The
Star Chamber and Court of High Commission were abolished. The oath
ex officio, an oath to answer all questions, was originally meant
for facts at issue, but had been extended by these courts to
opinions, beliefs, and religion and had led to abuses. The Star
Chamber had been the only court which punished infractions of the
Kings' edicts, so now his proclamations were unenforceable.
Protection against self-incrimination was given by the provision
that no person be forced "to confess or accuse him or herself of
crime, offense, delinquency, or misdemeanor, or any neglect... or
thing whereby, or by reason whereof, he or she shall or may be
liable or exposed to any censure, pain, penalty, or punishment
whatsoever, as had been the practice in the Star Chamber and the
Court of High Commission.
These measures were also adopted: No one may be compelled to take
knighthood nor undergo any fine for not so doing. The forest
boundaries are returned to their former place. All subjects may
now import gunpowder; they may also make and sell gunpowder and
import saltpeter.
The Root and Branch Petition of 1640 complained about pressure on
ministers by bishops on threat of dismissal not to preach about
predestination, free grace, perseverance, original sin remaining
after baptism, the sabbath, doctrine against universal grace,
election for faith foreseen, free-will against anti-Christ, non-
residents, or human inventions in God's worship.
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