Thirdly , By their publike contemning of all Our just Commands , and their mutinous protesting against them , a course not fit to be endured in any well ordered Kingdom .

Fourthly , By their rejecting of the Covenant commanded by Our authority , because it was commanded by vs , whereas no Covenant or Band of that nature in that Kingdom hath ever been or can be legall and warrantable , which hath not been commanded , or at least assented unto by Royall authority : As for instance , That Covenant in Our dear Fathers time was condescended unto by Him , and so the Subject ( at the humble Petition of the generall Assembly it self ) permitted by Him to signe it . We say it again , That Our Covenant was rejected by them , because commanded by vs ; And this is manifest , because for matters of Religion Ours agreed in all things with their own Covenant : By which Covenant of theirs , they have Treacherously induced many of Our people to swear to a Band against vs ; which Band and Covenant ( or rather Conspiracy ) of theirs , could not be with God , being against vs the Lords anointed over them : But it was and is a Band and Covenant pretended to be with God , that they may with the better countenance do the works of the devill ; such as all Treasons and Rebellions are .

And lastly , By their most hostile preparations in all kindes , as if We were not their King , but their sworn Enemy : For what can their intentions be , being thus prepared , but to invade this Kingdom , should they not finde vs ready , both to resist their force and to curbe their insolencies : For many , and some of the chiefest amongst them , are men , not onely of unquiet spirits , but of broken fortunes , and would be very glad of any occasion ( especially under the colour of Religion ) to make them whole upon the Lands and Goods of Our Subjects in England , who We presume ( besides their allegiance to vs ) will look better to themselves & their estates , then to share them with such desperate Hypocrites , who seek to be better , and cannot well be worse . We demand again , what intentions else they can have ; for We have already often assured them by Our published Proclamations , that We are so far from thinking of any Innovation or Alteration of Religion , that We are resolved to maintain the same Constantly , and as it is established by Law in that Our Kingdom ; Nay , so desirous have We been to give content unto them , as that We have in a manner condescended to all which they Petitioned for ; Nay , Our Princely Clemency in these produced no better effect , then increasing and daring Insolencies , to Our dishonour both at home and abroad : Yet We passed by all till they struck at the very Root of Kingly government ; for they have now assumed to themselves Regall power ; for whereas the Print is the Kings in all Kingdoms , these seditious men have taken upon them to Print what they please , though We forbid it , and to prohibit what they dislike , though We command it ; and with the greater affront have forbid and dismist the Printer whom We established : Besides , they have taken upon them to Convene Our Subjects , raise Armies , block up and besiege Our Castles , to lay Impositions and Taxes upon Our people , threatning such as continue in loyalty to vs , with force and violence . To this We shall adde that they have sleighted the directions and power of Our Councell Table in that Kingdom , and have set up Tables of their own , at which , some of their Leaders sit under the name of Committees from the late pretended generall Assembly or their Deputies . And thus they meet when and where they please , Treat and Conclude what they please , and send their Edicts thorow all parts of the Kingdom without any consent , nay without all knowledge of vs , Our Commissionet , or Councell , and directly contrary to many standing Laws at this day in force in that Kingdom , and yet pretend violation of their Laws , as one of the main causes of their brain-sick distempers .

Here therefore We take God and the world to witnesse , We hold Our self forced and constrained to Arm , not onely to reclaim them , and to set our kingly authority right again in that Our ancient and native Kingdom , but also for the safety of this Kingdom , Our loyall Subjects in it , with their wives , children , and goods , as well as Our own , against the rage and fury of these men and their Covenant . And this We think fit to let you further know , that We hope in time to make the best of them see that We will endure no such Covenant and Band in Our Kingdom , to which We shall not consent : So the question is not now , whether a Service Book to be received or not ; nor whether Episcopall government shall be continued , or Presbyteriall admitted , but whether We are their King or not : For though in some of their Libels they give vs good words , and speak vs fair for their own ends , especially in their last , Printed at Edenburgh , February quarto 1639. yet some of them refuse both the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy , and publikely maintain that they are not obliged to take the same . Now how can We think these men are dutifull and loyall in their hearts , that broach such dangerous Opinions , or Religiously minded that teach such Rebellious Doctrine , and so contrary to all which Protestant Divines teach towards the King and the Civill Magistrate ; Nay , they have infected divers of their Countrey-men ( which are come into other parts ) with the same Venome ; for three Scots-men taken in Wales , are at this day Imprisoned for direct denyall of Our Supremacie and their Allegiance , saying , They cannot take those Oathes , because they have sworn to the Covenant . But though We have been thus milde towards them , and continued so long , yet We would not have any of them , or any of Our other Subjects think , that We can or will permit Episcopall Government , established by many Acts of Parliament in that Our Kingdom , to be abolished , seeing it is known to the whole Christian world , that the same is most Christian in it self , and most Peaceable for the Civill State , and most consonant to Monarchicall Government .

