SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT FOR REFORMATION and DEFENCE of RELIGION, the honour and happiness of the KING, and the peace and fafety of the three Kingdoms of SCOTLAND, ENGLAND, and IREDAND. Taken and fubcribed feveral times by King CHARLES II. and by all ranks in the faid three Kingdom's. WITH An Act of the General Affembly 1643, and an Act of Parlia ment 1644, ratifying and approving the faid League and Covenant. Jer. 1.5. Come let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that ball not be forgotten. Prov. xxv. 5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and his throne fhall be effablished in righteousness. 2 Chron. xv. 15. And all Fudah rejoiced at the oath; for they had fworn with all their heart. Gal. iii. 15. Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed by an oath, no man difännulleth, or addeth thereto. GLASGOW, Printed by JAMES Knox 1752 451 Affembly at Edenburgh, Auguft, 17. 1643. Seff. 14. The General Affembly's approbation of the folemn league and Covenant. THE HE affembly having recommended unto a committee, appointed < by them to join with the committee of the honourable conventi on of estates, and the commiffioners of the honourable houses of the parliament of England,for bringing the kingdoms to a more near conjunction and union, received from the aforefaid committees the covenaut after-mentioned, as the refult of their confultations: and having taken the fame,as a matter of fo public concernment and of fo deep importance doth require,unto their gravelt confideration,did withall their hearts, and with the beginnings of the feelings of that joy, which they did find in fo great measure upon the renovation of the national covenant of his kirk and kingdom, All with one voice approve and embrace the fame, as the moft powerful mean,by the bleffing of GOD, for fettling and preferving the true proteftant religion, with perfect peace in his majefty's dominions, and propagating the fame to other Nations, and for establishing his majesty's throne to all ages and Generations. And therefore, with their beft affections,recommend thefame to the honourable convention of eftates,that, being examined and approved by them, it may be fent with all diligence to the kingdom of England, that, being received and approven there, the fame may be with public humiliation, and all religious and anfwerable folemnity fworn and fubfcribed by all true profeffors of the reformed religion and all his Majesty's good fubjects in both kingdoms. A. Johnfton. Charles I. Par. 3d. Seff. 1. Act. 5 Act anent the ratification of the calling of the Convention,ratification of the League and Covenant,articles of treaty betwixt the kingdoms of Scotland and England,and remnant acts of the Convention of eftates and committee thereof. At Edenburgh, July 15. 1644.. Tact of the laff parliament holden by his majesty, and the three eHE eftates of parliament prefently conveened by vertue of the laft ftates, in Anno 1641, confidering, that the Lords of his majelty's privy council, and commiffioners for conferving the articles of the treaty, having, according to their interefts and trufts commited to them by his majefty and eftates of parliamemt, ufed all means by fupplications,remonftrances, and fending of commiffioners,for fecuring the peace of this kingdom, and removing the unhappy Distractions betwixt his majefty and his fubjects in England, in fuch a way as might ferve moft for his majesty's honour, and good of both kingdoms; and their humble and dutiful endeavours for fo good Ends having proven ineffectual, and their offer of mediation and interfeflion being refufed by his majefty; and thereby finding the weight and difficulty of affairs and the charge lying on them, to be greater then they could bear, did therefore in the month of May 1643. meet together with the commiffioners for the common burdens, that they by joint advice fome refolutiou might be take therein; and in refpect of the danger imminent to the true proteftant religion, his Majefty's honour and peace of their kingdoms, by the multitude of papifts and their adherents in arms in England and Ireland, and of many other public and important affairs, which could not admit delay, and did require the advice of the reprefentative body of the kingdom; appointed and caufed indict a meeting of the convention of eftates (his majesty having formerly refufed their humble defires for a Parliament) to be on the 22d of June following; which diet being frequently kept by the noblemen, commiffioners of fhires and burghs,and they finding thefe dangers against this kirk and ftate ftill encreafing,refolved,after ferious