1. THat he hath Traiterously endeavoured to sub­vert the Fundamentall Laws, and Government of the Kingdome of England, and in stead there­of to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government against Law, and to that end hath wickedly and Traiterously advised his Majesty, that he might at his owne will and pleasure leavy and take money of his sub­jects, without their consent in Parliament, and this he affirm­ed, was warrantable by the Law of God.

2. He hath for the better accomplishment of that his Traite­rous designe, advised and proeured divers Sermons and other discourses, to be preached, Printed, and published, in which the authority of Parliaments, and the force of the Lawes of the Kingdome are denyed, and an absolute and unlimited power over the Persons and Estates of his Majesties Subjects, is maintained and defended, not onely in the King, but also in himselfe and other Bishops, above and against the Law, and he hath bin a great protector, favourer, and promoter of the pub­lishers of such false and pernicious opinions.

3. He hath by Letters, Messages, Threats, promises, and di­vers other wayes to Iudges and other Ministers of Iustice; interrupted and perverted, and at other times by the meanes aforesaid, hath endeavoured to interrupt and pervert the course of Iustice, in his Majesties Courts at Westminster, and other [Page 2]Courts, to the subversion of the Lawes of this Kingdome, whereby sundry of his Majesties Subjects have beene stopt in their just suits, and deprived of their lawfull rights, and sub­jected to his Tyrannicall will, to their utter ruine & destruction.

4. That the said Archbishop, hath Traiterously and corrupt­ly sold justice to those that have had causes depending before him, by colour of his Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction, as Archbi­shop, High Commissioner, Refaree or otherwise, and hath taken unlawfull Gifts and Bribes of his Majesties Subjects, and hath as much as in him lyeth, endeavoured to coreupt other Courts of Iustice, by advising his Majesty to sell places of ju­dicature and other Offices, and procuring the sale of them con­trary to the Lawes and Statutes in that behalfe.

5. He hath Traiterously caused a Booke of Canons to bee composed and published, and these Canons to be put in executi­on, without any lawfull warrant and authority in that behalf; In which pretended Canons, many matters are contained, con­trary to the kings Prerogative, to the Fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of this Realme, to the right of Parliament, to the propriety and liberty of the Subjects, & matters tending to sedition, and of dangerous consequence, & to the Establishment of a vast unlawfull, and presumptuous power in himselfe, and his Successors; many of which Canons, by the practice of the said Archbishop, were surreptitiously passed in the late Convo­cation, without due consideration and debate, others by feare and compulsion were subscribed to by the Prelats and Clerks there assembled, which had never beene voted and passed in the convocation as they ought to have beene, and the said, Archbi­shop hath contrived and endeavoured, to assure and confirme the unlawfull and exorbitant power, which he hath usurped and exercised over his Majesties Subjects, by a wicked and ungodly Oath in one of the said pretended Canons, enjoyned to be taken by all the Clergy, and many of the Laity of this King­dome.

6. He hath Traiterously assumed to himselfe, a Papall and [Page 3]Tyrannicall power, both in Ecclesiasticall and Temporall mat­ters, over his Majesties Subjects in this Realme of England, and in other places, to the disherrison of the Crowne, dishon­our of his Majesty, and derogation of his supreame Authority in Ecclesiasticall matters.

And the said Archbishop claimes the Kings Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction, as incident to his Episcopall and Archi-episco­pall Office in this Kingdome, and doth deny the same to be de­rived from the crowne of England, which he hath accordingly exercised to the high contempt of his Royall Majesty, and to the destruction of divers of the Kings Liege-people, in their per­sons and Estates.

7. That he hath Traiterously endeavoured to alter and sub­vert Gods true Religion, by Law established in this Realme, and in stead thereof to set up Popish superstition and Idolatry: And to that end, hath declared and maintained in speeches and printed, Bookes, divers Popish doctrines and opinions, contra­ry to the Articles of Religion established. He hath urged and injoyned divers Popish and superstitious Ceremonies without any warrant of Law, and hath cruelly persecuted those who have opposed the same, by corporall, punishment and imprison­ment, and most unjustly vexed others who refused to comforme thereunto, by Ecclesiasticall Censures of Excommunication, Suspension, Deprivation, & Derogation, contrary to the Law of, this Kingdome.

8. That for the better advancing of his Traiterous purpose and designe, he did abuse the great power and trust his Maje­sty reposed in him, and did, intrude upon the places of divers great Offcers, and upon the right of other his Majesties Sub­jects, wherby he did procure to himself nomination of sundry persons, to Ecclesiasticall Dignities, Pro [...]tions, and Bene­fices, belonging to his Majesty, and divers of the Nobility, Clergy, & others, and hath taken upon him the commendation of Chaplaines to the King, by which meanes he hath preferred to his Majestie service, and to other great promotions in the [Page 4]Church, such as have bin Popishly affected, or otherwise un­sound and corrupt both in Doctrine and Manners.

