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<DATE>2014-05-19</DATE>
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<NAME>Alexis Jakobson</NAME>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>AN ORDINANCE OF The Lords and Commons a&s;&s;embled in PARLIAMENT; WITH INSTRVCTIONS For the taking of the <HI>LEAGVE</HI> and <HI>COVENANT</HI> in the Kingdom of <HI>England,</HI> and Dominion of <HI>Wales.</HI></P>
<P><HI>WITH</HI> AN EXHORTATION For the taking of the <HI>Covenant;</HI> And for &s;atisfying &s;uch Scruples as may ari&s;e thereupon.</P>
<P>Together with the LEAGUE and COVENANT, Sub&s;cribed with the Names of &s;o many of the Mem|bers of the Hou&s;e of Commons as have taken it.</P>
<P>All which are to be read in all Churches and Chappels within the Kingdom of <HI>Eng|land,</HI> and Dominion of <HI>Wales.</HI></P>
<P><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="order to print">
<OPENER><DATELINE><DATE>5. FEB. 1643.</DATE></DATELINE></OPENER>
<P>ORdered by the Commons in Parliament, That the <HI>Ordinance,</HI> with <HI>In&s;tructions</HI> for the taking of the League and Covenant, together with the <HI>Exhortation</HI> and the <HI>League</HI> and <HI>Covenant,</HI> be forthwith printed and publi&s;hed:</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>H: ELSYNGE, Cler. Parl. D. Com.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></P>
<P>Printed for <HI>E. Husbands,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his &s;hop in the Middl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">-Temple.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="ordinance">
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<OPENER><DATELINE><DATE>2. Febr. 1643.</DATE></DATELINE></OPENER>
<HEAD>An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, enioyning the taking of the late Solemn League and Covenant throughout the Kingdom of <HI>England,</HI> and Dominion of <HI>VVales.</HI></HEAD>
<P>WHereas a Covenant for the pre&s;ervation and Re|formation of Religion, The maintenance and de|fence of Laws and Liberties, hath been thought a fit and excellent means to acquire the favour of Almighty God towards the three Kingdoms of <HI>England, Scotland</HI> and <HI>Ire|land;</HI> and likewi&s;e to unite them, and by uniting, to &s;trengthen and fortifie them again&s;t the Common-Enemy of the true Reformed Religion, Peace and Pro&s;perity of the&s;e Kingdomes; And whereas both Hou&s;es of Parlia|ment in <HI>England,</HI> the Cities of <HI>London</HI> and <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter,</HI> and the Kingdome of <HI>Scotland</HI> have already taken the &s;ame; It is now Ordered and Ordained by the Lords and Com|mons in Parliment, that the &s;ame Covenant be &s;olemnly taken in all places throughout the Kingdome of <HI>England,</HI>
<PB N="4" REF="3"> and Dominion of <HI>Wales.</HI> And for the better and more orderly taking thereof the&s;e directions en&s;uing are appoin|ted and enjoyned &s;trictly to be followed.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="instructions">
<HEAD>In&s;tructions for the taking of the &s;olemne League and Covenant throughout the Kingdome.</HEAD>
<P><LABEL>I.</LABEL> THat the Speakers of both Hou&s;es of Parliament doe &s;peedily &s;end (to the Lord Generall, and all other Commanders in chiefe, and Governours of Townes, Forts, Ca&s;tles, and Garri&s;ons, as al&s;o to the Earle of <HI>Warwick</HI> Lord High Admirall of <HI>England)</HI> true Copies of the &s;aid &s;olemne League and Covenant to the end it may be taken by all Officers and Souldiers under their &s;everall Commands.</P>
<P><LABEL>II.</LABEL> That all the Knights and Burge&s;&s;es now in Parliament, doe take &s;peciall care &s;peedily to &s;end down into their &s;everall Counties (which are or &s;hall hereafter be under the power of the Parliament) accompetent number of true Copies of the &s;aid League and Covenant unto the Com|mittees of Parliament in their &s;everall Counties; And that the &s;aid Committees doe within &s;ix dayes at the mo&s;t di&s;per&s;e the &s;aid Copies to every Pari&s;h Church or Chap|pell in their &s;everall Counties, to be delivered unto the Mini&s;ters, Churchwardens, or Con&s;tables of the &s;everall Pari&s;hes.</P>
<P><LABEL>III.</LABEL> That the &s;aid Committees be required to returne a Cer|tificate of the day when they received the &s;aid Copies, as al&s;o the day they &s;ent them forth, and to what Pari&s;hes
<PB N="5" REF="3"> they have &s;ent them, which Certificat they are to return to the Clerke of the Parliament appointed forthe Commons Hou&s;e, that &s;o an Account may be given of it, as there &s;hall be occa&s;ion.</P>
<P><LABEL>IV.</LABEL> That the &s;everall Mini&s;ters be required to reade the &s;aid Covenant publikely unto their people the next Lords day after they receive it; and prepare their people for it, again&s;t the time that they &s;hall be called to take it.</P>
<P><LABEL>V.</LABEL> That the &s;aid League and Covenant bee taken by the Committees of Parliament in the place where they re|&s;ide, and tendered al&s;o to the Inhabitants of the Towne, within &s;even dayes after it comes to the &s;aid Committees hands.</P>
