Whairas We have by many fair and calme waies, and alanerly by them endevoured to reclaime Our subjects, but especially such as (be­ing cunningly seduced by vthers) have blindly run themselffes into undutiful and sedi­tious courses, And have laboured by the same faire means to re-establisch and sattle Our Royall authoritie and governament there; but hitherto all in vaine, Our clemencie and mildnesse towards them producing no better effects in many of them, then increase of thair insolencies towards Us, and such ane height of violent rebellion, as taking Our Royall Forts and Castles, with Our Crowne, and all Our ancient Regall Ornaments, munition for warre, and whatsoever belongs to Us, and forti­fying of Townes against Us: Yet We heartily declair and faithfully promittis, that though We be now in airmes, they sall be no wayes used, either to force upon this Our native Kingdome any innovation in Religion, or to infringe any the civill liberties or lawes thairof: for such is Our tender affection both to it, and to such of Our subjects there as have schawn themselffes loyall and faithfull to Us at this time (who both may expect and sall receive such testimonies of Our favour as thair fidelitie justly merites) as we sall ever have a great and speciall caire both of it and them, accomp­ting it Our glorie to preserve liberty and freedome amongst them, according to thair lawes.

Thairfore We doe once againe by this, renew Our former promises for the maintenance of Religion and Lawes, and We assure all Our people that We will make guid whatsoever We have declaired or publisched in any of Our Pro­clamations or Declarations, or which Our Commissioner declaired in Our name at the last pretended generall Assem­bly; And this We doe in all sinceritie of heart; and withall to make it appear, both at home and abroad, that the wic­ked and detestable malice of these seditious men (which first raised these stormes) had no true ground to worke upon, whill they sought to poyson the hearts of Our guid people, and to make them beleive We did not only intend to bring in Poperie, but that We were that way inclined Our Selffe. Now though it be not necessarie for Us to make often De­clarations of Our integritie to the true reformed protestant Religion, which We from Our heart professe, yet We hold it fit thus farre to manifest to all Our people and to the world, that this thair allegation is notoriously fals, and that they could have no vther end thairin, then by broching that fond and scandalous report, to steill away the hearts of Our guid and loyall subjects, that so they might both with more ease and greater securitie be able to compasse thair awn traite­rous and damnable designes, to the overthrow of all Monarchicall governament; Whairas We take God (the searcher of all hearts) to witnesse, that as We are Defender of the true Protestant Religion, which We from Our heart professe, so We truist by his guidnesse and mercie We sall continue in the same all Our dayes, and never permit any innovation of Religion to creep into this or any vther of Our Kingdomes, but sall constantly maintaine the same, as it is establisched, according to Gods law, and by the lawes and constitutions of Our severall Kingdomes respectively.

