divided names of England and Scotland out of our regal ftile and title, and to use in place of them the common and contracted name of Great Britany; not upon any vaine glory, whereof we perfuade our felves our actions doe fufficiently free us in the judgment of all the world: And if any fuch humor fhould reign in us, it were better fatisfied by length of ftile, and enumeration of kingdoms; but only as a fit fignification of that which is already done, and a fignificant prefiguration of that which we further intend; for as in giveing names to natural perfons, it is used to impose them in infancy, and not to stay till fulness of growth; fo it feemed to us not unfeasonable to bring in further ufe this name at the first, and to proceed with the more substantial points of the union after, as faft and as far as the common. good of both the realms fhould permit, especially confidering the name of Britany was no coyned or new devised or affected name at pleasure, but the true and ancient name which God and time hath impofed, extant and received in hiftories, in cards, and in ordinary fpeech and writing, where the whole island is meant to be denominate, fo as it is not accompanied with so much as any strangeness in common fpeech. And although we never doubted, neither ever heard that any other prefumed to doubt, but that the forme and tenor of our regal ftile and title, and the delineation of the same, did only and wholly of meer right appertaine to our fupreame and absolute prerogative to express the same, in fuch words or fort, as feemed good to our royal pleafure: Yet because we were to have the advice and affent of our parliament concerning other points of the union, union, we were pleafed our faid Parliament should, amongst the rest, take also the fame into their confideration. But finding by the grave opinion of our Judges, who are the interpreters of our laws, that in cafe that alteration of style which feemed to us but verbal, should be established and enacted by Parliament, it might involve by implycation and consequence, not onely a more present alteration, but also a further innovation then we any wayes intended: or at least might be subject to fome colourable scruple of fuch a perilous conftruction, we rested well fatisfied to refpit the fame, as to require it by act of parliament. But being still refolved and fixed that it may conduce towards this happy end of the better uniting of the nations, we have thought good by the advice of our Council to take the fame upon us by our proclamation, being a course safe and free from any of the perils or fcruples aforefaid. And therefore we do by these presents, publish, proclaim, and affume to our selves from henceforth, according to our undoubted right, the ftile and title of King of Great Britany, France, and Ireland, and otherwife as followeth in our stile formerly used. And we doe hereby ftraightly charge and command our Chancellour, and all fuch as have the cu stody of any of our feals; and all other our officers and fubjects whatsoever, to whom it may in any wife appertaine, that from henceforth in all commiffions, patents, writs, proceffes, grants, records, inftruments, impreffions, fermons, and all other writings and speeches whatsoever, wherein our ftile is used to be fet forth or recited, that our said stile, as is before by these presents declared and prescribed, be onely used, and no other. And because we we do but now declare, that which in truth was before our will and pleasure, is, that in the computation of our reign, as to all writings or inftruments hereafter to be made, the fame computation be taken and made, as if we had taken upon us the ftile aforefaid immediately after the decease of our late dear fifter. And we do notifie to all our subjects, that if any person, of what degree or condition foever he be, shall impugne our faid ftile, or derogate and detract from the fame by any arguments, fpeeches words or otherwife; we fhall proceed against him, as against an offender against our crowne and dignity, and a disturber of the quiet and peace of our Kingdom, according to the utmost severity of our laws in that behalfe. Nevertheless our meaning is not that where in any writ, pleading, or other record, writing, inftrument or fpeech, it hath been used for mention to be made of England, or the realm of England, or any other word or words derived from the fame; and not of our whole and entire ftile and title, that therein any alteration at all be ufed by pretext of this our proclamation, which we intend to take place onely where our whole ftile fhall be recited, and not otherwife; and in the other cafes the ancient forme to be ufed and observed. The most humble Certificate or Returne of the Commiffioners of England and Scotland, authorifed to treat of an Union for the Weale of both Realmes, 2 Jac. I. W EE the Commiffioners for England and Scotland refpectively named and appointed, in all humbleness doe fignifye to his moft excellent Majeftie, and to the most honourable high Courts of Parliament of both realmes, that we have affembled our selves, consulted and treated according to the nature and limits of our commiffion; and for as much as we doe find that hardly within the memory of all times, or within the compass of the universal world, there can be fhewed forth a fit example or prefident of the worke we have in hand concurring in all points material, we thought our felves fo much the more bound to refort to the infallible and original grounds of nature and common reason, and freeing our felves from the leading or misleading of examples, to infist and fix our confiderations upon the individual business in hand, without wandring or discourses. It seemed therefore unto us a matter demonstrative by the light of reason, that we were in first place to begin with the remotion and abolition of all manner hoftile, envious, or maligne laws on either fide, being in themfelves mere temporary, and now by time become directly contrary to our prefent most happy eftate; which laws, as they are already dead in force and vigor, fo we thought fit now to wish them buried in oblivion; that by the utter extinguishment of the memory of discords past, we may avoid all feeds of relapfe into difcords to come: Secondly, as matter of nature not unlike the former, we entered into confideration of fuch limitanye conftitutions as served but for to obtaine a forme of justice between fubjects under feveral Monarchs, and did in the very grounds and motives of them prefuppofe incurfions, and intermixture of hoftilitye: All which occafions, as they are in themselves now vanifhed and done away, so we with the abolition and ceffation thereof to be declared. Thirdly, for fo much as the principal degree to union is communion and participation of mutual commodityes and benefits, it appeared to us to follow next in order, that the commerce between both nations be fet open and free, foe as the commodityes and provifions of either may pafs and flow to and fro, without any ftops or obftructions into the veines of the whole body, for the better fuftentation and comfort of all the parts: with caution nevertheless, that the vital nourishment be not fo drawne into one part, as it may endanger a confumption and withering of the other. Fourthly, after the communion and participation by commerce, which can. extend but to the tranfmiffion of fuch commodyties as are moveable, perfonal and tranfitory, there fucceeded naturally that other degree, that there be made a mutual endowment and donation of either realm towards other of the abilityes and capacityes to take and enjoy things which are permanent, real and fixed; as namely, freehold and inheritance, and the like: And that as well the internal and vital veines of blood be opened from Sf 2 inter |