<P><LABEL>VI.</LABEL> That the &s;aid Committees after they have taken it them|&s;elves, doe &s;peedily di&s;per&s;e them&s;elves through the &s;aid Counties, &s;o as three or foure of them be together on dayes appointed at the chiefe places of meeting for the &s;e|verall divi&s;ions of the &s;aid Counties, And &s;ummon all the Mini&s;ters, Churchwardens, Con&s;tables, and other Of|ficers unto that place; where, after a Sermon preached by one oppointed by the Committee for that purpo&s;e, they cau&s;e the &s;ame Mini&s;ter to tender the League and Cove|nant unto all &s;uch Mini&s;ters and other Officers, to be taken and &s;ub&s;cribed by them, in the pre&s;ence of the &s;aid Com|mittees.</P>
<P><LABEL>VII.</LABEL> That the &s;aid Committees do withall give the &s;aid Mini&s;ters in Charge to tender it unto all the re&s;t of their Pari&s;hioners the next Lords day, making then unto
<PB N="6" REF="4"> their &s;aid Pari&s;hioners &s;ome &s;olemn exhortation concern|ing the taking and ob&s;erving thereof: And that the &s;aid Committees do al&s;o return to the &s;everall Pari&s;hes the Names of all &s;uch as have taken the Covenant before them, who yet &s;hall al&s;o Sub&s;cribe their Names in the book or Roll with their neighbours in their &s;everall pa|ri&s;hes: And if any Mini&s;ter refu&s;e or neglect to appear at the &s;aid Summons, or refu&s;e to take the &s;aid Covenant be|fore the Committee, or to tender it to his Pari&s;h, that then the Committees be carefull to appoint another Mini&s;ter to do it in his place.</P>
<P><LABEL>VIII.</LABEL> That this League and Covenant be tendered to all men, within the &s;everall Pari&s;hes, above the age of eigh|teene, as well Lodgers as Inhabitants.</P>
<P><LABEL>IX.</LABEL> That it be Recommended to the Earl of <HI>Manche&s;ter</HI> to take &s;peciall care that it bee tendred and taken in the Vniver&s;itie of Cambridge.</P>
<P><LABEL>X.</LABEL> That for the better encouragement of all &s;orts of Per|&s;ons to take it; It be recommended to the a&s;&s;embly of Divines to make a brief Declaration by way of Exhor|tation to all &s;orts of per&s;ons to take it, as that which they judge not onely lawfull, But (all things con&s;idered) ex|ceeding expedient and nece&s;&s;ary, for all that wi&s;h well to Religion, the King and Kingdom to joyn in, and to be a &s;ingular pledge of Gods gracious goodne&s;&s;e to all the three Kingdomes.</P>
<PB N="7" REF="4">
<P><LABEL>XI.</LABEL> That if any Mini&s;ter do refu&s;e to take, or to tender the Covenant, or any other per&s;on or per&s;ons do not take it the Lords day that it is tendred, that then it be ten|dred to them again the Lords day following, and if they &s;till continue to refu&s;e it, that then their Names be return|ed by the Mini&s;ter that tenders i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc; and by the Church|wardens or Con&s;tables unto the Committees, and by them to the Hou&s;e of Commons, that &s;uch further cour&s;e may be taken with them, as the Hou&s;es of Parliament &s;hall &s;ee cau&s;e.</P>
<P><LABEL>XII.</LABEL> That all &s;uch per&s;ons as are within the &s;everall Pari&s;hes when notice is given of the taking of it, and do ab&s;ent them&s;elves from the Church at the time of taking it, and come not in afterwards, to the Mini&s;ter and Churchwar|dens, or other Officers, to take it in their pre&s;ence before the returne be made, be returned as refu&s;ers.</P>
<P><LABEL>XIII.</LABEL> <HI>The manner of the taking it to be thus,</HI> The Mini|&s;ter to read the whole Covenant di&s;tinctly and audibly in the Pulpit, and during the time of the reading therof, the whole Congre|gation to be uncovered, and at the end of his reading therof, all to take it &s;tanding, lifting
<PB N="8" REF="5"> up their Right hands bare, and then after|wards to &s;ub&s;cribe it &s;everally by writing their names (or their marks, to which their names are to be added) in a parchment Roll, or a Book, wherinto the Covenant is to be in|&s;erted, purpo&s;ely provided for that end, and kept as a Record in the Pari&s;h.</P>
<P><LABEL>XIIII.</LABEL> That the a&s;&s;embly of Divines do prepare an Exhortati|on for the better taking of the Covenant: And that the &s;aid Exhortation and the Declaration of the Kingdoms of <HI>England</HI> and <HI>Scotland,</HI> joyned in the Armies, for the vin|dication and defence of their Religion, Liberties and Lawes, again&s;t the Popi&s;h Prelaticall and Malignant par|tie, and pa&s;&s;ed the 30^t^h^. of <HI>Ianuary</HI> la&s;t, be publikely read, when the Covenant is read, according to the fourth and &s;ixth Articles: And that a &s;ufficient number of the co|pies of the &s;aid Declaration be &s;ent by the per&s;ons ap|pointed to &s;end the true copies of the &s;aid Covenant, in the fir&s;t and &s;econd Articles.</P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="exhortation">
<PB N="1" REF="5">
<HEAD>AN EXHORTATION TO the taking of the Solemne League and Covenant, FOR REFORMATION AND Defence of Religion, the Honour and happine&s;&s;e of the King, and the Peace and &s;afety of the three King|domes of <HI>England, Scotland,</HI> and <HI>Ireland.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_IF the power of Religion, or &s;o|lid Rea&s;on, if Loyalty to the King, and piety to their Na|tive Country, or love to them|&s;elves, and naturall affection to their po&s;terity, if the Example of men touched with a deep &s;en&s;e of all the&s;e, or extraordi|nary &s;ucce&s;&s;e from God thereupon, can awaken an embroyled bleeding remnant to imbrace the &s;ove|raigne,
