Authority of this Parliament, to be High Treason. And whereas the Keepers of the Liberty
of England, The Councell of State, constituted, and to be from time to time constituted by
Authority of Parliament, and are to be under the said Representatives in Parliament, Entrusted
for the maintenance of the said Government, with severall Powers and Authorides
limited, given and appointed unto them by the Parliament; Be it likewise Enacted by the
Authority aforesaid, That if any person shall maliciously and advisedly Plot or endeavour the
subversion of the said Keepers of the Liberty of England, or the Councell of State, and the
same shall declare by any open deed; or shall move any person or persons for the doing thereof,
or stir up the People to life against them, or either of them, their or either of their Authorities,
That then every such Offence and Offences shall be Taken, Deemed, and declared
to be High Treason. And whereas the Parliament, for their just and lawfull Defence, hath
raised and levyed the Army and Forces, now under the Command of Thomas Lord Fairfax,
and are at present necessitated, by reason of the manifold Distractions within this Common-wealth,
and Invasions threatned from abroad, to continue the same, which, under God,
must be the Instrumentall means of preserving the well affected people of this Nation in
Peace and Safety; Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any person,
not being an Officer, Souldier, or Member of the Army, shall plot, contrive, or endeavour to
stir up any Mutiny in the said Army, or withdraw any Souldiers of Officers from their obedience
to their Superior Officers, or from the present Government as aforesaid; or shall
procure, invite, aid, or assist any Forraignsrs or Strangers, to Invade England, or Ireland, o
shall adhere to any Forces raised by the Enemies of the Parliament, or Commonwealth, on
Keepers of the Liberty of England; or if any person shall counterfeit, the Great Scal of England
(for the time being) used and appointed by Authority of Parliament, That then every
such Offence and Offences shall be Taken Deemed, and Declared by the Authority
of this Parliament to be High Treason: And every such person shall suffer paines of Death;
and also Forfeit unto the Keepers of the Liberty of England, to and for the use of the Commonwealth,
all and singular his and their Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, Goods
and Chattals, as in case of High Treason hath been used by the Laws and Statutes of this
Land to be forfeit and lost. Provided alwayes, That no persons shall be Indicted and Arraigned
for any of the Offences mentioned in this Act, unlesse such Offenders shall be Indicted
or Prosecuted for the same, within one year after the Offence committed.
This Act is to be proclaimed in all parts, and the Lord Gen. is to cause the Army to take
knowledge of it. The Act making Mr. Scobel Clerk of the Parl. being, Mr. Brown of
the Lords House put in as having a Parent for it, a Committee was ordered to thinke upon a
way of repairing his sufferings. The Committee of the Navie ordered to give credit to the
Commissioners at Sea, to take up provisions in the out ports, so the sum exceed not 11000 lib.
The Commissioners of the Navie ordered to allow the Commissioners of the Customes what
they had disbursed for provisions, all Governours of out Ports required not to meddle with
the receipt of customes, that so that goe for use of the Navie. Dr. Doriflars son had ordered 200 li.
per annum out of the revenue for life, his two daughters 500 li. a peece, 250 lib. allowed for
his Funerall, he is to be buried at Westminster, one of his wounds pierc'd his heart it a Declaration
to be published concerning his death was read. Many Widows that had lost their Husbands
in the War, their Petition is referred to the Committee for Hospitals. Halfe a score
Apprentices came to the Parl. this day, with a Petition for L. Col. John Lilburn and those
in prison with him.
May 25. The Parl. considered of the great businesse of petting a period to their sitting, and
had many houres debate of it, how it could stand with the safety of the State, and what the
next Representative would be, and when begin, at last it was agreed that a Committee draw