A DECLARATION BY THE KING'S MAJESTY, TO HIS SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOMS Of 

SCOTLAND,  
ENGLAND,  
and IRELAND.    
EDINBURGH, Printed by Evan Tyler, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1650.   


C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
BY THE KING  
HIS Majesty taking in consideration that merciful dispensation of divine providence, by which he hath been recovered out of the snare of evil counsel, and having attained so full persuasion amp; confidence of the loialty of his people in Scotland, with whom he hath too long stood at a distance, & of the righteousness of their cause, as to join in one Covenant with them, and to cast himself and his interests wholly upon God, and in all matters Civil to follow the advice of his Parliament, and such as shall be entrusted by them, & in all matters Ecclesiastic the advice of the General Assembly & their Commissioners; And being sensible of his duty to God, & desirous to approve himself to the consciences of all his good subjects, and to stop the mouths of his and their enemies and traducers, doth inreference to his former deportments, and as to his resolutions for the future, Declare as follows.  
Though his Majesty as a dutiful Son be obliged to honour the memory of his Royal Father, and have in estimation the person of his Mother, yet doth he desire to be deeply humbled and afflicted in spirit before God, because of his Fathers harkening to & following evil counsels, and his opposition to the work of Reformation and to the Solemn League & Covenant, by which so much of the blood of the Lords People hath been shed in these Kingdoms, And for the Idolatry of his Mother; the Toleration whereof in the King's house, as it was matter of great stumbling to all the Protestant Churches, so could it not but be a high provocation against him, who is a jealous God, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the Children: And albeit his Majesty might extenuat his former carriage and actions in following of the advice and walking in the way of those who are opposite to the Covenant, and to the work of God, and might excuse his delaying to give satisfaction to the just & necessary desires of the Kirk and Kingdom of Scotland, from his education and age and evil counsel & company, and from the strange and insolent proceed of Sectaries against his Royal Father, and in reference to religion and the Ancient Government in ●he Kingdom of England, to which he hath the undoubted right of Succession, Yet knowing that he hath to do with God, He doth ingenuously acknowledge all his own sins and all the sins of his Father's House, craving pardon, and hoping for mercy, and reconciliation, through the blood of Jesus Christ. And as be doth value the constant addresses, that were made by his People to the Throne of Grace on his behalf when he stood in opposition to the work of God, as a singular Testimony of long suffering patience and mercy upon the Lord's part, & loyalty upon theirs, So doth he hope, and shall take it as one of the greatest tokens of their love and affection to him and to his Government, that they will continue in prayer and supplication to God for him, that the Lord who spared anti preserved him to this day, notwithstanding of all his own guiltiness, may be at peace with him, and give him to fear the Lord his God, and to serve him with a perfect heart, & with a willing mind all the days of his life.  
And his Majesty having upon full persuasion of the Iusti●● & equity of all the heads & articles thereof, now sworn & subscribed the national Covenant of the Kingdom of Scotland, & the solemn League and Covenant of the three Kingdoms of Scotlant, England and Ireland, Doth Declare that he hath not sworn & subscribed these Covenants, & entered into the Oath of God with his people, upon any sinister intention & crooked design for taining his own ends, but so far as humane weakness will permit in the truth and sincerity of his heart, and that he is firmly resolved in the Lord's strength to adhere thereto, & to prosecute to the utmost of his power all the ends thereof, in his station and calling, really, constantly & sincerely all the days of his life: In order to which he doth in the first place Profess and Declare that he will have no enemies, but the enemies of the Covenant, & that he will have no friends but the friends of the Covenant. And therefore as he doth now detest and abhor all Popery, Superstition & Idolatry, together with Prelacy and all errors, heresy schism and profaneness, and resolves not to tolerate; much less allow any of these in any part of his Majesty's Dominions, but to oppose himself thereto, and to endeavour the extirpation thereof to the utmost of his power; So doth he as a Christian Exhort, and as a King Require that all such of his subjects who have stood in opposition to the Solemn League and Covenant and work of Reformation, upon a pretence of Kingly interest, or, any other pretext whatsoever, to lay down their enmity against the Cause & people of God, and to cease to prefer the interest of man to the interest of God, which hath been one of those things that hath occasioned many troubles & calamities in these Kingdoms, and being insisted into, will be so far from establishing of the King's Throne, that it will prove an Idol of jealousy to provoke unto wrath him who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords: The King shall alwise esteem them best servants, and most Loyal Subjects, who serve him & seek his greatness in a right line of subordination-unto God, giving unto God the things that are Gods, and unto Cesar the things that are Cesares, And resolveth not to love, or countenance any, who have so little Conscience and piety, as to follow his interests with a prejudice to the Gospel and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, which he looks not upon as a duty, but as flattery, and driving of self designs, under a pretence of maintaining Royal Authority and greatness.  
