Forasmuch as in the whole course of our Government, We have manifested Our Pious and Princely Care, and Zeal to maintain and promote the Sacred Interests of the Established Religion, together with the Order and Unity of the Church; And considering the danger arising to the Church, to Religion, and to Our Government, by the undutiful Practi­ses of some of Our Subjects, in intertaining disaffected, and irregular Persons in the Offices of Chaplains, Pe­dagogues, and School-masters, who are apt to corrupt and poyson the Families wherein they Serve, and the Children whom they Teach and Instruct, with the Principles of Schism, Sedition and Rebellion, Instilling into the Minds of Our People (under the specious colour of Piety) sinful prejudices against the setled Religion, and begetting in them a Disloyal aversiion from Our Authority and Government: Notwithstanding that by the 4th. Act of the second Session of Our first: Par­liament, It is Statuted, that none be allowed to Teach any Schooles, or to be Pedagogues to Children, or Chaplains in any Fa­mily, without a Licence from the respective Ordinaries: And that by the 6th. Act. Of Our third and current Parliament, All such Pedagogues, School-masters and Chaplains, are appointed to swear and Sign the Test, under the certification therein contained: As also, by Our Royal Proclamation, of the date at Edinburgh, the first of March 1676. We did Require and Command, That none thereafter should intertain any School: master, Pedagogue or Chaplain, or Person for performing Family-worship, who have not a Licence for that effect, under the hand of the Bishop of the Respective Diocesse under the penalties therein exprest. And now being in­formed, that some to elude the Laws, and Proclamations foresaids, do intertain disaffected and irregular Persons, for Teaching their Children, and overseeing of their Learning, Manners and Education, or Exercising Family-worship in their Houses, under other Names and Designations, as of Physicians, Factors, Chamberlains, Attendants, or Ordinary Servants, whose influence in corrupting the youth, and debauching of Families from their Duty to GOD, and to Us, is most apparent, and of very pernicious consequence: We do therefore, with advise of Our Privy Council, strictly Prohibite and Discharge all Our Subjects, of what Quality soever, to intertain any Person or Persous, to be Chaplains in their Families, or to be Governours, Teachers or Instructors of their Children, or Pupils, or Minors, under their Tutory or Curatory, or to be School-masters within their Lands or Juris­dictions: or who shall perform the Duties and Offices of Teaching, and instructing their Children, or Pupils, or Minors, under their Tutory or Curatory, by Overseeing them in their Learning. Manners and Education: or who shall Exercise Religious-wor­ship in their Families, or shall perform the Duties belonging to the Places or Offices of Pedagogues or Chaplains, under the Names and Designations foresaid, or under whatsoever other Colour, Name, Title, or Designation, except such only as shall Swear and Subscribe the Test foresaid, before this respective Ordinaries: and who shall be allowed by Licences, under the hands of their respective Bishops, for performing and Exercising of these Offices, certifying all those who shall contemn, or contraveen this Our Royal Will and Proclamotion: That every Nobleman so offending, shall be fined in three thousand Merks, Every Gentle­man in Twelve hundreth Merks: And each Burgesse or other Subjects in six hundreth Merks, toties quoties, as they shall he found Guilty conform to the Certification contained in Our said Proclamation dated the said first of March 1676. And shall also be esteemed Persons disaffected to the Established Religion, and to Our Royal Government; and the Magistrates of all Burghs, of Royalty and Regality, are discharged to permit any School-masters to Teach Schollers in their Burghs, except they be qualisi­fied as aforesaid, under the penalty of being pursued and punished before the Council, as their contempt and neglect shall deserve. And to the effect, Our Royal Will and Pleasure in the Premisses may be publickly known; Our Will is, and We Charge you straitly and Command, that incontinent, these Our Letters seen, ye passe to the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh, and other places need­ful, and thereat, in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make publication of the Premisses, and that none pretend ignorance. the which to do We commit to you, conjunctly and severally, Our full Power, by these Our Letters, delivering them by you, duly Execute, and indorsed again to the bearer.