PRESENT,

• The Kings Most Excellent Majesty.
• His Royal Highness the Duke of York.
• His Highness Prince Rupert.
• Lord Archbishop of Canter­bury.
• Duke of Buckingham.
• Duke of Ormond.
• Earl of Ossery.
• Lord Chamberlain.
• Earl of Bridgewater.
• Earl of Sandvvich.
• Earl of Anglesey.
• Earl of Carlisle.
• Earl of Craven.
• Earl of Lauderdale.
• Lord Nevvport.
• Lord Ashley.
• Mr. Treasurer.
• Mr. Vice-Chamberlain.
• Mr. Secretary Trevor.
• Master of the Ordnance.
• Mr. Mountague.

HIs Majesty, having this day Order­ed the Lords, and others of His Privy Council to attend him in Council, is pleased to declare, That seeing all the Princes, and States, His Neighbours, were making great preparations for Warr, both by Sea and Land, His Majesty, for the safety of his Go­vernment [Page 2]and People, lookt upon Himself as obliged to make such Preparations as might be proportionable for the Protection both of the one and the other; And to that end he has al­ready given Orders for the fitting and preparing a very considerable Fleet, to be ready against the Spring.

By this inevitable necessity, His Majesty con­sidering the great Charges that must attend such Preparations, and after His serious debates and best considerations, not finding any possibility to defray such unusual Expences by the usual wayes and means of borrowing Moneys, by reason His Revenues were so anticipated and engaged, He was necessitated (contrary to His own incli­nations) upon these emergencies, and for the Publick Safety, at the present, to cause a Stop to be made of the payment of any Moneys, now be­ing, or to be brought into His Exchequer, for the space of one whole Year, ending the last day of December next, unto any person or persons whatso­ever, by vertue of any Warrant, Securities, or Or­ders, whether Registred or not Registred therein, and payable within that time; Excepting onely such payments as shall grow due upon Orders on the Subsidy, according to the Act of Parliament, and Orders and Securities upon the Fee-Farm Rents, both which are to be proceeded upon as if this Stop had never been made.

And that His Majesties Pleasure and Declarati­on may be speedily and effectually put in Executi­on, His Majesty doth Order, and doth hereby re­quire and command Sir Heneage Finch Knight and Baronet, His Attorney General, forthwith to pre­pare a Bill for His Royal Signature, and so to pass [Page 3]the Great Seal, thereby requiring and command­ing the Lords Commissioners of His Treasury, immediately to order and direct all and every the Officers of His Majesties Exchequer, to Post-pone all Warrants and Orders, whether Registred or not Registred, and other Securities and Payments whatsoever, (except as before excepted) until the last day of December next.

And in the mean time, the Lords Commissio­ners of His Treasury to be Required and Autho­rized, to cause payment to be made of the Interest that is or shall grow due, at the rate of Six pounds per Cent. unto every person that shall have Money due to him or them upon such Warrants, Orders, or Securities, so Post-pon'd and deferr'd; and that the payment of such Interest may be justly made, the Lords Commissioners of His Treasury are to be Authorized and Required, to cause the Debt of every particular person, and the said Interest thereof, to be truly stated.

And the Lords of His Majesties Treasury are far­ther to be Ordered and Required, to employ and dispose of all the said Moneys, so stopp'd and de­tained, for the preparing, setting forth, and pay­ment of His Majesties Fleet, and other Publick Services, in order to the preservation and safety of His Majesties Government, and defence of His People, as His Majesty shall from time to time Or­der and Direct.

And His Majesty, as far as in him lies, to take away all apprehensions or terrour, that might pos­sess any of His Subjects spirits, doth declare, That no person whatsoever shall be defrauded of any thing that is justly due to him, nor shall this re­straint, which His Majesty has been compelled [Page 4](not being able for the present to find any other expedient) to lay upon such Monies, as are or shall be paid into His Exchequer, continue longer then the aforesaid last day of December: and that then no new Warrants, Orders or Securities shall inter­vene, to break the course of such Payments.

And His Majesty is graciously pleased farther to declare, That nothing could have urged His Ma­jesty to an Act of this Nature, but such a conjunc­ture of Affairs, when all the Neighbouring Prin­ces and States were making such Threatning pre­parations, that His government could not be safe without appearing in the same posture.