Act concerning the declaration to be signed by all persons in publick trust. At Edinburgh, the fifth day of Septembre, one thousand six hundred and sixty two.

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C R

HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

ACT Concerning the DECLARATION To be signed by all persons in publick Trust.

At Edinburgh, the fifth day of September, one thousand six hundred and sixty two.

FOrasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God, in His Majesties Restitution to His Royal Go∣vernment, to restore this Kingdom to its ancient liberties and peace, and to deliver His Maje∣sties good Subjects from these miseries and bondage whereby they have been oppressed, during these troubles; And the Estates of Parliament, finding themselves obliged in a due resent∣ment of this mercy, and in discharge of that duty they owe to God, to the Kings Majesty, to the publick peace of the Kingdom, and the good of His Subjects, To use all means for the due pre∣servation of that peace and happiness they now enjoy under His Royal Government; and to prevent and suppresse every thing that may tend to the renewing or favouring of these courses, by which the late Rebellion hath been fomented and carryed on; And conceiving, that the imploying of per∣sons of found principles and entire loyalty, in all offices of Trust and places of publick Administration, will con∣duce much to these ends. Therefore, and for quieting the spirits of His Majesties good Subjects, and begetting a confidence in them of their security for the future, His Majesty hath thought fit, with advice and consent of His Estates of Parliament, to Statute, Ordian and Enact; Likeas His Majesty, by these presents, doth, with advice foresaid, Statute, Ordain and Enact, That all such persons as shall hereafter be called or admitted to any publick Trust or Office, under His Majesties Government within this Kingdom; that is to say, to be Officers of State, Members of Parliament, Privy Councellors, Lords of Session, Commissioners in Ex∣chequer, Members of the Colledge of Iustice, Sheriffs, Stewarts or Commissaries, their Deputes and Clerks, Magistrates and Council of Borroughs, Iustices of Peace and their Clerks, or any other publick Charge, Office and Trust within this Kingdom; shall at and before their admission to the exercise of such Places or Offices, publickly, in face of the respective Courts they relate to, subscribe the Declaration underwritten: And that they shall have no right to their said Offices or Benefites thereof, untill they subscribe the same as said is; but that every such person who shall offer to enter and exerce any such Office, before he subscribe the De∣claration, is to be repute and punished as an usurper of His Majesties Authority, and the place to be disposed to another. Likeas His Majesty doth, with advice foresaid, remit to His Commissioner, to take such course as he shall think fit, how these who are presently in office, may subscribe the said Declaration. And it is hereby De∣clared, that this Act is without prejudice of any former Acts, for taking the Oath of Alleagiance, and asserting the Royal Prerogative.

I 〈1 span left blank〉〈1 span left blank〉 Do sincerely affirm and declare, that I judge it unlawfull to Subjects, upon pretence of Reformation or other pretence whatsoever, to enter into Leagues and Covenants, or to take up Armes against the King or these commissionated by Him: And that all these Gatherings, Convocations, Petitions, Protestations, and erecting and keeping of Council-tables, that were used in the beginning, and for carrying on, of the late troubles, were unlawfull and sedi∣tious. And particularly, that these Oaths, whereof the one was commonly called The National Covenant, (as it was sworn and ex∣plained in the year, one thousand six hundred and thirty eight, and thereafter) and the other entituled, A Solemn League and Covenant, were, and are, in themselves, unlawfull Oaths, and were taken by, and imposed upon, the Subjects of this Kingdom, against the fundamental Laws and Liberties of the same. And that there lyeth no obligation upon me, or any of the Subjects, from the saids Oaths, or either of them, to endeavour any change or alteration of the Government, either in Church or State, as it is now esta∣blished by the Laws of the Kingdom.