<PB N="2" REF="6"> and onely meanes of their recovery, there can be no doubt but this Solemne League and Co|venant will find where&s;oever it &s;hall bee tende|red, a people ready to entertaine it with all cheere|fulne&s;&s;e and duty.</P>
<P>And were it not commended to the Kingdom by the concurrent encouragement of the Honourable Hou&s;es of Parliament, the A&s;&s;embly of Divines, the renowned City of <HI>London,</HI> multitudes of other per|&s;ons of eminent rank and quality in this Nation, and the whole Body of <HI>Scotland,</HI> who have all willingly &s;worn and &s;ub&s;cribed it, with rejoycing at the Oath, &s;o graciou&s;ly &s;econded from Heaven already, by bla&s;ting the Coun&s;els, and breaking the power of the Enemy more than ever; yet it goeth forth in its own &s;trength, with &s;uch convincing evidence of e|quity, Truth and Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, as may rai&s;e in all (not wilfully ignorant, or mi&s;erably &s;educed) infla|med affections to joyne with their Brethren in this happy Bond, for putting an end to the pre&s;ent mi&s;e|ries, and for &s;aving both of King and Kingdom from utter ruine now &s;o &s;trongly and openly la|boured by the Popi&s;h faction, and &s;uch as have been bewitched and be&s;otted by that viperous and blou|dy generation.</P>
<P>For what is there almo&s;t in this Covenant, which was not for &s;ub&s;tance either expre&s;&s;ed or manife&s;tly included in that &s;olemne <HI>Prote&s;tation</HI> of <HI>May</HI> 5. 1641. wherein the whole Kingdome &s;tands inga|ged untill this day? The &s;infull neglect whereof,
<PB N="3" REF="6"> doth (as we may ju&s;tly feare) open one floodgate the more to let in all the&s;e calamities upon the Kingdome, and ca&s;t upon it a nece&s;&s;ity of renewing Covenant, and of entring into this.</P>
<P>If it be &s;aid, the extirpation of Prelacy, to wit, the whole Hierarchicall Government (&s;tanding, as yet, by the knowne Lawes of the Kingdome) is new, and unwarrantable: This will appeare to all impartiall under&s;tandings, (though new) to be not onely warrantable, but nece&s;&s;ary; if they con|&s;ider (to omit what &s;ome &s;ay, that this Govern|ment was never formally e&s;tabli&s;hed by any Lawes of this Kingdome at all) that the very life and &s;oule thereof is already taken from it by an Act pa&s;&s;ed this pre&s;ent Parliament, &s;o as (like <HI>Jezabels</HI> Carca&s;&s;e, of which no more was left but the skull, the feete, and the palmes of her hands) nothing of juri&s;diction remaines but what is precarious in them, and vo|luntary in tho&s;e who &s;ubmit unto them: that their whole Government is at be&s;t but a humane con&s;titution, and &s;uch as is found and adjudged by both Hou&s;es of Parliament, (in which, the judge|ment of the whole Kingdom is involved and De|clared) not onely very prejudiciall to the Civill State, but a great hinderance al&s;o to the perfect Re|formation of Religion; Yea, who knoweth it not to bee too much an enemy there unto, and de&s;tru|ctive to the power of godline&s;&s;e, and pure admini|&s;tration of the Ordinances of Chri&s;t? which moved the well-affected, almo&s;t throughout this King|dom,
<PB N="4" REF="7"> long &s;ince to Petition this Parliament (as hath been de&s;ired before, even in the Reigne of Queen <HI>Elizabeth,</HI> and of King <HI>James)</HI> for a to|tall abolition of the &s;ame. Nor is any man hereby bound to offer any violence to their per&s;ons, but only, in his place and calling, to indevour their ex|tirpation in a lawful way.</P>
<P>And as for tho&s;e Clergy-men, who pretend that they (above all others) cannot Covenant to ex|tirpate that Government, becau&s;e they have (as they &s;ay) taken a &s;olemne Oath to obey the Bi|&s;hops, <HI>in licitis et hone&s;tis:</HI> they can tell, if they plea&s;e, that they that have &s;worn obedience to the Laws of the Land, are not thereby prohibited from indevouring by all lawfull meanes the aboli|tion of tho&s;e Lawes, when they prove inconveni|ent or mi&s;chievous. And if yet there &s;hould any Oath be found into which any Mini&s;ters or others have entred, not warranted by the Laws of God and the Land, in this ca&s;e, they mu&s;t teach them|&s;elves and others, that &s;uch Oathes call for repen|tance, not pertinacy in them.</P>
<P>If it be pleaded that this Covenant cro&s;&s;eth the Oaths of <HI>Supremacy</HI> and <HI>Allegiance;</HI> there can be nothing further from truth: for, this Covenant binds all, and more &s;trongly engageth them to <HI>pre|&s;erve and defend the Kings Maje&s;ties Per&s;on, and au|thority in the pre&s;ervation and defence of the true Reli|gion and Liberties of the Kingdomes.</HI></P>
<P>That &s;cruple, that this is done without the Kings
<PB N="5" REF="7"> con&s;ent, will &s;oone be removed, if it be remem|bred that the <HI>Prote&s;tation</HI> of the fifth of <HI>May</HI> be|fore mentioned, was in the &s;ame manner voted and executed by both Hou&s;es, and after (by order of one Hou&s;e alone) &s;ent abroad to all the King|dome, his Maje&s;ty not excepting again&s;t it, or gi|ving any &s;top to the taking of it, albeit he was then re&s;ident in Per&s;on at <HI>Whitehall.</HI></P>
