THe Lords of His Majesties Privy Council finding it now, after a long and tender forbearance, necessary, that their Acts of the third of December, one thousand six hundred and sixty two, and thirteenth of August, one thousand six hundred and sixty three years, against such Ministers as entred in, or since, the year, one thousand six hundred and fourty nine, and had not since obtained Presentations from their lawful Patrons, and Collations and Admissions from their Ordi­naries; be, upon some weighty grounds and considerations therein mentioned, extended against all such other Ministers, who being entred before the year fourty nine, have, since the restitution of the Government of the Church by Archbishops and Bishops, relinquished their Ministry, or been deposed there-from by their Ordinary, Do therefore command and charge, all such Ministers, within fourty dayes after publication hereof, and all such Ministers as shall hereafter relinquish their Ministry; or be deposed there-from by their Ordinary (within fourty dayes after their relinquishing and deposition) to remove themselves, their families and goods belonging to them, out of these respective Pardches where they were Incumbents, and not to reside within twenty miles of the same, or within six miles of Edinburgh or any Cathedral Church, or three miles of any Burgh Royal within this Kingdom, or to reside two of them within one Paroch; with certification, if they failȝie to remove themselves as said is, and to give exact obedience here­unto (unless they have the permission of the Lords of the Privy Council, Lords of His Majesties Commission for Church affairs, or of the Bishop of the Diocess) they are to incur the penalties of the Laws made against movers of sedition, and to be proceeded against with that strictness which is due to so great contempt of His Majesties Authority over Church and State. And do hereby inhibit and discharge all Heretors and Housholders in Burgh or Land, to give any presence or countenance to any one or moe of these Ministers, removed by this present Act, to preach or exercise any act of the Office of a Minister; with certification, if they after publication hereof shall presume so to do, they are to be proreeded against according to Law: And commanding and requiring all Sheriffs, Stewarts, Magistrates of Burghs and Iustices of Peace, to make diligent search and inquiry within their respective Iurisdictions, if any such Ministers, as fall within the compass of this or the other two Acts of Conncil aforesaid, do reside within the bounds therein prohibited, and to seize upon and im­prison their persons, ay and while they find sufficient caution to compear before the Lords of His Majesties Council or Commission, betwixt and such a short day, as the said Sheriffs, Stewarts, Ma­gistrates of Burghs, and Iustices of Peace, shall upon consideration of the distance of the place, judge convenient: And in case of not meeting of the Council or Commission at the day foresaid, to compear the next meeting day thereafter; certifying all Sheriffs, Magistrates of Burghs and Iustices of Peace, that His Majesty will account their neglect and remissness in this Affair, an high contempt of His Authority and Commands, and punish the same accordingly. And Ordains these presents to be printed and published, that none pretend ignorance.