9. He hath for the same Traiterous and wicked intent, cho­sen & imployed such men to be his Chaplaines, whom he knew to be notoriously disaffected to the reformed Religion, grossely addicted to Popish superstition, and Erroneous and unsound both in judgement and practise, and to them or some of them, he hath committed the Lycensing of Bookes to be printed, by which meanes, divers false and Superstitious Bookes have beene published, to the great scandall of Religion, and to the se­ducing of many of his Majesties Subjects.

10. He hath Traiterously and wickedly endeavoured to re­concile the Church of England, with the Church of Rome, and for the effecting thereof, hath consorted and confederated with divers popish Priests and Iesuits, and hath kept secret intel­ligence with the Pope of Rome, and by himselfe his Agents or Instruments treated with such as have from thence received authority and instruction, he hath permitted and countenanted a Popish Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall Government, to be esta­blished, in this Kingdom, by al which Traiterous & malicious practises, this Church & Kingdome hath beene exceedingly endangered & like to fal under the tyranny of the Roman See.

11. He in his owne person and his Suffragans, Visiters, Surrogates, Chancellors, or other Officers, by his command, have caused divers learned, pious, and Orthodox Preachers of Gods Word, to be Silenced, Suspended, Deprived, Degra­ded, Excommunicated, or otherwise grieved and vexed with­out any just and lawfull cause, whereby, and by divers other meanes he hath hindred the preaching of Gods Word, caused divers of his Majesties loyall Subjects to forsake the King­dome, and increased and cherished ignorance & prophanenesse amongst the people, that so he might the better facilitate the way to the effecting of his owne wicked and Traiterous de­signe of altering and corrupting the true Religion here esta­blished.

12. He hath Traiterously endeavoured to cause division and discord betweene the Church of England and other Reformed Churches, and to that end hath supprest and abrogated the pri­viledges & immunities which have beene by His Majesty and His Royall Ancestors granted to the French and Dutch Chur­ches in this Kingdome, and divers other wayes hath expressed his malice and disaffection to those Churches, that so by such disunion, the Papists might have more advantage for the over­throw and extirpation of both.

13. He hath maliciously and Traiterously plotted and endea­voured to stir up war and enmity betwixt His Majesties two Kingdomes of England and Scotland, and to that purpose hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdome of Scotland, diverse innovations both in Religion and Government, all or the most part tending to Popery and Superstition, to the great grie­vance and discontent of His Majesties Subjects of that Na­tion, and for their refusing to submit to such innovations, he did Traiterously advise His Majesty to subdue them by force of Armes, and by his owne Authority and Power contrary to law, did procure sundry of His Majesties Subjects, and enfor­ced the Clergie of this Kingdome to contribute towards the maintenance of that war, and when his Majesty with much wisdome and justice had made a pacification betwixt the two Kingdomes, the said Arch-Bishop by his councell and endea­vours did presumptuously censure that pacification as disho­nourable to His Majesty, and incense His Majesty against his said Subjects of Scotland, that he did thereupon by advice of the said Arch-Bishop enter into an offensive warre against them, to the great hazard of His Majesties Person, and Sub­jects of both Kingdomes.

14. That to preserve himselfe from being questioned for these and other his Traiterous courses, he hath laboured 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.

By which words, Councells, and Actions, he hath Traite­rously and contrary to his Allegiance, laboured to alienate the hearts of the Kings Liege people from His Majesty, [...] set a division betweene them, and to ruine and destroy His Majesties Kingdomes, for which they doe impeach him of high Treason, against Our Soveraigne Lord the King, His Crowne and Dignity.

The said Commons doe further averre, That the said William, Archbishop of Canterbury, during the time in which the Treasons and Offences aforementioned were committed, hath beene a Bi­shop or Archbishop in this Realme of England, one of the Kings Commissioners for Ecclesiasticall matters, and of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell, and that he hath taken an Oath for his faithfull discharge of the said Office of a Councell­our, and hath likewise taken the Oath of Supremacy and Allegi­ance. And the said Commons by Protestation, saving to them­selves the liberty of Exhibiting at any time hereafter, any other Accusation or Impeachment against the said Archbishop, and also of replying to the answers that the said Archbishop shall make unto the said Articles, or to any of them, and of offering further proofe also of the premises, or any of them, as the case shall according to the course of Parliaments require, do pray, that the said Archbishop may be put to answer to all and every the premises, and that such proceedings, Examination, Tryall, and Judgement, may be upon every of them, had, and used, as is agree­able to Law and Justice.