<P>Thus <HI>Ezra</HI> and <HI>Nehemiah</HI> drew all the people <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezra 10. Neh. 9.</NOTE> into a Covenant, without any &s;peciall Commi&s;&s;ion from the Per&s;ian Monarchs (then their Soveraigns) &s;o to doe, albeit they were not free Subjects, but Va&s;&s;als, and one of them the meniall Servant of <HI>Artaxerxes,</HI> then by Conque&s;t King of <HI>Judah</HI> al|&s;o. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Neh. 1.</NOTE></P>
<P>Nor hath this doctrine or practi&s;e beene deemed &s;editious or unwarrantable by the Princes that have &s;ate upon the Engli&s;h Throne, but ju&s;tified and de|fended by Queene <HI>Elizabeth</HI> of ble&s;&s;ed memory, with the expence of much Trea&s;ure and Noble blood, in the united Provinces of the Netherlands combined not only without, but again&s;t the unju&s;t violence of <HI>Philip</HI> of Spaine; King <HI>James</HI> follow|ed her &s;teps, &s;o farre as to approve their union, and to enter into league with them as free States; which is continued by his Maje&s;tie now reigning, unto this day; who both by his expedition for reliefe of <HI>Rochel</HI> in France, and his &s;trict confedera|cy with the Prince of <HI>Orange,</HI> and the States Gene|rall, notwith&s;tanding all the importunitie of Spaine
<PB N="6" REF="8"> to the contrary, hath &s;et to his Seale that all that had beene done by his Royall Ance&s;tors, in main|tenance of tho&s;e who had &s;o engaged and combi|ned them&s;elves, was ju&s;t and warrantable.</P>
<P>And what had become of the Religion, Lawes, and Liberties of our &s;i&s;ter Nation of <HI>Scotland,</HI> had they not entred into &s;uch a &s;olemne League and Covenant at the beginning of the late troubles there? which cour&s;e, however it was at fir&s;t, by the Popi&s;h and Prelatick Projectors, repre&s;ented to his Maje&s;tie as an offence of the highe&s;t nature, ju&s;tly de&s;erving cha&s;ti&s;ement by the fury of a pu|i&s;&s;ant Army; yet when the matter came afterwards in coole blood to bee debated, fir&s;t by Commi&s;&s;io|ners of both kingdomes, and then in open Parlia|ment here, (when all tho&s;e of either Hou&s;e, who are now engaged at <HI>Oxford,</HI> were pre&s;ent in Par|liament, and gave their Votes therein) it was found, adjudged and declared by the King in Parliament, that our deare Brethren of <HI>Scotland</HI> had done no|thing, but what became loyall and obedient Sub|jects, and were thereupon by Act of Parliament publikely righted in all the Churches of this King|dome, where they had beene defamed.</P>
<P>Therefore however &s;ome men, hoodwinkt and blinded by the artifices of tho&s;e Je&s;uiticall Engi|neers, who have long con&s;pired to &s;acrifice our Re|ligion to the Idolatry of Rome, our Lawes, Liber|ties and per&s;ons to arbitrary &s;lavery, and our e&s;tates to their in&s;atiable avarice, may po&s;&s;ibly bee deterred
<PB N="7" REF="8"> and amu&s;ed with high threats and Declarations, flying up and downe on the wings of the Royall Name and Countenance (now captivated and pro|&s;tituted to &s;erve all their lu&s;ts) to proclaime all Re|bells and Traytors who take this Covenant; yet let no faithfull Engli&s;h heart bee afraid to joyne with our Brethren of all the three Kingdomes in this &s;olemne League, as &s;ometimes the men of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> (although under another King) did with the men <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chron. 30.</NOTE> of <HI>Judah,</HI> at the invitation of <HI>Hezekiah.</HI></P>
<P>What though tho&s;e tongues &s;et on fire by Hell doe raile and threaten? That God who was plea&s;ed to cleare up the innocency of <HI>Mordecai</HI> and the Jewes again&s;t all the malitious a&s;per&s;ions of wicked <HI>Haman</HI> to his and their Soveraigne, &s;o as all his plotting produced but this effect, that <HI>when the Kings</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">E<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">h. 9.</NOTE> <HI>commandement and decree drew neare to bee put in exe|cution, and the enemies of the Jewes hoped to have power over them, it was turned to the contrary, and the Jewes had rule over them that hated them, and laid hands on &s;uch as &s;ought their hurt, &s;o as no man could with&s;tand them;</HI> and that &s;ame God, who but even as ye&s;terday, vouch&s;afed to di&s;per&s;e and &s;catter tho&s;e dark clouds &amp; fogs which over&s;hadowed that Loy|all and Religious Kingdome of <HI>Scotland,</HI> and to make their righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e to &s;hine as cleare as the Sunne at noone day in the very eyes of their greate&s;t enemies, will doubtle&s;&s;ely &s;tand by all tho&s;e who with &s;inglene&s;&s;e of heart, and a due &s;en&s;e of their owne &s;innes, and a nece&s;&s;itie of reformati|on,
