January 1645: Ordinance for the Attainder of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

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.