Now whairas We say We will constantly maintain the true Religion by law establisched in these Our Kingdomes, and cannot tell how to expresse Our selffes either better or vtherwise, to the full content of Our guid people (as We are most willing to doe it) yet We are informed that some captious, busie, and traiterously affected men, labouris (even out of this fulnesse and clearnesse of Our expression) to poyson Our loyall subjects, and makes them believe that it is mani­fest We have no intention to performe what We have promised; These thairfore are further (if further We can goe) to assure all Our guid people, that Our intentions all of them are Regall, just, and full of integritie. And so farre are We from intending to breake any the least peece of a promise which We have made unto them, as that We sall most pun­ctually and strictly observe all We have promised, and that as firmly as We sall adhere to the Religion it selfe. And heir­upon We hope and are perswaded that all Our guid and loving subjects, notwithstanding the whispers of seditious men, will both believe and rest satisfied with the integritie of Our intentions in this behalffe, and be no more abused and led out of the way of their alledgeance by the treacherous practices of these men, who being exceeding foule them­selffes, labouris to get as many followers as they can, and theirby hopes to escape the just punischement which their trai­terous carriadge hath deserved: But We must let them and Our guid people knaw, that to seduce many is the worst way they can take to make themselffes innocent, and the greater inducement to make Us inflict due punischement on them; yet We thinke it withall very necessary for Us to let all Our people and the Christian world knaw, That though the number be very great whose carriadge hath been treasonable in this commotion, yet such is and sall be Our clemen­cie towards them, as yet We sall freely pardon and forgive all such amongst them, as sall lay hold on this Our mercie offered them, and from hencefuirth carry themselffes dutifull to Us and Our just commands. And to this end We en­tend (God willing) to hold Our Parliament so soon as We sall see the countrey in such peace and quietnesse, as may befit Our honour in Person to come amongst them: And thairfore We command all Our Houses, Forts and Castles, surpri­sed and taiken by any of Our subjects, and detained by them, Our Crowne, Royall Ornaments of Our Regall power, munition for warre, and all things whatsoever belonging to Us, and taiken by any of Our subjects, to be restored unto Us within eight dayes after the publication heirof, And all the saids fortifications of townes to be razed and demoli­shed to the ground, at least the best they can doe to that purpose within the same space; And also all the lands, houses, or guids of Our loving subjects, who have beene faithfull unto Us, and are taiken from them by any whosoever, to be restored unto them within the same space; which We command to be done, as they tender thair alledgeance. And We doe also command all and every one of Our subjects to lay downe airmes, and all their forces and airmies to be dissolved and dissipate, and ilk man to repaire in peaceable manner to the place of his ordinary dwelling, And all conventions, conventicles, and convocations of Our subjects, of what qualitie or degree soever they be, to surceas in time comming within the said space and dayes after the publication heirof, as they tender thair alledgeance; All which being done, and Our saids subjects randring unto Us their civill and dewtifull obedience in all things, conforme to the lawes of this Our native Kingdom, We give full and free pardon to all Our saids subjects and every one of them, of all facts and deeds done by them or any of them preceding the day and daite of the publication heirof, And further sall cause ane Act of oblivion to be maide heirupon in Our next ensuing Parliament. And since We have been pleased out of Our innate, Royall and tender affection We beare to this Our native Kingdome, to cure the wounds of the distracted estaite thairof with so gentle a balme, and to passe by the errours and disorders thairof with so faire a hand, and to embrace (even the most rebellious) in the airmes of Our mercie, Wee are confident that this Our gracious and free offer sall be heartily and with all submissive dewtie received by Our subjects: But if the perverse disposition of some be such as they will not be cured, but still goe forward in thair crooked and rebellious waies, and (without due respect to the alledgeance they owe unto Us their native and lawfull King) sall not accept of this Our free grace and pardon, before the expiring of the said eight dayes, which We hope none will doe, then and in that case (the time being expired, and Our grace and pardon contemned, by disobeying of these Our just and lawfull commandements) We are forced to have recourse to ane more scharpe and quick way, to cure thair obstinacie and rebellion by the sword of justice: And thairfore in that case We doe proclaime all such as sall reject this Our free and gracious pardon, and does not returne before the expiring of the saids eight dayes to their civill and dutifull obedience, to be from thencefuirth open Rebels and Traitours to Us Our Crowne and dignitie, And declaire all their lands and possessions, guids and geir, to be forfaulted to Us and Our Crowne, and that We sall dispose of thair lands, possessions, guids and geir, to Our weill-deserving subjects, Noble­men, Gentlemen, and vthers, who sall adhere to Us and obey Our just commands. And to this purpose We dischairge all vassals and tenants to any Rebels, from making paiment to them of any thair rents, dewties, or casualities, and re­quire them to keepe the same in thair hands, the one halfe whaireof sall be kept for Our use, the other halfe for them­selffes: promising also to the tenants of the saids Rebels, who sall leave their Maisters and assist Us to the mainte­nance of Our authoritie, guid termes of yeares in the estaits they possesse, with the diminution of the thrid at least, if not more, of the dewties they pay, as We sall finde them to deserve by thair guid service and readie obedience unto Us, And to the vassalls of such superiours as are Rebels, that they sall become Our immediate tenants and vassals, and hold thair lands and possessions of Us, and that for the paiment of the thrid part lesse dewtie then is conteinit in thair present charters and they presently pay to their superiour; providing they adhere to Us, and assist not their disloyall su­periours, but leave them and concurre with Us for maintenance of Our authoritie. And if the superiour be loyall, and [Page]the vassals and tenants refuis this Our grace, and to adhere to Us, or to concurre with the said superiour in Our ser­vice, We declaire it sall be lesum to the said superiour to expell the vassalls and tenants thus rebellious, fuirth of thair lands and possessions, and what sall accres to Us by the forfalture of thair lands and possessions, We freely dispone and totally resigne it to the loyall superiour, promising to concurre and assist him for effectuating heirof. And further We dischairge all debtours who are addebted in summes of money to any the saids Rebels, to make paiment to them of the summes of money addebted to them, or any part thairof, Assuring Our guid subjects that they sall have retribution out of the same monies as We sall finde them to deserve. And further we declaire, whatsoever Burrough or Citie sall em­brace this Our free pardon and grace, and adhere to Us, and assist Us in the maintenance of Our authoritie, We doe heirby take them, thair liberties and priviledges, into Our protection and favour, and sall defend the saids Cities and Burrowes in thair rights and priviledges, as becommeth ane just King, Secluding them alwayes from all hope of such favour at any time thairafter, in case they doe not embrace this Our free grace and pardon before the saids eight dayes ex­pired. And last, it is Our pleasure, and We heirby do declaire, that the forfalture or escheite of any of the Rebells, sall not prejudge Our guid subjects who adhere to Us, or embraces this Our free grace, and behave themselffes as dutifull sub­jects heirafter, but that the lands and estaites of the saids Rebels, and the gifts of forfalture and escheite proceeding from thair rebellion, sall be burdened with the payment of the just debts addebted to Our guid subjects, and they first payed before any thing accres to Us or Our donatour, And execution sall passe upon thair bands and obligations, in the accu­stomed manner, against the lands and guids of the saids Rebells.

OUR WILL is thairfore, and We charge you strictly, and commands, that incontinent these Our Letters seene, you passe and make publication heirof by open Proclamation, at the Mercat Crosses of the head Burrows of this Our Kingdome of Scotland, and all other places needfull, whairethrough none pretend ignorance of the same.

Gi­ven at Our Court at Yorke the twentie fifth day of April 1639.