<PB N="8" REF="9"> &s;hall now enter into an everla&s;ting Covenant with the Lord, never to bee forgotten, to put an end to all tho&s;e unhappy and unnaturall breaches betweene the King and &s;uch as are faithfull in the Land; cau&s;ing their <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e and prai&s;e to &s;pring forth before all the Nations,</HI> to the terror and con|fu&s;ion of tho&s;e men of blood, the confederate ene|mies of God and the King, who have long com|bined, and have now raked together the dregs and &s;cumme of many Kingdomes, to bury all the glory, honour and libertie of this Nation in the eternall grave of di&s;honour and de&s;truction.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="order to print">
<OPENER><DATELINE><DATE>Die Veneris 9. Februar. 1643.</DATE></DATELINE></OPENER>
<P>AN Exhortation touching the taking of the <HI>Solemn League and Covenant,</HI> and for &s;atisfying of &s;uch Scruples, as may ari&s;e in the taking of it, was this day read the fir&s;t and &s;econd time; And by Vote upon the Que&s;tion a&s;&s;ented unto, and Ordered to bee forthwith Printed.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>H. El&s;ynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. A SOLEMNE</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P>Printed at <HI>London</HI> for <HI>Ralph Smith,</HI> at the &s;igne of the Bible in <HI>Cornhill,</HI> neere the <HI>Royall Exchange.</HI> 1644.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="covenant">
<PB N="9" REF="9">
<HEAD>A SOLEMN League and Covenant, FOR Reformation, and Defence of Religion, The Honour and Happine&s;&s;e of the KING, And the Peace &amp; Safety of the three Kingdoms OF <HI>England, Scotland,</HI> and <HI>Ireland.</HI></HEAD>
<P>WE Noblemen, Barons, Knights, Gentlemen, Citizens, Burge&s;&s;es, Mini&s;ters of the Go&s;pel, and Commons of all &s;orts in the kingdoms of <HI>England, Scotland</HI> and <HI>Ireland,</HI> by the Providence of God li|ving under one King, and being of one Reformed Religion, having before our eyes the glory of God, and the advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, the honour and happine&s;s of the Kings Maje&s;tie, and His Po&s;terity, and the true publike Liberty, Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms, wherein every ones private condition is included, and
<PB N="10" REF="10"> calling to minde the treacherous and bloody plots, Con|&s;piracies, Attempts, and practices of the Enemies of God, again&s;t the true religion, and profe&s;&s;ors thereof in all places, e&s;pecially in the&s;e three Kingdoms ever &s;ince the reformation of religion, and how much their rage, power and pre&s;umption, are of late, and at this tune increa&s;ed and exerci&s;ed; whereof the deplorable e&s;tate of the Church and Kingdom of <HI>Ireland,</HI> the di|&s;tre&s;&s;ed e&s;tate of the Church &amp; Kingdom of <HI>England,</HI> and the dangerous e&s;tate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland, are pre&s;ent and publike Te&s;timonies; We have now at la&s;t, (after other meanes of Supplication, Remon&s;trance, Prote&s;tations, and Sufferings) for the pre&s;ervation of our &s;elves and our religion, from utter ruine and De&s;truction, according to the commendable practice of the&s;e Kingdoms in former times, and the Ex|ample of Gods people in other Nations; after mature de|liberation, re&s;olved and determined to enter into a mu|tuall and &s;olemne League and Covenant, wherein we all &s;ub&s;cribe, and each one of us for him&s;elf, with our hands lifted up to the mo&s;t high God, do &s;wear:</P>
<P><LABEL>I.</LABEL> THat we &s;hall &s;incerely, really and con&s;tantly, through the Grace of God, endeavour in our &s;everall places and callings, the pre&s;ervation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of <HI>Scotland,</HI> in doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;ci|pline
<PB N="11" REF="10"> and Government, again&s;t our common Enemies, the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of <HI>England</HI> and <HI>Ireland,</HI> in Doctrine, Wor&s;hip, Di&s;cipline and Go|vernment, according to the Word of God, and the Exam|ple of the be&s;t Reformed Churches; And &s;hall indeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms, to the neere&s;t conjunction and Uniformity in Religion, Con|fe&s;&s;ion of Faith, Form of Church-Government, Directo|ry for Wor&s;hip and Catechizing; That we and our po|&s;terity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love, and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midde&s;t of us.</P>
<P><LABEL>II.</LABEL> That we &s;hall in like manner, without re&s;pect of per|&s;ons, indeavour the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, (that is, Church-Government, by Arch-Bi&s;hops, Bi&s;hops, their Chancellours and Commi&s;&s;aries, Deanes, Deanes and Chapters, Archdeacons, and all other Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Of|ficers depending on that Hirarchy) Super&s;tition, Here&s;ie, Schi&s;me, Prophanene&s;&s;e, and what&s;oever &s;hall be found to be contrary to &s;ound Doctrine, and the power of God|line&s;&s;e; le&s;t we partake in other mens &s;ins, and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues, and that the Lord may be one, and his Name one in the three Kingdoms.</P>
<P><LABEL>III.</LABEL> We &s;hall with the &s;ame &s;incerity, reallity and con&s;tancy, in our &s;everall Vocations, endeavour with our e&s;tates and lives, mutually to pre&s;erve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments, and the Liberties of the Kingdoms, and to pre&s;erve and defend the Kings Maje&s;ties per&s;on and authority, in the pre&s;ervation and defence of the true Re|ligion, and Liberties of the Kingdoms, that the world may bear witne&s;&s;e with our con&s;ciences of our Loyaltie, and
