The Laws and Acts of Parliament of Scotland.djvu/639

 6 9 LAWS AND ACTS Pafl in the S E C O N D SESSION Of the FIRST PARLIAMENT. Of Our Mofl High and Dread Soveraign, A R L E S THE SECOND^ By the Grace of G O D, King of Scotland, England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith. Holden at Edinburgh by the Noble Lord, John Earl of CMiddleton , Lord Cleremont and Yettercaim, His MAJESTIES Commifsi&ner. Begun at Edinburgh upon the eight of May, and continued to the ninth of September, i66z. I. i_ACT for the Reftitution and Re-eftablijbment of the t_Aticient Government of the Church by Arch-biihops and Bifhops, ORASMUCH as the ordering and difpofal of the external Govern- ment and policy of the Church, doth properly belong unto his Majefty , as an inherent right of the Crown, by vertue of his Royal Prerogative and Supremacy in caufes Ecclefiaflical. And in difcharge of this Truft, his Majefty, and his Eflates of Parliament , taking to their ferious confede- ration, that in the beginning of, and by, the late Rebellion within this Kingdom, in the year, one thoufand , fix hundred and thirty feven, the ancient and facred order of Bifhops was call off, their Perfons and rights were injured and overturned, and a feeming parity among the Clergy faftioufly and violentlie brought in, to die great diflurbance of thepublick Peace, the reproach of the reformed Religion, and violati- on of rhe excellent Laws of the Realm, for preferving an orderly fub- ordination in the Church : And therewithal confidering, what difor- lers and exorbitances have been in the Church, what encroachments upon the Prerogative and Rights of lubje&hath fufTered by the invaftons made upon the Bifhops and Epifcopal Government, which they mdto be the Church- Government, mofl aggreeable to the word of God, mofl convenient and effectual I 3 for
 * tie Crown, whatufurpations upon the Authority of Parliaments, and what prejudice the liberty of the