THe Parliament of the Commonwealth of England esteeming it a necessary care and obligation that lies upon them, to improve the Power which God hath now given them, for the Advancement of the Glory of God, and the good and welfare of the whole Island, Have thought fit to nominate and appoint Commissioners forthwith to repair into Scotland, for effecting the same; And do hereby Declare,

First, As to what concerns the Advancement of the Glory of God, That their constant Endeavors shall be, To promote the Preaching of the Gospel there, and to advance the Power of true Religion and Holiness; and, That God may be served and worshipped according to his minde revealed in his Word, with Protection and all due Countenance and Encouragement therein to the People of that Nation, from those in Authority under the Parliament.

Secondly, They do Declare, As to what concerns the Freedom to be established to the People there, and the Se­curity to this Commonwealth to be had for time to come, That Scotland shall and may be Incorporated into, and become one Commonwealth with this of England; whereby the same Government that is established here, [Page 4]and enjoyed by the good People of this Nation, under the Free State and Commonwealth of England, as now setled without King or House of Lords, may be derived and communicated unto them, with such convenient speed, as the same can be made practicable amongst them.

Thirdly, They do Declare, As to Satisfaction and Repairation, that they intend and expect, for the vast Ex­pences and Damages which this Commonwealth hath al­ready undergone, by reason of the Invasion in the year One thousand six hundred forty eight, by the Scots Ar­my under the then Duke Hamilton: The War which they necessitated England to, for their own Defence; and, The late Invasion by the Army under Charls Stu­art; and, For and towards the lessening the future charge of this Commonwealth, All the Lands, Houses, Goods and Revenue whatsoever belonging to the said Charls Stuart, pretended King of the Scots, or to the Crown or State of Scotland; and, All the Estates whatsoever, Real or Personal, of those who did Invade England, un­der Duke Hamilton, in the year One thousand six hun­dred forty eight, or were advising, contriving or promo­ting thereof, or in any way ayding, abetting or assisting thereunto; or, Who were in Arms under the said Charls Stuart, or were any way ayding, abetting or assisting to him in Scotland: or, Who did with the said Charls Stu­art lately invade England, or were ayding, abetting or assisting thereunto; or since the same have raised Arms, or been Promoters, Abettors or Assisters thereof, in Prosecution of the said Invasion; or in Opposition to the Forces of the Parliament of England remaining there, Shall be Confiscated and Forfeited to the use and benefit of the Commonwealth of England; Except such who [Page 5]have, since the Battel of Dunbar, on the Third of Sep­tember, One thousand six hundred and fifty, deserted the said Charls Stuart, and not born Arms since against the Parliament; As also such, whose Merits and Services to this Commonwealth, have, or shall render them capable of being taken into a more favorable consideration by the Parliament.

Fourthly, The Parliament do Declare, That all such persons of the Scotish Nation, as are not comprehended within the former Qualifications, but have kept them­selves free from the guilt of those things which have com­pelled this War; and shall now, upon the Discovery of their own true Interest, be disposed to concur with, and promote the Ends formerly and now Declared by the Parliament, Shall be taken into the Protection of the Parliament, and enjoy their Liberties and Estates, as other the Free People of the Commonwealth of Eng­land.

ANd forasmuch as the Parliament are satisfied, That many of the People of Scotland, who are Vassals or Tenants to, and had dependency upon the Noblemen and Gentry, (The chief Actors in these Invasions and Wars against England) were by their Influence drawn into, and have been involved with them in the same Evils; It is hereby Declared, That all those who are already, or shall within Thirty days after the publication hereof on this side the River Tay, and within thirty days after publication hereof beyond the River Tay, and within thirty days after the publication hereof beyond the River Spey, put themselves under the Protection of the Parlia­ment of the Commonwealth of England, and conform themselves to their Government and Regulation, Shall [Page 6]not onely be pardoned for all Acts past, but be set free from their former Dependencies and Bondage-services; and, Shall be admitted as Tenants, Freeholders and He­ritors, to Farm, hold, inherit and enjoy from and under this Commonwealth, proportions of the said Confiscated and Forfeited Lands, under such easie Rents and reason­able conditions, as may enable them, their Heirs and Posterity, to live with a more comfortable Subsistence then formerly, and like a Free People, delivered (through Gods goodness) from their former Slaveries, Vassalage and Oppressions.

