January, 1644/5
[4 January, 1644/5.]
Whereas the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the House
of Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, have, in
the Name of themselves and of all the Commons of England,
impeached William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury, for
endeavouring to subvert the fundamental Laws and Government
of the Kingdom of England, and, instead thereof, to introduce
an arbitrary and tyrannical Government, against Law; and to
alter and subvert God's true Religion by Law established in
this Realm, and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition
and Idolatry; and to subvert the Rights of Parliaments, and the
ancient Course of Parliamentary Proceedings; and, by false and
malicious Slanders, to incense His Majesty against Parliaments;
for which the Archbishop deserves to undergo the Pains and
Forfeitures of High Treason; which said Offences have been
sufficiently proved against the said Archbishop upon his
Impeachment: Be it therefore Ordered and Ordained, by the
Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and
by Authority of the same, That he said Archbishop, for the
Offences aforesaid, stand and be adjudged attainted of High
Treason, and shall suffer the Pains of Death, and shall incur all
Forfeitures both of Lands and Goods, as a Person attainted of
High Treason should or ought to do: Provided, That no Judge
or Judges, Justice or Justices whatsoever, shall judge or interpret any Act or Thing to be Treason, or hear or determine any
Treason, nor in any other Manner, than he or they should or
ought to have done before the making of this Ordinance, and
as if this Ordinance had never been had nor made: Saving
always unto all and singular Persons, and Bodies Politic and
Corporate, their Heirs and Successors (others than the said Archbishop and his Heirs, and such as claim by, from, or under him),
all such Right, Title, and Interest, of, in, and to, all and singular
such of the Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, as he or any
of them had before the First Day of this Present Parliament,
any Thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.