Present

• The Kings most Excellent Majesty,
• Lord Archbishop of Canterbury
• Lord President
• Lord Privy Seal
• Earl of Clarendon
• Earl of Bathe
• Earl of Craven
• Earl of Halifax
• Earl of Conway
• Lord Viscount Fauconberg
• Lord Viscount Hyde
• Lord Bishop of London
• Mr. Secretary Jenkins
• Mr. Chancellor of the Ex­chequer
• Mr. Seymour
• Mr. Godolphin.

HIs Majesty by His Order in Coun­cil of the One and twentieth of July instant, having been Graci­ously pleased to refer a Memori­al presented to His Majesty in behalf of the distressed Prote­stants abroad, to the Considerati­on of the Right Honourable the Lords Commit­tees of this Board for Trade and Plantations, with [Page 2] directions to Report their opinion thereupon; And their Lordships having this day made their Report to His Majesty in Council, His Majesty up­on due Consideration thereof had, was pleased to Declare, That He holds Himself obliged in Ho­nour and Conscience to comfort and support all such afflicted Protestants who by reason of the Ri­gours and Severities which are us'd towards them upon the Account of their Religion, shall be forced to quit their Native Countrey, and shall desire to shelter themselves under His Majesties Royal Protection, for the preservation and free exercise of their Religion; And in order hereunto His Majesty was pleas'd further to Declare, That He will Grant unto every such distressed Protestant who shall come hither for refuge, and reside here, His Letters of Denization under the Great Seal without any charge whatsoever, and likewise such further priviledges and immunities as are consistent with the Laws, for the Liberty and free exercise of their Trades and Handicrafts; And that His Majesty will likewise recommend it to His Parlia­ment at their next Meeting to Pass an Act for the General Naturalization of all such Protestants as shall come over as aforesaid, and for the further enlarging their Liberties and Franchises granted to them by His Majesty, as reasonably may be neces­sary for them. And for their encouragement, His Majesty is likewise pleased to Grant unto them, That they shall pay no greater Duties in any case then His Majesties own Natural born Subjects, and that they shall have all the privi­ledges and immunities that generally His Maje­sties [Page 3] Native Subjects have, for the Introduction of their Children into Schools and Colledges.

And His Majesty was likewise pleased to Order, and it is hereby Ordered accordingly, That all His Majesties Officers both Civil and Military do give a kind reception to all such Protestants as shall ar­rive within any of His Majesties Ports in this Kingdom, and to furnish them with free Pass-Ports, and give them all assistance and furtherance in their Journeys to the Places to which they shall desire to go. And the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of His Majesties Treasury are to give Orders to the Commissioners of His Majesties Customs, to suffer the said Protestants to pass free with their Goods and Housholdstuff, whether of a greater or a smaller value, together with their Tools and Instruments belonging to their Crafts, or Trades, and generally all what belongs to them that may be Imported according to the Laws now in force, without exacting any thing from them. And for the further relief and encouragement of the said necessitous Protestants, His Majesty hath been pleased to give Order for a General Brief through His Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick, for Collecting the Charity of all well disposed persons, for the re­lief of the said Protestants, who may stand in need thereof. And to the end that when any such come over, being Strangers, they may know where to address themselves to fitting per­sons to lay their requests and complaints before His Majesty: His Majesty was Graciously pleas­ed to appoint the most Reverend Father in God, his Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and [Page 4] the Right Reverend Father in God, the Lord Bishop of London, or either of them, to receive all the said Requests and Petitions, and to present the same to His Majesty, to the end such Order may be given therein as shall be necessary.