WHereas the several Shires and Burroughs of Scotland hereafter mentioned, have by their Deputies assented unto the Tender of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, That Scotland shall and may be Incorporated into, and become one Commonwealth with England; whereby the same Government that is Established here, and enjoy­ed by the Good People of this Nation, under the Free State and Commonwealth of England, as now setled without King or House of Lords, may be derived and communicated unto them, with such convenient speed as the same can be made practicable amongst them; That is to say, The Shires of Barwick, Haddington, Roxbo­rough, Linlithgo, Dunbarton, Dumfreeze, Witon, Forfar, Aberdeen, Bamf, Bute, Lanerk, Kinkardine, Nearn, Sterling, Clackmannon, Edinburgshire, Fife, Pebles, Sel­kirk, Orkney and Zetland, and Pearth; And the Bur­roughs of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, S ^t Andrews, Pearth, Rothsea, Dundee, Aberbothick, Lauther, Haddington, Dunbar, North Berwick, Linlithgo, Queens-Ferry, Ster­ling, Rugland, Witon, Forfar, Montross, Bamf, Breichin, [Page 12]Brunt-Island; Crayl, Jedborough, Dunbarton, Cullein, Amstroder-West, Pittenweyn, Elgin, Cowper, Kinghorn, Innerkething, Kooleross, Kilrenny, Amstrother-East, Sel­kirk, Disert, Glasgow, Innerness and Kircaldy; as by the several and respective Declarations, signed under the Hands of the said Deputies of Shires and Burroughs, and presented to the Parliament, and there now remain­ing, doth appear.

Upon consideration whereof the Parliament have Re­solved, That a Bill be brought in for making the said Union accordingly; and do Declare, That the People of this whole Island shall be represented in One Parliament, and be Governed by their successive Representatives therein; and that the People of Scotland shall send Mem­bers to serve in the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, in such proportion and at such time, as shall be hereafter declared.

And as to the particulars for the effecting hereof, and setling of the Laws and Government in Scotland, and other things necessary for compleating the said Union, the Parliament do think fit, That a certain number of Deputies, to be Chosen and Commissionated in maner hereafter expressed, do attend the Parliament, or such persons, and at such places as the Parliament shall ap­point, on the behalf of the Shires and Burroughs of Scot­land consenting to the said Union, with full power to ef­fect the premises: And for-this purpose the Parliament doth Declare, That the respective Shires and Burroughs of Scotland, unto whom Warrants for Electing Deputies to meet with the Commissioners of Parliament at Dal­kieth, have been formerly sent by the said Commission­ers; and who in pursuance thereof have by their Depu­ties or otherwise, declared their Consent unto the said Union, which hath been received and allowed by [Page 13]the said Commissioners of Parliament; or such Shires and Burroughs as shall, after the publishing of this Decla­ration, and before the time herein appointed for the new Election of Deputies, declare their Consent unto the said Union, to the effect of what hath been already declared by the rest of the Shires and Burroughs, and such Decla­ration of theirs be accepted and allowed of by the Com­missioners of the Parliament, or the Commander in chief for the time being in Scotland, shall be capable of choo­sing and sending Deputies for the intent aforesaid: And all such Shires and Burroughs as aforesaid, that is to say, The Heritors and Rentallers of the said Shires, and the Neighbors and Burgesses of the said Burroughs respe­ctively, are hereby authorised and required to meet at some convenient place within their respective Shires and Burroughs, at some time before the end of the Moneth of July next, and then and there to Elect and Choose for their Deputies respectively, persons of known Integrity, and such as have declared their Consent to the said Uni­on, in like Numbers as formerly they were authorised to do by the Commissioners of Parliament residing at Dal­kieth in Scotland, which persons so Elected, are to be commissionated by their respective Shires and Burroughs, according to the Tenor following:

And are to meet at Edinburgh at or before the Twen­tieth of August next, and out of themselves to Elect Four­teen persons to represent all the said Shires, and seven persons to represent all the said Burroughs; which One and twenty persons are to make their repair to the Parlia­ment of England, or to such places in England as the Par­liament shall appoint, upon the First day of October, One thousand six hundred fifty two, with Commissions to them or any Eleven of them, from the rest of the said Deputies of Shires and Burroughs, according to the Te­nor hereafter expressed:

And before the said Deputies do proceed to the Ele­ction of persons at their said meeting at Edinburgh to at­tend the Parliament as aforesaid, they are in the presence of such as for that purpose shall be thereunto appointed by the said Commissioners, or by the Commander in chief of the Forces for the time being in Scotland, by wri­ting under their Hands to declare their Consent to the Union in maner following:

[Page 16] And for defraying the Expences of the said Deputies appointed as aforesaid to attend the Parliament upon this Service, it is thought sit, and hereby declared, That twen­ty shillings Sterlin by the day be allowed unto each of the said Deputies during this service, from the time of their setting forth for England; and that according to the said proportion of Twenty shillings Sterlin by the day there be advanced unto each of the said Deputies, three Moneths allowance, which is to be paid them upon the place by the Commissioners at Leeth out of the Publique Revenue there, who are hereby authorised and required to issue the same accordingly.

And the Commissioners of Parliament for Managing the Affairs of Scotland, or such as they shall appoint, are hereby authorised and required to cause this Declaration, by such persons as they shall appoint, to be published and made known unto the respective Shires and Burroughs as aforesaid, in such maner, as they may not pretend Igno­rance thereof; and such Publication shall to all intents and purposes be as effectual, for the authorising the said Shires and Burroughs to proceed to this Election of De­puties as aforesaid, as if particular Summons for that pur­pose had been granted unto each of them.