II. His Majesty being convinced in conscience, of the exceeding great sinfulness and unlawfulness of that Treaty and peace made with the bloody Irish Rebels, who treacherously shed the blood of so many of his faithful and Loyal Subjects in Ireland, and of allowing unto them the liberty of the Popish Religion; for the which he doth from his heart desire to be deeply humbled before the Lord; And jikewise considerering how many breaches have been upon their part, Doth Declare the same to be void, And that his Majesty is absolved therefrom; being truly sorry that he should have sought unto so unlawful help for restoring of him to his Throne, and resolving for the time to come, rather to choose affliction then sin.  
III. As his Majesty did in the late Treaty with his people in this kingdom, agree to recall & annul all Commmissions against any of his Subjects, who did adhere to the Covenant, and Monarchical Government in any of his kingdoms; so doth he now Declare, that by commissionating of some persons by Sea, against the people of England, he did not intent damage, or injury to his oppressed and harmless Subjects in that kingdom, who follow their trade of Merchandise in their lawful callings, but only the opposing and suppressing of those who had usurped the government, and not only bar him from his just right, but also exercise an arbitrary power over his people, in those things which concern their persons, consciences and estates: And as since his coming into Scotland, he hath given no Commissions against any of his Subjects in England or Ireland, so he doth hereby Assure and Declare, that he will give none to their prejudice or damage, and whatever shall be the wrongs of these usurpers, that he will be so fare from avenging these upon any who are free thereof, by interrupting and stopping the liberty of trade and Merchandise or otherwise, that he will seek their good, & to the utmost employ his Royal power, that they may be protected and defended against the unjust violence of all men whatsoever. And albeit his Majesty desireth to construct well of the intentions of those (in reference to his Majesty) who have been active in Counsel or Arms against the Covenant; Yet being convinced that it doth conduce for the honour of God, the good of his cause, & his own honour and happiness, and for the peace & safety of these Kingdoms, that such be not employed in places of power and trust, He doth Declare, that he will not employ, nor give Commissions to any such, until they have not only taken or renewed the Covenant, but also have given sufficient evidences of their integrity, carriage, and affection to the work of Reformation, and shall be declared capable of trust by the Parl. of either kingdom respective: And his Majesty upon the same grounds, doth hereby Recall all Commissions given to any such persons; conceiving all such persons will so much tender a good understanding betwixt him & his Subjects, and the settling and preserving a f●rm peace in these kingdoms, that they will not grudge nor repine at his Majesty's resolutions and proceed sherein, much less upon discontent act any thing in a divided way unto the raising of new troubles; especially since upon their pious & good deportment, there is a regress left unto them in manner above expressed.  