1. THat the said Archbishop of Canterbury to intro­duce an Arbitrary government within this Realme, and to destroy Parliaments in the third and fourth yeares of his Maiesties reigne that now is, a Parliament being then called, & sitting at Westminster, trayterously and maliciously caused the said Parlia­ment to be dissolved, to the great grievance of his Ma­iesties subiects, and preiudice of this Commonwealth: And soone after the dissolution thereof, gave divers Propositions under his hand, to George then Buke of Buckingham, casting therein many false aspersions upon the said Parliament, calling it a factious Par­liament, and falsly affirming that it had cast many scan­dals upon his Maiesty, and had used him like a childe in his minority, stiling them Puritans, and commen­ding the Papists for harmlesse and peaceable subiects.

2. That within the space of ten yeares last past, the said Archbishop hath treacherously endeavoured to subvert the fundamentall Lawes of this Realme, and [Page 8]to that end hath in like manner endeavoured to ad­vance the power of the Councell Table, the Canons of the Church, and the Kings Prerogative, above the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme. And for mani­festation thereof, about six yeares last past, being then a Privy Councellor to his Maiesty, and sitting at the Councell Table, he said, that as long as he sate there they should know that an Order of that Board should be of equal force with a law or Act of Parliam. And at another time used these words, That he hoped ere long that the Canons of the Church, and the Kings Pre­rogative, should bee of as great power as an Act of Parliament. And at another time said, that those that would not yeeld to the Kings power, hee would crush them to peeces.

3. That the said Archbishop, to advance the Canons of the Church, and power Ecclesiasticall above the law of the Land, and to pervert and hinder the course of Iustice, hath at divers times within the said time, by his Letters and other undue meanes and sollicita­tions used to Iudges, opposed and stopped the gran­ting of his Maiesties Writs of Prohibition, where the same ought to have beene granted for stay of proceed­ings in the Ecclesiasticall Court, whereby iustice hath beene delayed and hindred, and the Iudges diverted from doing their duties.

4. That for the end and purpose aforesaid, about seven yeares last past, a Iudgement being given in his Maiesties Court of Kings Bench, against one Burley a Parson, being a man of bad life and conversation, in an information u [...]on the Statute of 21. Hen. 8. for wilfull Non-residency, the said Archbishop by sollici­tations and other undue meanes used to the Iudges [Page 9]of that Court, caused Execution upon the said Iudg­ment to be stayed: And being moved therein, and made acquainted with the bad life and conversation of the said parson, he said, that he had spoken to the Iudges for him, and that he would never suffer a Iudgement to passe against a Clergy-man by nihil dicit.

5. That the said Archbishop about eight yeares last past being then also a privy Counsell or to his Ma­iesty, for the end and purpose aforesaid, caused Sir John Corbet of Stoake in the County of Salop Baro­net, then a Iustice of peace of the said County, to bee committed to the prison of the Fleet, where he conti­nued prisoner for the space of halfe a yeare, or more, for no other cause, but for calling for the Petition of Right, and causing it to be read at the Sessions of the peace for that County, upon a iust and necessary occa­sion. And during the time of his said imprisonment the said Archbishop, without any colour of right, by a writing under the Seale of his Archbishopricke, gran­ted away parcell of the Glebe land of the Church of Adderley in the said County, whereof the said Sir John Corbet was then patron, unto Robert Viscouns Kilmurrey, without the consent of the said Sir John, or the then Incumbent of the said Church, which said Viscount Kilmurrey built a Chappell upon the said parcell of Gleve land, to the great preiudice of the said sir John Corbet, which dath caused great suits and dissentions betweene them. And whereas the said Sir John Corbet had a Iudgement against Sir James Stonehouse Knight, in an action of Waste, in his Ma­iesties Court of Common Pleas at Westminster, which was after wards affirmed in a Writ of Error in the Kings Bench, and Execution thereupon awarded: yet [Page 10]the said Sir John, by meanes of the said Archbishop could not have the effect thereof, but was committed to prison by the caid Archbishop and others at the Councell Table, untill he had submitted himselfe unto the Order of the said Table, whereby he lost the bene­fit of the said Iudgement and Execution.

6. That whereas divers gifts and dispositions of divers summes of money were heretofore made by di­vers charitable and well disposed persons, for the buy­ing in of divers Impropriatrons for the maintenance of preaching the word of God in severall Churches, the said Archbishop about eight yeares last past, wilfully and maliciously caused the said gifts, feoffements, and conveyances made to the uses aforesaid, to bee over­throwne in his Maiesties Court of Exchequer, con­trary to Law, as things dangerous to the Church and State, under the specious pretence of buying in Appropriations, whereby that pious worke was sup­pressed and trodden downe, to the great dishonour of God, and scandall of Religion.