deliberation and advice of the general affembly, and joint concurrence of the commiffioners authorized by the Parliament of England, that one of the chiefeft remedies, for preventing of the fe and the like dangers, for prefervation of religion, and both kingdoms from ruin and deftruction, and for procuring of peace, That both kingdoms fhould, for thefe ends, enter into a covenant; which was accordingly drawn up, and cheerfully embraced, and allowed, And at laft, a treaty was agreed unto by both kingdoms, concerning the faid covenant, and affiftance craved from this kingdom by the king dom of England, in purfuance of the ends exprefled therein And the eitates being ftill delirous to ufe all good means,that, without the effufion of more blood, there may be fuch a bleffed pacification be twixt his majefty and his fubjects, as may tend to the good of religi on, his majelty's true honour and fafety, and happinefs of his people; did thereforegive commiffion to John Earl of Lowdon,lord chancellor, lord Maitland, lord Wariftoun, and Mr. Robert Barclay, tơ repair to England, and endeavour the effectuating of thefe ends contained in the covenant and treaties, conform to their inftructions. And the faid eftates having taken the proceedings above-written to their confideration,do find and declare, That the lords of council,and confervers of peace,did behave themselves as faithful councellors, loyal fubjects,and good patriots,in tendering their humble endeavours for removing the diftractions betwixt his majesty and his subjects, and in calling the commiffioners for the common burdens,and by joint advice appointing the late meeting of convention, wherein they have approven themfelves anfwerable to the duty of their places, and that truft committed to them; and therefore ratifies and approves their whole proceedings therein,and declares the faid convention was lawfully called,and alfo full and free in itfelf confifting, of all the members thereof, as any convention hath been at any time by gone; and ratifies and approves the feveral acts made by them, or their committee,for in joining the covenant.-And alfo, The faid eftates of Parlia ment (butprejuduceof the premifes,& of the general ratification abovementioned) ratifies: approves and confirms the forefaid mutual league and covenant,concerning the reformation and defence of religion, the honour and happiness of the king, and the peace and fafety of the three kingdoms of Scotland, England and Ireland; together with the acts of the kirk and eftate authorizing the fame league and covenant; together alfo with the forefaid articles of treaty agreed upon betwixt the faid commiffioners of both the houses of Parliament of England, Concerning the faid folemn league and covenant.-And the faid eftates ordain the fame acts, with the league and covenant above-fpecified, acts authorizing the fame, and the articles of treaty forefaid, to have the full force and ftrength of perfect laws and acts of Parliament, and to be oblerved by all his majefty's lieges, conform to the tenors thereof relpective. Of the which league and covenant, follows. -the tenor THE THE SOLEMN LEAGUE and COVENANT FOR Reformation and defence of religion, the honour and happiness of the king, and the peace and fafty of the three kingdoms of Scotland, England and Ireland; agreed upon by commiffioners from the Parliament and affembly of divines in England,, with commiffioners of the convention of eftates and,general affembly in Scotland; approved by the general aflembly of the church of Scotland, and by both houfes of parliament and aflembly of divines in England, and taken and fubfcribed by them, Anno 1643; and thereafter, by the faid authority,taken & fubfcribed by all ranks in Scotland and England the fame year; and 'ratified by act of the parliament of Scotland, Anno 1644: And again renewed in Scotland, with an acknowledgment of fins, and engagment to duties, by all ranks, Anno 1648, and by the parliament 1649; and taken and fubfcribed by king Charles II. at Spey, June 23. 1650; and at Scoon, January 1. 1651. WE E noblemen, barons, knights, gentlemen, citizens, burgeffes,minifters of the gofpel, and commons of all forts, in the the kingdom of Scotland, England and Ireland, by the providence of GOD, living under one king, and being of one reformed religion, having before our eyes, the glory of GOD, and the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, the honour and happinefs of the kings majesty and his pofterity, and the true public liberty fafety, and peace of the kingdoms, wherein every one's private condition is inluded: And calling to mind the treacherous and bloodly plots Ff3 con. |