I.

THat the said William Laud, Archbi­shop of Canterbury, hath traiterously laboured to subvert the fundamentall Lawes and Government of the Kingdome, by giving his Majestie advice privately, and at Councell Table, High Commission, and in other places said, that he would have them governed by Civill Lawes, and further said, he would make the proudest subject in the Kingdome to give way to him; and being told it was against Law, he replied he would make it Law, and that the King might at his owne pleasure take away without Law, and make it warrantable by Gods Law.

II.

His countenancing of Books & their Au­thours for the maintenance of his unlimited and absolute power, wherein the power of the Parliament is denied, and the Bishops power of Prelacie set up.

III.

That he traiterously went about to inter­rupt the Judges by his threatnings, and other meanes, to constraine them to give false Judgement in the case of Ship-money, as will appeare both by writings, and his hand, by testimony of divers persons of good worth and quality.

IV.

That he hath taken bribes, and sold Ju­stice in the high Commission Court, as Archbishop, and hath not onely corrupted the Judges there, but hath also sold Judici­ous places to be corrupted.

V.

That he hath endeavoured the encroach­ment of Jurisdiction and institution of Ca­nons, which are not onely unlawfull, but prejudiciall to the subject; and that he hath exercised his authority very cruelly, both as a Chancellour, Commissioner, and Judge.

VI.

That he hath traiterously assumed a capi­tall power over his Majesties subjects, deny­ing [Page 3] his power of Prelacy as from the King.

VII.

That by false erronious doctrines, and o­ther sinister wayes and meanes, he went about to subvert Religion established in this King­dome, and to set up Papistry and superstiti­on in the Church.

VIII.

That by undue meanes and practices hee hath gotten into his hands the power of no­minating of Ministers to spirituall promo­tions, and hath preserved none but scanda­lous Ministers thereunto, and hath prefer­red corrupt Chaplains to his Majesty.

IX.

That his owne Ministers, as Heywood, [...]ey­field, and others, are notoriously dis-affected to Religion.

X.

That he hath endeavoured to reconcile us to the Church of Rome, and to that end hath employed a Jesuite and a Papist, and hath wrought with the Popes Agent in severall points.

XI.

That to suppresse preaching, he hath su­spended divers good men, and hath used un­lawfull meanes, by Letters, and otherwise, to severall Bishops to suppresse them.

XII.

That hee hath traiterously endeavoured to suppresse the French Religion here a­mongst us, which is the same that we are of; and the Dutch Church, and to set division between them and us.

XIII.

That he hath traiterously endeavoured to set division betweene the King and the sub­jects, and hath gone about to bring in Inno­vations into the Church, and hath induced the King to warre with the Scots, and ma­ny upon their death beds to give towards the maintenance of the warre; and hath cau­sed the Clergy to give freely towards the same. And hath brought in many superstiti­ons and innovations into the Church of Scotland, And that he procured the King to breake the pacification, whereby to cause a bloody warre betweene the two Kingdomes.

XIV.

That to preserve himselfe from being que­stioned for these and other his traiterous de­signes, from the first yeare of his Majesties reigne till now, he hath laboured to sub­vert the rites of Parliamentary proceedings, and to incense his Majesty against Parlia­ments.

By all which Words, Councels and Actions, hee hath traiterously laboured to [Page 5] alienate the hearts of the Kings liege peolpe from his Majesty, to set division betweene them; and to ruine and destroy his Majesties Kingdomes, for which they impeach him of High Treason against our Soveraigne Lord the King, his Crowne and Dignity.

And the said Commons by Protestati­ons, saving to themselves the liberty of exhi­biting at any time hereafter, any other accu­sation or impeachment against the said Willi­am Laud Archbishop of Canterbury, and also of replying to the answers that he the said Archbishop shall make unto the said Arti­cles, or to any of them; and of offering proofes also of the premisses, or any of them, or any other impeachment or accusation that shall be exhibited by them, as the cause shall, according to the course of Parliaments require, doe pray that hee the said William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury may bee put speedily to answer for all and every the Premisses, that such proceedings, Examina­tions, Trials and Judgements, may be upon every of them had and used, as is agreeable to Law and Justice.