HIs Highness the Lord Protector, upon advice with His Council, finding it ne­cessary for the Reasons and upon the Grounds expressed in His late Declara­tion, to use all good means to secure the Peace of the Nation, and prevent fu­ture troubles within the same, Hath thought fit to Publish and Declare, and by and with the Consent of His Council, doth Publish, Order and Declare, That no person or persons whatsoever in England or Wales, whose Estates have been Sequestred for Delinquency, or who were actually in Armes for the late King against the then Parlament, or for harles Stuart his Son, or have adhered to, abetted, or assisted the Forces raised against the said Parliament, do, from and after the first day of December 1655. buy, use, or keep in his or their house, or houses, or elsewhere, any Arms offen­sive or defensive, upon payn that every person and persons so offending shall forfeit and lose such Arms, and be otherwise proceeded against according to the Orders of His Highness and the Council, for securing the peace of the Commonwealth. And His Highness by the advice of his Council, doth also Publish, Declare and Order that no person or persons aforesaid do▪ from & after the first day of January 1655. keep in their hou­ses or Families, as Chaplains or School-Masters, for the education of their children, any sequestred or ejected M [...]nister, Fellow of a Colledge, or School-master, nor per­mit any of their children to be taught by such, upon pain of being proceeded against in such sort as the said Orders do direct in such cases. And that no person, who hath been sequestred or ejected out of any Benefice, Colledge, or School for Delinquency, or scan­dall, shall, from and after the said first day of January, keep any School, either publick or private, nor any person who after that time shall be ejected for the causes aforesaid.

And that no person, who for Delinquency or Scandall hath been Sequestred, or Eje­ted, shall, from and after the first day of January aforesaid, Preach in any publick place, or at any private meeting of any other persons then those of his own family, nor shall administer Baptism, or the Lords Supper, or Marry any persons, or use the Book of Common-prayer, or the forms of prayer therein contained, upon pain that every per­son, so offending in any the premisses, shall be proceeded against as by the said Orders is provided and directed. And to the end all persons concerned may take notice hereof, and avoid the danger of any the said penalties, His Highness doth Charge and Com­mand all Sheriffs within their respective Counties, Cities and Towns, to cause this Declaration to be Proclaimed and Published. Nevertheless His Highness doth De­clare, That towards such of the said persons as have, since their Ejection or Seque­stration, given, or shall hereafter give, a reall testimony of their Godliness▪ & good affecti­on to the present Government, so much tenderness shall be used as may consist with the safety and good of this Nation.

Given at Whitehall this 24. of November, 1655.