What is "solemn league and covenant"

Solemn \Sol"emn\, a. [OE. solempne, OF. solempne, L. solemnis, solennis, sollemnis, sollennis; sollus all, entire + annus a year; properly, that takes place every year; -- used especially of religious solemnities. Cf. Silly, Annual.]

1. Marked with religious rites and pomps; enjoined by, or connected with, religion; sacred.

   His holy rites and solemn feasts profaned.
   --Milton.

   The worship of this image was advanced, and a solemn supplication observed everry year.
   --Bp. Stillingfleet.

2. Pertaining to a festival; festive; festal. [Obs.] ``On this solemn day.''
   --Chaucer.

3. Stately; ceremonious; grand. [Archaic]

   His feast so solemn and so rich.
   --Chaucer.

   To-night we hold a splemn supper.
   --Shak.

4. Fitted to awaken or express serious reflections; marked by seriousness; serious; grave; devout; as, a solemn promise; solemn earnestness.

   Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage With solemn touches troubled thoughts.
   --Milton.

   There reigned a solemn silence over all.
   --Spenser.

5. Real; earnest; downright. [Obs. & R.]

   Frederick, the emperor, . . . has spared no expense in strengthening this city; since which time we find no solemn taking it by the Turks.
   --Fuller.

6. Affectedly grave or serious; as, to put on a solemn face. ``A solemn coxcomb.''
   --Swift.

7. (Law) Made in form; ceremonious; as, solemn war; conforming with all legal requirements; as, probate in solemn form.
   --Burrill.
   --Jarman.
   --Greenleaf.

   Solemn League and Covenant. See Covenant, 2.

   Syn: Grave; formal; ritual; ceremonial; sober; serious; reverential; devotional; devout. See Grave.

League \League\ (l[=e]g), n. [F. ligue, LL. liga, fr. L. ligare to bind; cf. Sp. liga. Cf. Ally a confederate, Ligature.]

1. An alliance or combination of two or more nations, parties, organizations, or persons, for the accomplishment of a purpose which requires a continued course of action, as for mutual defense, or for furtherance of commercial, religious, or political interests, etc.

   And let there be 'Twixt us and them no league, nor amity.
   --Denham.

2. Specifically: (Sports) An association of sports teams that establishes rules of play, decides questions of membership in the league, and organizes matches between the member teams. In some cases a sports league is called a conference, as in the National Football Conference.

   Note: A league may be offensive or defensive, or both; offensive, when the parties agree to unite in attacking a common enemy; defensive, when they agree to a mutual defense of each other against an enemy.

   The Holy League, an alliance of Roman Catholics formed in 1576 by influence of the Duke of Guise for the exclusion of Protestants from the throne of France.

   Solemn League and Covenant. See Covenant,2.

   The land league, an association, organized in Dublin in 1879, to promote the interests of the Irish tenantry, its avowed objects being to secure fixity of tenure, fair rent, and free sale of the tenants' interest. It was declared illegal by Parliament, but vigorous prosecutions have failed to suppress it.

   Syn: Alliance; confederacy; confederation; coalition; combination; compact; co["o]peration.

The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians in 1643 during the First English Civil War. On 17 August 1643 the Church of Scotland (the Kirk) accepted it and on 25 September 1643 so did the English Parliament and the Westminster Assembly. General assent was obtained for the Solemn League and Covenant throughout Scotland and England by allowing the populace to sign it.