We, noblemen, barons, knights, gentlemen, citizens, burgeƒses, miniƒters of the Goƒpel, and commons of all ƒorts, in the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland, by the providence of GOD living under one king, and being of one reformed religion, having before our eyes the glory of God, and the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, the honour and happineƒs of the king’s majeƒty and his poƒterity, and the true public liberty, ƒafety, and peace of the kingdom, wherein every one’s private condition is included: and calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots, conƒpiracies, attempts, and practices of the enemies of GOD, againƒt the true religion and profeƒsors thereof in all places, eƒpecially in theƒe three kingdoms, ever ƒince the reformation of religion; and how much their rage, power, and preƒumption, are of late, and at this time, increaƒed and exerciƒed, whereof the deplorable ƒtate of the Church and kingdom of Ireland, the diƒtreƒsed ƒtate of the Church and kingdom of England, and the dangerous ƒtate of the Church and kingdom of Scotland, are preƒent and public teƒtimonies: we have now at laƒt (after other means of ƒupplication, remonƒtrance, proteƒtation, and ƒufferings), for the preƒervation of ourƒelves and our religion from utter ruin and deƒtruction, according to the commendable practice of theƒe kingdoms in former times, and the example of GOD’S people in other nations, after mature deliberation, reƒolved and determined to enter into a Mutual and Solemn League and Covenant, wherein we all ƒubƒcribe, and each one of us for himƒelf, with our hands lifted up to the Moƒt High GOD, do ƒwear,
        I. That we ƒhall ƒincerely, really, and conƒtantly, through the grace of GOD, endeavor, in our ƒeveral places and callings, the preƒervation of the reformed religion in the Church of Scotland, in doctrine, worƒhip, diƒcipline, and government, againƒt our common enemies; the reformation of religion in the kingdoms of England and Ireland, in doctrine, worƒhip, diƒcipline, and government, according to the Word of GOD, and the example of the beƒt reformed Churches; and ƒhall endeavour to bring the Churches of GOD in the three kingdoms to the neareƒt conjunction and uniformity in religion, that we, and our poƒterity after us, may, as brethren, live in faith and love, and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midƒt of us.
        II. That we ƒhall, in like manner, without reƒpect of perƒons, endeavour the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy (that is, Church government by archbiƒhops, biƒhops, their chancellors and commiƒsioners, deans, deans and chapters, archdeacons, and all other eccleƒiaƒtical officers depending on that hierarchy), ƒuperƒtition, hereƒy, ƒchiƒm, profaneneƒs, and whatƒoever ƒhall be found contrary to ƒound doctrine and the power of Godlineƒs; leƒt we partake in other men’s ƒins, and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues; and that the Lord may be one, and his name one, in the three kingdoms.
        III. We ƒhall, with the ƒame ƒincerity, reality, and conƒtancy, in our ƒeveral vocations, endeavour, with our eƒtates and lives, mutually to preƒerve the rights and privileges of the Parliaments, and the liberties of the kingdoms; and to preƒerve and defend the king’s majeƒty’s perƒon and authority, in the preƒervation and defence of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms; that the world may bear witneƒs with our conƒciences of our loyalty, and that we have no other thoughts or intentions to diminiƒh his majeƒty’s juƒt power and greatneƒs.
        IV. We ƒhall alƒo, with all faithfulneƒs, endeavour the diƒcovery of all ƒuch as have been or ƒhall be incendiaries, malignants, or evil inƒtruments, be hindering the reformation of religion, dividing the king from his people, or one of the kingdoms from another, or making any faction or parties among the people, contrary to this League and Covenant; that they may be brought to public trial, and receive condign puniƒhment, as the degree of their offences ƒhall require or deƒerve, or the ƒupreme judicatories of both kingdoms reƒpectively, or others having power from them for that effect, ƒhall judge convenient.
        V. And whereas the happineƒs of a bleƒsed peace between theƒe kingdoms, denied in former times to our progenitors, is, by the good providence of GOD, granted unto us, and hath been lately concluded and ƒettled by both Parliaments; we ƒhall, each one of us, according to our place and intereƒt, endeavour that they may remain conjoined in a firm peace and union to all poƒterity; and that juƒtice may be done upon the willful oppoƒers thereof, in manner expreƒsed in the precedent article.
        VI. We ƒhall alƒo, according to our places and callings, in this common cauƒe of religion, liberty, and peace of the kingdoms, aƒsiƒt and defend all thoƒe that enter into this League and Covenant, in the maintaining and purƒuing thereof; and ƒhall not ƒuffer ourƒelves, directly or indirectly, by whatƒoever combination, perƒuaƒion, or terror, to be divided or withdrawn from this bleƒsed union and conjunction, whether to make defection to the contrary part, or to give ourƒelves to a deteƒtable indifferency or neutrality in this cauƒe, which ƒo much concerneth the glory of God, the good of the kingdom, and honour of the king; but ƒhall, all the days of our lives, zealouƒly and conƒtantly continue therein againƒt all oppoƒition, and promote the ƒame, according to our power, againƒt all lets and impediments whatƒoever; and what we are not able ourƒelves to ƒuppreƒs or overcome, we ƒhall reveal and make known, that it may be timely prevented or removed: All which we ƒhall do as in the ƒight of God.
        And, becauƒe theƒe kingdoms are guilty of many ƒins and provocations againƒt GOD, and his Son JESUS CHRIST, as is too manifeƒt by our preƒent diƒtreƒses and dangers, the fruits thereof; we profeƒs and declare, before GOD and the world, our unfeigned deƒire to be humbled for our own ƒins, and for the ƒins of theƒe kingdoms; eƒpecially that we have not, as we ought, valued the ineƒtimable benefit of the Goƒpel; that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof; and the we have not endeavoured to receive Chriƒt in our hearts, not to walk worthy of him in our lives; which are the cauƒes of other ƒins and tranƒgreƒsion ƒo much abounding amongƒt us: and our true and unfeigned purpoƒe, deƒire, and endeavour, for ourƒelves, and all others under our power and charge, both in public and private, in all duties we owe to GOD and man, to amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a real reformation; that the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation, and eƒtabliƒh theƒe Churches and kingdoms in truth and peace. And this Covenant we make in the preƒence of ALMIGHTY GOD, the Searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to perform the ƒame, as we ƒhall anƒwer at that great day, when the ƒecrets of all hearts ƒhall be diƒcloƒed; moƒt humbly beƒeeching the LORD to ƒtrengthen us by his HOLY SPIRIT for this end, and to bleƒs our deƒires and proceedings with ƒuch ƒucceƒs, as may be deliverance and ƒafety to his people, and encouragement to other Chriƒtian Churches, groaning under, or in danger of the yoke of antichriƒtian tyranny, to join in the ƒame or like aƒsociation and covenant, to the glory of GOD, the enlargement of the kingdom of JESUS CHRIST, and the peace and tranquillity of Chriƒtian kingdoms and commonwealths.