And as his Majesty hath given satisfaction to the just and necessary desires of the Kirk and Kingdom of Scotland, So doth he hereby Assure & Declare that he is no less willing and desirous to give satisfaction to the just and necessary desires of his good subjects in England and Ireland; and in token thereof, if the houses of Parliament of England sitting in freedom shall think fit to present unto him, the propositions of peace agreed upon by both Kingdoms, he will not only accord to the same, and such alterations there anent as the Houses of Parliament in regard of the constitution of affairs, and the good of his Majesty and his Kingdoms shall judge necessary, but do what is further necessary, for prosecuting the ends of the Solemn League and Covenant, especially in those things which concern the Reformation of the Church of England in Doctrine, worship, discipline, and Government; that not only the directary of worship, the Confession of Faith and Catechism, but also the propositions and directory for Church Government accorded upon by the Synod of Divines at Westminster may be settled, and that the Church of England may enjoy the full liberty and freedom of all Assemblies & power of Kirk censures, and of all the ordinances of Jesus Christ according to the rule of his own word, and that whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven, may be diligently done for the house of the God of Heaven. And what ever heretofore hath been the suggestions of some to him, to render his Maty jealous of his Parl. & of the servants of God; yet as he hath declared, that in Scotland he will hearken to their Counsel, & follow their advice in those things that concern that Kingdom and Kirk; So doth he also Declare his firm resolution to manage the government of the kingdom of England, by the advice of his Parl. consisting of an House of Lords, & of an House of Com. there, and in those things that concern Religion to prefer the counsels of the Ministers of the Gospel, to all other Counsels whatsoever; And that all the world may see how much he tenders the safety of his people, and how precious their blood is in his sight, & how desirous he is to recover his Crown & Government in England by peaceable means, as he doth esteem the service of those who first engaged in the Covenant, & have since that time faithfully followed the ends thereof, to be duty to God, & Loyalty to him; So is he willing in regard of others, who have been involved in these late Commotions in England against Religion and Government, to pass an Act of Oblivion, Excepting only some few in that Nation, who have been chief obstructers of the work of Reformation, and chief Authors of the change of the Government, and of the murder of his Royal Father; Provided, that these who are to have the benefit of his Act lay down Arms, and return to the obedience of their lawful Sovereign. The Committee of Estates of the Kingdom, and General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, having declared so fully in what concerns the Sectaries; and the present designs, resolutions, and acting of their Army against the kingdom of Scotland, and the same Committee and Assembly having sufficiently laid open public dangers & duties both upon the right hand, and upon the left, It is not needful for his Majesty to add any thing thereunto, except that in those things he doth Commend & Approve them, & that he resolves to live & die with them & his loyal subjects, in prosecution of the ends of the Covenant.  
And whereas that prevailing party in Eng. after all their strange usurpations, and insolent actings in that land, do not only keep his Majesty from the government of that kingdom by force of Arms, but also have now invaded the kingdom of Scotland, who have deserved better things at their hands, & against whom they have no just quarrel, His Ma.tie doth therefore desire and expect that all his good subjects in Eng. who are & resolve to be faithful to God, and to their King according to the Covenant, will lay hold upon such an opportunity, & use their utmost endeavours to promove the Covenant and all the ends thereof, and to recover and re-establish the ancient government of the kingdom of Engl. (under which for many generations it did flourish in peace and plenty at home, and in reputation abroad) and privileges of the Par. and native and just liberty of the people. His Majesty desires to assure himself that there doth remain in these so much confidence of the duty to Religion, their King & country, & so many sparkles of the ancient English valour, which shined so eminently in their noble ancestors, as will put them on to bestir themselves for breaking the yoke of those men's oppressions from off their necks. Shall men of conscience & honour set religion, liberties and government at so lowa rate, as not rather to undergo any hazard, before they be thus deprived of them? will not all generous men count any death more tolerable then to live in servitude all their days? and will not posterty blame those who dare attempt nothing for themselves, & for their children, in so good a cause, in such an exigent? Whereas if they gather themselves, & take courage, putting on a resolution answer able to so noble and just an enterprise, they shall honour God, and gain themselves the reputation of pious men, worthy patriots, and loyal subjects, and be called the repairers of the breach, by the present and succeeding generations; and they may certainly promise to themselvs a blessing from God upon so just & honourable undertaking for the Lord and for his cause, for their own liberties, their native King & country, and the unvaluable good and happiness of the posterity. Whatever hath formerly been his Majesty's guiltiness before God, and the bad success that these have had who owned his affairs, whilst he stood in opposition to the work of God, yet the state of the question being now altered, & his Majesty having obtained mercy to be on God's side, & to prefer God's interest before his own, he hopes that the Lord will be gracious and countenances his own cause, in the hands of weak and sinful instruments against all enemies whatsoever. This is all that can be said by his Ma.tie at present to these in England and Ireland at such a distance: And as they shall acquit themselves at this time in the active discharge of their necessary duties so shall they be accepted before God, endeared to his Ma.tie and their names had in ramembrance throughout the World.  
Given at our Court at Dumfermline the 16. day of August, 1650. And in the second year of our Reign.