<PB N="12" REF="11"> that we have no thoughts or intentions to dimini&s;h His Maje&s;ties ju&s;t power and greatne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P><LABEL>IIII.</LABEL> We &s;hall al&s;o with all faithfulne&s;&s;e endeavour the di&s;|covery of all &s;uch as have been, or &s;hall be Incendia|ries, Malignants, or evill In&s;truments, by hindering the Reformation of Religion, dividing the King from his peo|ple, or one of the Kingdoms from another, or making any Faction or parties among&s;t the people, contrary to this League and Covenant, that they may be brought to pub|licke triall, and receive condigne puni&s;hment, as the de|gree of their offences &s;hall require or de&s;erve, or the &s;u|pream Judicatories of both Kingdoms re&s;pectively, or others having power from them for that effect, &s;hall judge convenient.</P>
<P><LABEL>V.</LABEL> And whereas the happine&s;&s;e of a ble&s;&s;ed Peace between the&s;e Kingdoms, denyed in former times to our Progeni|tors, is by the good providence of God granted unto us, and hath been lately concluded, and &s;etled by both Par|liaments, we &s;hall each one of us, according to our place and intere&s;t indeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firme Peace and Union to all Po&s;terity; And that Iu|&s;tice may be done upon the wilfull oppo&s;ers therof, in man|ner expre&s;&s;ed in the precedent Articles.</P>
<P><LABEL>VI.</LABEL> <HI>We &s;hall al&s;o according to our places and callings in this common cau&s;e of Religion, Liberty and Peace of the Kingdomes, a&s;&s;i&s;t and defend all tho&s;e that enter into this League &amp; Covenant, in the maintaining &amp; pur&s;uing there|of, and &s;hall not &s;uffer our &s;elves directly or indirctly by what&s;oever combination, per&s;wa&s;ion or terrour, to be di|vided</HI>
<PB N="13" REF="11"> <HI>&amp; withdrawn frm this ble&s;&s;ed Union &amp; conjuction, whether to make defectio~ to the contrary part, or to give our &s;elves to a dete&s;table indifferency or neutrality in this cau&s;e, which &s;o much concerneth the glory of God, the good of the Kingdoms, and the honour of the King; but &s;hall all the dayes of our lives, zealou&s;ly and con&s;tantly continue therein, again&s;t all oppo&s;ition, and promote the &s;ame according to our power, again&s;t all Lets and Impedi|ments what&s;oever; and what we are not able our &s;elves to &s;uppre&s;&s;e or overcome, we &s;hall reveal and make known, that it may be timely prevented or removed; All which we &s;hall do as in the &s;ight of God.</HI></P>
<P>And becau&s;e the&s;e Kingdoms are guilty of many &s;ins and provocations again&s;t God, and his Son Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, as is too manife&s;t by our pre&s;ent di&s;tre&s;&s;es and dangers, the fruits thereof; We profe&s;&s;e and declare before God and the world, our unfayned de&s;ire to be humbled for our own &s;ins, and for the &s;ins of the&s;e Kingdoms, e&s;pecially, that we have not as we ought, valued the ine&s;timable benefit of the Go&s;pel, that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof, and that we have not endeavoured to receive Chri&s;t in our hearts, nor to walk worthy of him in our lives, which are the cau&s;es of other &s;ins and Tran&s;gre&s;sions, &s;o much abounding among&s;t us; And our true and unfained pur|po&s;e, de&s;ire, and endeavour for our &s;elves, and all others under our power and charge, both in publike and in private, in all du|ties we owe to God and man, to amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a reall Reformation, that the Lord may turn away his wrath, and heavy indignation, and e&s;tabli&s;h the&s;e Churches and Kingdoms in trueth and peace. And this Covenant we make in the pre&s;ence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to performe the
<PB N="14" REF="12"> &s;ame, as we &s;hall an&s;wer at that great day, when the &s;ecrets of all hearts &s;hall be di&s;clo&s;ed, Mo&s;t humbly be&s;eeching the Lord to &s;trengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this end, and to ble&s;&s;e our de&s;ires and proceedings with &s;uch &s;ucce&s;&s;e, as may be deliverance and &s;afety to his people, and encouragement to other Chri&s;tian Churches groaning under, or in danger of the yoke of Anti|chri&s;tian Tyranny; to joyne in the &s;ame, or like A&s;&s;ociation and Covenant, to the glory of God, the enlargement of the King|dom of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and the peace and Tranquility of Christi|an Kingdomes and Common-Wealths.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED><LIST>
<ITEM>Wil: Lenthall Speaker</ITEM>
<ITEM>Beuchamp <HI>St.</HI> Iohn</ITEM>
<ITEM>Gilbert Gerrard</ITEM>
<ITEM>Walter Erle</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iames Cambell</ITEM>
<ITEM>Tho: Cheeke</ITEM>
<ITEM>Robert Nicholas</ITEM>
<ITEM>Benjamin Rudyard</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Gurdon</ITEM>
<ITEM>Robert Harley</ITEM>
<ITEM>Francis Knollys</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Ma&s;ter</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn White</ITEM>