7. That the said Archbishop at severall times, within these ten yeeres last past, at Westminster and elsewhere within this Realme, contrary to the known Laws of this Land, hath endeavoured to ad­vance Popery and Superstition within the Realm: And for that end and purpose hath wittingly and willingly received, harboured and relieved divers Po­pish Priests and Iesuits, namely one called Sancta Cla­ra, alias Damport, a dangerous Person, and Francis­can Fryer, who having written a Popish and seditious Booke, intituled Deus natura gratia, wherin the thirty nine Articles of the Church of England, established by Act of Parliament, were much traduced and scandali­zed: [Page 11]The said Archbishop had divers conferences with him, while hee was in writing the said Book; and did also provide maintenance and entertainment for one Mouns [...]er St. Giles a Popish Priest at Oxford knowing him to be a Popish Priest.

That the said Archbishop about foure yeers last past at Westminster aforesaid; said, that there must be a blow given to the Church, such as hath not bin yet gi­uen, before it could bee brought to conformity; decla­ring thereby his intention to be, to shake and after the true Protestant Religion established in the Church of England.

9. That in, or about the month of May, 1641. pre­sently after the dissolution of the last Parliament, the said Archbishop for the ends and purposes aforesaid, caused a Synod or Convocation of the Clergy to bee held for the seuer all Provinces of Canterbury and York; wherein were made and established by his meanes and procurement, divers Canons and Constitntions Ec­clesiasticall; contrary to the Laws of this Realme, the Rights and Priviledges or Parliament, the Liberty and property of the Subiect, tending also to sedition, and of dangerous consequence: And amongst other things, the said Archbishop caused a most dangerous and ille­gail Oath to be therein made and contrived, the tenor whereof followeth in these words. That I A. B. doe sweare that I doe approve the Doctrine and Discipline or Government established in the Church of England; as con­taining all things accessary to Salvation; And that I will not endeavour by my selfe or any other, directly or indi­rectly to bring in any Popish Doctrine, contrary to that which Is so established: Nor will I ever give my consent to alter the Government of this Church by Archbishops, Bi­shops, [Page 12]Deanes, and Arch-Deacons, &c. as it stands now esta­blished, and as by right it ought to stand: Nor yet ever to subject it to the usurpations and superstitions of the Sea of Rome. And all these things I doe plainly and sincerely ac­knowledge and sweare, according to the plain and common sence, and understanding of the same words, without any equivocation or mentall evasion, or secret reservation what­soever. And this I doe heartily, willingly and truly, upon the faith of a Christian: So help me God in Iesus Christ. Which Oath the said Archbishop himself did take, and caused divers other Ministers of the Church to take the same, upon paine of suspension and deprivation of their Lviings, and other severe penalties: And did also cause Godfrey, then Bishop of Gloucester, to bee committed to prison for refusing to Subscribe to the said Canons, and to take the said Oath: And afterward the said Bishop submitting himselfe to take the said Oath, he was set at liberty.

10. That a little before the calling of the last Parlia­ment, anno 1640. a Vote being then passed, and a reso­lution taken at the Councell Table by the advice of the said Archbishop, for assisting of the King in extraordi­nary wayes if the said Parliament should prove peevish, and refuse to supply his Maiesty: The sayd Archbi­shop wickedly and malitiously advised his Maiesty to dissolve the said Parliament, and accordingly the same was dissolved: And presently after the said Archbishop told his Maiesty, that now he was absolved from all rules of Government, and left free to use extraordina­ry wayes for his supply.

For all which matters and things the said Commons assembled in Parliament in the name of the [...]es and of all the Com­mons of England, doe impeach the said Archbishop of Canterbury of high Treason, and other crimes and misdemeanours tending to the subversion of our Religion, Lawes, and Liberties, and to the utter ruine of this Church and Common­wealth.

And the said Commons by protestation saving to themselves the libertie of exhibit­ing at any time hereafter, any further or o­ther Accusation or Impeachment against the said William Laud Archbishop of Canter­bury, and also of replying to the answer that he shall make unto the said articles, or any of them: Or of offering proofe of the premisses, or any other Impeachment or accusations that shal be exhibited by them as the cause shall (according to the course of Parliaments) require; Doe pray that hee the said William Laud Archbishop of Canter­bury may be called to answer the said seve­ral crimes and misdemeanours, and receive [Page 14]such condigne punishment as the same shall deserve and that such further proceedings may be upon everie of them had, and used against him as is agreeable to Law and Iustice.