THE ESTATES of PARLIAMENT, now Conveened by His Majesties Soveraign Authority, Taking in to their Consideration, How this Nation hath now continued upwards of Two thousand Years in the unal­tered Form of Our Monarchical Government, Under the uninterrupted Line of One Hundred and Eleven Kings, whose Sacred Authority and Power hath been upon all signal occasions, so owned and assisted by Almighty God, That Our Kingdom hath been protected from Conquest, our Possessions Defended from Strang­ [...], Our Civil Commotions brought into wished Events, Our Laws vigorously Executed, Our Propertie [...] legally fixed, and Our Lives securely preserved; So that We and our Ancestors have enjoyed those Secu­rities and Tranquillities, which the greater and more flowrishing Kingdoms have frequently wanted. Those great Blessings we owe in the first place to Divine Mercy; And in Dependance on that, To the Sacred Race of our glorious Kings, and to the solid, absolute Authority wherewith they were Invested by the first and fundamental Law of Our Monarchy; Nor can either our Records, or our Experience instance our be­ing deprived of those happy Effects, but when a Rebellious Party did by Commotions and Seditions, Invade the Kings Soveraign[?] Authority, which was the Cause of our Prosperity; Yet so far hath our primitive Con­stitution, and fundamental Laws prevailed against the Innovations and Seditions of Turbulent Men, as that these Interruptions never terminated, but either in the Ruine, or at least the Suppression of these who at any time did Rebel, or Rise in oppo­ [...]tion to Our Government. And since so many Ages hath assured to Us the great Advantages, which flow down to all Ranks of People from [...]he happy Constitution of Our Monarchy, and that all Our Calamities have ever arisen from Seditious Invasions, upon those Sacred Rights [...] Therefore the Estates of Parliament for Themselves, and in Name of the whole Kingdom, Judge themselves obliged to Declare, And they Do Declare to the World, That they Abhor and Detest, not only the Authors and Actors of all preceeding Rebellions against the Soveraign, [...]ut likewise all Principles and Positions which are contrair [...], or Derogatory to the Kings Sacred, Supream Soveraign, absolute Power and Au [...]ority, which none, whether Persons, or Collective Bodies can participat of, any manner of way, or upon any pretext, but in Dependance [...] him, and by Commission from him. And as their Duty formerly did bind them to own, and assert the just and legal Succession of the Sacred [...]ine, as unalterable by any humane Jurisdiction; So now on this occasion, They for Themselves and the whole Nation Represented by Them, in most Humble and Dutiful manner, Do Renew the hearty and sincere ofter of their Lives and Fortunes, To Assert, Support, Defend [...]nd Maintain King JAMES the Seventh, their present Glorious Monarch, and his Heirs and Lawful Successors in the Possession of their Crowns, Soveraignity, Prerogatives, Authority, Dignity, Rights and Possessions against all Mortals, and therewithal to assure all his Ene­mies, who shall adventure on the Disloyalty of Disobeying his Laws, or on the Impiety of Invading his Rights, That these shall sooner weary of their Wickedness, then they of their Duty, and that they firmly resolve to give their intire O [...]edience to his Majesty without reserve, against [...]ll His Enemies, Forraign or Intestine; And they Solemnly Declare, That as they are bound by Law, so they are voluntarly and firmly Resolv­ed, That all of this Nation, betwixt sixty and sixteen. Armed and Provided, according to their Abilities, shall be in readiness for His Maje­sties Service, where, and as oft as it shall be His Royal Pleasure to require them.

And since the Excise of In-land, and Forraign Commodities granted to King CHARLES the Second of ever Blessed Memory, by the 14. Act of the Parliament 1661. during all the Dayes of His Lifetime, and Prorogat by the 8. Act of the Parliament 1681. For five Years there­ [...]fter, will shortly terminat; And the Estates of Parliament Considering the usefulness of this Grant, to Support the Interest of the Crown; Do, as the first Evidence of their Sincerity, in the foresaid Tender of their Duty, humbly, and unanimously, Offer to His most Sacred Ma­ [...]esty, King JAMES the Seventh, their present Monarch, and to His Lawful Heirs and Successors, in the Imperial Crown of Scotland, The [...]aid Excise of In-land and Forraign Commodities, exprest in the said 14 Act of Parliament 1661. To be Collected in the manner prescrived by [...]he said 8. Act of the Parliament 1681. FOR EVER, And His Majesty and Estates of Parliament, by force of this Act, Have United, Annexed, [...]nd Incorporated, and Units, Annexes and Incorporates the same to the Crown of this Realm, to remain therewith in annexed Property, in all [...]me coming: And in respect that the alteration in the Method of Collecting the In-land Excise, from what it was by the Act 1661. To that pre­ [...]ived by the 8. Act, Parliament 1681. will require some time to Establish it in Collection, Therefore His Majesty, with Consent of the [...]states, Continues the Collection prescrived by the 14 Act Parliament 1661. of the In-land Excise, for three Moneths, from the first of May next [...]lenarly.