<ITEM>Anthony Stapeley</ITEM>
<ITEM>Dennis Bond</ITEM>
<ITEM>Laurence Whitaker</ITEM>
<ITEM>Michaell Noble</ITEM>
<ITEM>Pere: Hoby</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Barwis</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Baynton</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Cawley</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Moyle</ITEM>
<PB N="15" REF="12">
<ITEM> Iohn Pyne</ITEM>
<ITEM>George Searle</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Vane Senior</ITEM>
<ITEM>Nevill Poole</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Yonge</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Herbert</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Sandis</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Ie&s;&s;on</ITEM>
<ITEM>Philip L: Herbert</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Barrington</ITEM>
<ITEM>Martin Lumley</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Trevor</ITEM>
<ITEM>Francis Godolphin</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Arundell</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Stephens</ITEM>
<ITEM>Gilbert Pykering</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Creue</ITEM>
<ITEM>Oliver Cromwell</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Vane Iunior.</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Cage</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Eri&s;ey</ITEM>
<ITEM>Philip L: Li&s;le.</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Heveningham</ITEM>
<ITEM>I&s;aac Penington</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Cre&s;held</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Pelham</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Parker</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Leigh</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Harris</ITEM>
<ITEM>Augu&s;tine Skinner</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Venn</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Strickland</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iobn Franklin</ITEM>
<ITEM>Samuel Browne</ITEM>
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<ITEM> Robert Scawen</ITEM>
<ITEM>Roger Hill</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Button</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Meyrick</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ambro&s;&s;e Browne</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Wynn</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Owner</ITEM>
<ITEM>Charles Pym</ITEM>
<ITEM>Charles L: Cranborne</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ben. We&s;ton</ITEM>
<ITEM>Dudley North</ITEM>
<ITEM>Iohn Nut</ITEM>
<ITEM>Io: Corlet</ITEM>
<ITEM>Roger Burgoyne</ITEM>
<ITEM>Peter Temple</ITEM>
<ITEM>Benjamin Valentyne</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Wal&s;ingham</ITEM>
<ITEM>Oliver Luke</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Alen&s;on</ITEM>
<ITEM>Humphery Salwey</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard More</ITEM>
<ITEM>VVilliam A&s;hur&s;t</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Moore</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Fountayne</ITEM>
<ITEM>VVilliam Ellys</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Shelley</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Shuttleworth</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Ludlow</ITEM>
<ITEM>George Gallopp</ITEM>
<ITEM>Robert Wallopp</ITEM>
<ITEM>Arthur He&s;ilrige</ITEM>
<ITEM>Oliver Saint-John</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Grantham</ITEM>
<ITEM>Francis Barneham</ITEM>
<PB N="17" REF="13">
<ITEM> Will: <HI>L:</HI> Fitzwilliams</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edmund Dunch</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Mildmay</ITEM>
<ITEM>Hugh Rogers</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Hatcher</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Wray</ITEM>
<ITEM>Simonds D'Ewes</ITEM>
<ITEM>Anthony Bedingfield</ITEM>
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<ITEM>William <HI>L:</HI> Mun&s;on</ITEM>
<ITEM>Martyn Li&s;ter</ITEM>
<ITEM>Robert Goodwyn</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Thomas</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Lucas</ITEM>
<ITEM>Miles Corbett</ITEM>
<ITEM>Philip Smith</ITEM>
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<ITEM>John Lowry</ITEM>
<ITEM>Peter Wentworth</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Cholmeley</ITEM>
<ITEM>Philip Stapleton</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Pierrepont</ITEM>
<ITEM>Roger North</ITEM>
<ITEM>Alexander Popham</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Hodges</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Maynard</ITEM>
<ITEM>Samuel Va&s;&s;all</ITEM>
<ITEM>Anthony Irby</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Clotworthy</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Broxolme</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Jervoy&s;e</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Blaki&s;ton</ITEM>
<ITEM>Walter Longe</ITEM>
