I2R

HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE


A PROCLAMATION, Anent Field Conventicles and House-Meetings.

JAMES, by the Grace of GOD, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, Defen­der of the Faith, To Macers of Our Privy Council, or Messengers at Arms, Our Sheriffs in that part, conjunctly and se­verally, specially constitute, and to all and sundry Our Leidges and Subjects, whom it effeirs; Greet­ing: Whereas, We having by Our Proclamation of the twentieth of February last past, and Our other Proclamation of the twenty eight of June thereafter, Explaining and extending the same in favours of all Our Subjects of this Kingdom, of whatsoever Profession, Granted full Liberty to them to Meet, and Serve God in their own Way and Manner, on the Terms therein expresly mentioned; Yet We understanding, That several seditious Preachers, and others declared Fugi­tives, Do, nevertheless of that Our great and unexpected Clemency and Favour, Meet in the open Fields, aud there keep Conventicles (these Rendevouzes of Rebellion) And that great numbers of persons of all sorts, do frequent these seditious Meetings, and many in Arms: We have thought fit therefore, with Advice of Our Privy Council, Hereby to Declare, That not only all such per­sons (whether Preachers or Hearers, that shall presume to be at any Conventicle in the open Fields) But also, all Dissenting Mini­sters, who shall take upon them to Preach in Houses, without observing such Directions as are prescribed by Our said late Proclama­tion▪ viz. That nothing be Preached or Taught among them, which may any way tend to alienat the Hearts of Our People from Ʋs, or Our Go­vernment, and that their Meetings be peaceable, openly, and publickly held, and all persons freely admitted to them, and that they do signifie and make known to some one or moe of Our next Privy Counsellors, Sheriffs, Stewarts, Baillies, Justices of Peace, or Magistrats of Royal Burrows, what place or places they set apart for these Uses, with the Names of the Preachers; Shall be Prosecuted with the utmost rigor and severity that Our Laws, Acts of Parliament, and Constitutions of this Our Ancient Kingdom, will allow: Requiring hereby all Our Officers, Civil and Military, and al [...] other Our good Subjects, who are, or may be any way concerned in the Execu­tion thereof, to see this Our Royal Will and Pleasure duly performed, and put in Execution, conform to Our saids Laws, Acts of Par­liament, and Constitutions aforesaid, every manner of way, as is thereby Prescribed, and under the Pains and Certifications therein­mentioned; And to the end Our said Proclamation of the twenty eight of June last, may receive due obedience, We, with Ad­vice foresaid, Do strictly Require all such as shall Preach, by vertue thereof, at any time, or in any place, to make Intimat [...]on of their Preaching, as to the time and place before their Meetings▪ to some one, or moe of Our next Privy Counsellors, Sheriffs, Stew­arts, Baillies, Justices of Peace, or Magistrats of Our Royal Burrows, and of their fixing their abodes there, which shall be sufficient to them during their Residence at that place, or places, only; And in case they be transient Preachers, that they give the same Inti­mation to some one, or moe of Our Privy Council, or others aforesaid, Both, as they will be answereable. And further, We, in Prosecution of Our said late Proclamation, Do hereby Require all and every person aforesaid, to whom such Intimation shall be given respectivè, to send in to the Clerks of Our Privy Council, once every Moneth, the Name and Sirname of the persons Preachers, and the times and places of their Meetings, as they will answer the contrary at their peril; And that Our Royal Pleasure in the Premisses may be known, and due and exact obedience given thereto; OUR WILL IS HEREFORE, and We Charge you strictly and Command, that incontinent, these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat Cross of Edinburgh, and all the other Mercat-Crosses of the Head-Burghs of the Shires of this Kingdom, and other places needful, and there, in Our Name and Authority, by open Proclamation, make Publication of Our Pleasure in the Premisses, that none may pretend ignorance.

Per actum Dominorum Secreti Concilii. COL. M cKENZIE, Cls. Sti. Concilii.
GOD save the KING.

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty, Anno DOM. 1627.

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