A DECLARATION AND ORDINANCE OF The Lords and Commons assembled in PARLIAMENT; Touching The Great SEAL OF ENGLAND.  
And that the said SEAL is to be put into the hands and custody of such Commissioners, as are herein named by both Houses of Parliament.  

ORdered by the Commons in Parliament, That this Declaration Touching the Great Seal, be forthwith printed and published:  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
Printed for Edward Husbands, November 11. 1643.   

AN ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in Parliament; Touching the Great Seal of England.  
WHereas the Great Seal of England, which by the Laws of this Realm ought to attend the Parliament, being the Supreme Court of justice and judicature within this Realm, for the dispatch of the great and weighty affairs of the Commonwealth, which is especially interessed and concerned therein, was above a year last passed, that is to say, the Two and twentieth day of May, Anno 1642. by the then Lord-Keeper thereof, Edward Lord Littleton, than a Member and Speaker of the House of Peers in Parliament, contrary to the great trust in him reposed, and duty of his place, secretly and perfidiously conveyed away from the Parliament into the King's Army, raised against the Parliament; the said Lord-Keeper departing therewith into the said Army, without the leave or privity of the said House; By means whereof, great mischiefs and inconveniencies have ensued to this Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Ireland.  
And whereas the said Great Seal ought constantly to remain in the hands and custody of one or more Officer or Officers (sworn for that service) and to be used and employed for the weal and safety of His Majesty's People; which notwithstanding hath been divers times since the conveying away thereof as aforesaid, put into the hands of other persons not sworn, and Popishly and dangerously affected, who have had the disposing and managing thereof at their own wills and pleasures, and hath been traitorously and perniciously abused, to the Ruin and Destruction of the Parliament and Kingdom, by granting and issuing out divers Illegal Commissions of Array, and other unlawful Commissions for raising of Forces against the Parliament, by issuing out of most foul and scandalous Papers, under the Name and Title of Proclamations, against both Houses of Parliament, and divers Members thereof, and others adhering to them, and Proclaiming them Traitors and Rebels; Commissions of Oyer and Terminer, to proceed against divers of them, as Traitors, and other Commissions to seize and confiscate their Estates, for no other cause, but for doing their duties and services to the Commonwealth; as likewise by granting that horrid Commission, for executing of that most bloody and detestable Design of Waller, Tomkins, and others, for the destruction of the Parliament, and City of London, and of the Army raised for their just Defence; and (as if Massacres and Assacinations, had been but light and venial crimes) another Commission hath been granted under the same Seal for a Cessation of Arms with the barbarous and bloody Rebels in Ireland, after the effusion of so much innocent blood, and slaughter of above one hundred thousand Protestants, Men, Women, and Children, by their merciless, and bloody hands: whereupon a Cessation of Arms is accordingly concluded; and those brutish Rebels thereby emboldened to prepare themselves, not only for a total Exterpation of the Protestants remaining there, but for a Conquest also of this Kingdom: And further by granting of several Commissions, and Offices of Trust and Command, to notorious Papists, who by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, are made uncapable thereof; and by conferring of Honours, and Dignities, and granting of Lands and Estates to divers exorbitant Delinquents, who stand legally impeached of high Treason, and other high Crimes and misdemeanours in Parliament.  
All which, and many other unlawful and enormous Acts have passed under the said Great Seal, since the removal thereof from the Parliament, as aforesaid: Which the Lords and Commons taking into their consideration, and finding all ways, and means obstructed for the procuring of any redress from His Majesty, in the Premises, notwithstanding their long hopes, and uncessant Labours, for the obtaining thereof, are bound in duty, and of necessity to provide some speedy Remedy for these insupportable mischiefs.  
BE it therefore Declared and Ordained, by the said Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, that aswell all and every the said Acts formerly mentioned, which have passed under the said Great Seal, as also all Letters Patents and Grants of any Lands, Goods or Estates, of any person, or persons whatsoever, for adhering to the Parliament, all Compositions or Grants, of any Wardships, or Leases of any Wards Lands, Liveries, Primer seizins & Ouster le manes, since the said 22. of May 1642. which have not according to the due course of Law, passed through the Court of Wards and Liveries, established by Law: All grants since the said 22. of May 1642. of any Honours, Dignities, Manors, Lands, Hereditaments, or other thing whatsoever, to any person or persons, which have voluntarily contributed, or shall voluntarily contribure any Aid or Assistance to the maintenance of that unnatural War, raised against the Parliament; And all pardons granted to any such person or persons; And all other Acts or things whatsoever, contrary to, or in derogation of the Proceed of both, or either of the Houses of Parliament, which have passed under the said Great Seal, since the removal thereof from the Parliament, shall be, and are hereby declared to be utterly Invalid, void, and of none effect, to all intents and purposes.  
And that all and every act or thing, which after the publication of this Ordinance, shall pass by, or under the said Great Seal, or under any Great Seal of England (other then what is hereby appointed and established) shall be utterly void, frustrate, and of no effect; and every person, or persons, which shall put the same in use, or shall claim any thing thereby, shall be held and adjudged a public Enemy of this State.  
And be it further Ordained by the said Lords and Commons, that a Great Seal of England already by them made and provided, shall be forthwith put in use; and shall be, and is hereby authorized and established to be of like force, power, and validity, to all intents and purposes as any Great Seal of England hath been, or aught to be.  
And that it shall be put into the hands and custody of the persons hereafter named, who are hereby Ordained Commissioners for that purpose; that is to say, John Earl of Rutland, and Oliver Earl of Bulling brook, Members of the House of Peers, and Oliver St. john's Esquire, His Majesty's Solicitor General, john Wild Sergeant at Law, Samuel Brown, and Edmund Prideaux Esq Members of the House of Commons; which said persons, or any three or more of them, whereof one member or more of the Lords House, also one Member or more of the House of Commons, shall be present, shall have, and are hereby Authorized to have the Keeping, Ordering and disposing thereof, as also all such and the like Power and Authority, as any Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper, or Commissioner of the Great Seal, for the time being hath had, used, or aught to have.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.  
FINIS.