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<ITEM> John Rolle</ITEM>
<ITEM>Robert Jennor</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Waddon</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Ma&s;ham</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Li&s;le</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edmund Fowell</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward A&s;he</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Pury</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Whithead</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Jenyns</ITEM>
<ITEM>Humphrey Tufton</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Dacres</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Erle</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Downes</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Goodwyn</ITEM>
<ITEM>Francis Drake</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Waller</ITEM>
<ITEM>Samuel Luke</ITEM>
<ITEM>Francis Buller</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Harman</ITEM>
<ITEM>George Buller</ITEM>
<ITEM>Arthur On&s;lowe</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Wynwood</ITEM>
<ITEM>Robert Pye</ITEM>
<ITEM>Hen. <HI>L:</HI> Grey <HI>of</HI> Ruthin</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Knightley</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Pym</ITEM>
<ITEM>Chri&s;topher Yelverton</ITEM>
<ITEM>Anthony Nicoll</ITEM>
<ITEM>Peter Wroth</ITEM>
<ITEM>Robert Reynolds</ITEM>
<ITEM>Nathaniel Barnardi&s;ton</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Heyman</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Purefoy</ITEM>
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<ITEM> Valentine Walton</ITEM>
<ITEM>Michael Olde&s;worth</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Wheler</ITEM>
<ITEM>Hall Raven&s;croft</ITEM>
<ITEM>Tho. <HI>L:</HI> Grey <HI>of</HI> Groby</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Middleton</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Hungerford</ITEM>
<ITEM>Chri&s;topher Wrey</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Lee</ITEM>
<ITEM>Herbert Morley</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Lane</ITEM>
<ITEM>Robert Cecill</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Bell</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Some</ITEM>
<ITEM>Herbottle Grimstone</ITEM>
<ITEM>Symon Snowe</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Na&s;h</ITEM>
<ITEM>Herbottle Grim&s;tone</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ralph A&s;heton</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Ay&s;hcoghe</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Wylde</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Trenchard</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Jervoy&s;e</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Brown</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Playters</ITEM>
<ITEM>Nathaniel Stephens</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard Ro&s;e</ITEM>
<ITEM>Francis Rous</ITEM>
<ITEM>Gilbert Millington</ITEM>
<ITEM>Walter Young</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Brown</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Hippi&s;ley</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Poole</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Pelham</ITEM>
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<ITEM>John Driden</ITEM>
<ITEM>Nathaniel Fyennes</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Lewis</ITEM>
<ITEM>Giles Grene</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Lytton</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Hervey</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Dowce</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Strode</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edmond Prideaux</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Hoyle</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Exton</ITEM>
<ITEM>Francis Popham</ITEM>
<ITEM>Zouch Tate</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Cur&s;on</ITEM>
<ITEM>Alexander Bence</ITEM>
<ITEM>Squire Bence</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Selden</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Glynn</ITEM>
<ITEM>Richard On&s;low</ITEM>
<ITEM>John Coke</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas <HI>L:</HI> Wenman</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bul&s;trode Whitelocke</ITEM>
<ITEM>George Mountagu</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Partheriche</ITEM>
<ITEM>Henry Campion</ITEM>
<ITEM>William Whitaker</ITEM>
<ITEM>Denzell Holles</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Wingate</ITEM>
<ITEM>James Fenys.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Poynings Moore</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Bi&s;&s;e, <HI>Junior.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>William Jeph&s;on</ITEM>
<ITEM>Edward Mountagu</ITEM>
<ITEM>Norton Knatchboll.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Thomas Eden</ITEM>
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<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
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</EEBO>
</ETS>