And We would have Our Subjects of that Kingdome consider , what will become of the third Estate there in Parliament , if Episcopacie should be abrogated .

And further , We think fit to Declare unto you , and to the Christian World , That by Our Intention of introducing the Service-Book into that Kingdome , We had not the least thought of Innovation of Religion in this or that , but meerly to have a Conformity with that Worship of God which is observed within both Our other Kingdomes , though ill minded men have wrested some things in it to a finister sence .

We further give you to understand , that there is a large Declaration coming forth , containing all the particular passages which have occurred in this businesse from the very beginning , attested with their own foul Acts , to disanull and shame their fair , but false words . But because this cannot so soon be made ready , We hold it most expedient to let this short Declaration forerun it , that Our loyall Subjects here and elsewhere , may not be infected with their false , wicked , specious , but most Seditious Informations . For example sake in their last Pamphlet ( besides divers other false , base , and fawning Passages ) there are these scandalous and most notorious untruths : As first , they say , That We have committed the Arms We now take , and the Armies We now raise , into the hands of professed Papists , which is not more dishonourable to Our self , and the noble Persons intrusted by vs , then odiously and notoriously false . Again they say , That some of power in the Hierarchie of England have been the cause of Our taking Arms to Invade Our native Kingdome , and of medling with their Religion ; whereas it is most certain , that no one of them have done any thing therein , but by Our own Princely direction and command . And for Arms , it is notoriously known to all Our Councell then present , That their Counsels were for Peace , and have been the perswaders ( asmuch as in them lay ) of the undeserved Moderation wherewith We have hitherto proceeded towards so great Offenders .

And further they say , That they intend no Act of Hostility against England , unlesse they shall be necessitated in their own defence . We would fain known , defence of what ? Is it of disobedience ? Defence against whom ? Is it not against vs their True and Lawfull Soveraign ? If they will defend against vs , it ought to be by Law , and not by Arms : That Defence We shall never deny them : This by Arms We shall never permit them . Now Our Laws which they seem so much to value , are in a manner opprest by them , in so much that Our Iudges are so awed , as that they dare hardly proceed according to Law .

With these , and the like mutinous Libels , We desire Our good Subjects should not be infected , but that all of them might know the present necessity We have to Arm Our Self , which is for no other end , save onely for the safety and security of this Our Kingdom , the reestablishment of Our Authorities in that , and the suppressing of such as have misled and abused Our Subjects there , and would ( if not prevented ) do the like here ; but is no way to inforce any Innovation of Religion established in that Kingdom , or any wayes to infringe the Laws thereof , or any of their Liberties whatsoever , which are according to Law .

These are therefore to Will and Command all Our loving Subjects of this Our Kingdom , That they receive no more of their seditious Pamphlets sent from Scotland , or any other place , concerning those affairs , which can have no other use or influence then to draw the hearts of Our loyall People to the like Rebellious courses . And that such of Our Subjects here , as have already received any of these Rebellious Pamphlets , do presently deliver them to the next Iustice of Peace , that he may send them to one of Our Secretaries , as both they and the Iustices of Peace will answer it at their uttermost perils .

And Our further Will and pleasure is , That this Our Proclamation and Declaration be read in time of Divine Service in every Church within the Kingdome , That all Our People to the meanest , may see the notorious carriages of these men , and likewise the Iustice and Mercy of all Our proceedings .