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 Thomas Earle of Straf­ford of High Treason, for endeavoring to subvert the Ancient and Fundamentall Lawes and Governement of his Maiesties Realmes of England, and Ireland, and to in­troduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Go­vernment against Law in the said Kingdomes; and for exercising a Tyrannous and exorbitant Power over and against the Lawes of the said Kingdomes, over the Liberties, Estates, [Page 2] and Lives of his Majesties Subjects; and likewise for having by his owne authority Commanded the laying and asseising of Souldiers upon his Majesties Subjects in Ire­land, against their consents, to compell them to obey his unlawfull Commands and Or­ders made upon paper Petitions in Causes between patty and party, which accordingly was executed upon divers of his Majesties Subjects in a Warlike manner within the said Realme of Ireland; and in so doing, did levie Warre against the Kings Majestie and his liege people in that Kingdome; And also for that hee upon the unhappie Dis­solution of the last Parliament, did slander the House of Commons to his Majestie, and did Councell and advise his Majestie that hee was loose and absolved from Rules of Governement, and that hee had an Army in Ireland, which he might imploy to reduce this Kingdome; for which hee deserves to undergoe the Paines and For­feitures of High Treason.

And the said Earle hath beene also an Incendiary of the Warres betweene the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland: all which Offences have beene sufficiently Proved against the said Earle upon his im­peachment.

Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majestie, and by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assem­bled, and by authoritie of the same, That the said Earle of Strafford for the haynous Crimes and Offences aforesaid, stand and be adjudged and attainted of high Treason, and shall suffer such paine of death, and incurre the forfeitures of his Goods and Chattels, Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments of any estate of Free-hold or Inheritance in the said Kingdomes of England and Ireland, which the said Earle or any other to his use, or in trust for him, have or had the day of the first sitting of this present Parliament, or at any time since.

Provided that no Judge or Judges, Justice or Justices whatsoever, shall adjudge or in­terpret any Act or thing to be Treason, nor heare or determine any Treason, nor in any other manner then he or they should or ought to have done before the making of this Act, and as if this Act had never beene had nor made. Saving alwayes unto all and singular persons and bodies politique and corporall, their Heires and Successors, others then the said Earle and his heires, and such as claime by, from, or under him, all such right, title, and interest, of, in, and to all and singular such of the said Lands, Tenements, and Here­ditaments, [Page 4] as he, they, or any of them, had before the first day of this present Parlia­ment, any thing herein contained to the con­trary notwithstanding.

Provided that the passing of this present Act, and his Majesties assent thereunto, shall not be any determination of this present Ses­sions of Parliament, but that this present Sessions of Parliament, and all Bills and mat­ters whatsoever depending in Parliament, and not fully enacted or determined. And all Statutes and Acts of Parliament, which have their continuance untill the end of this present Session of Parliament, shall remaine, continue, and be in full force, as if this Act had not been.