Forasmuch as by the first Act of the third Session of Our late Parliament, Entituled, Act against separation and dis­obedience to Ecclesiastical Authority, it is recommended to the Lords of Our Privy Council to take speedy and effectual course that the said Act, injoyning obedience to the Government of the Church, as it is now setled by Law, receive due and ready obedience from all Subjects; with power to them to decern and inflict such censures, penalties and corporal punishments, as they shall think fit, upon the contra­veeners, and direct all execution necessary, for making the same effectual, and to do every other thing needful for procuring obedience to the said Act, and putting the same to punctual execution, conform to the tenor and intent thereof. And by divers other Acts of Parliament and Council, made against Papists, Quakers, and other disaffected persons, they are commanded, under great pains and penalties, to frequent the Ordinances, in hearing Sermon and partaking of the Sacraments, and all other acts of publick Worship, at their own Paroch-churches, and not to keep any private Meetings or Conventicles: Nevertheless, the saids Acts have not received that vigorous execution and obedience in some parts of the Kingdom, which might have been given, if Masters of Families, Heretors and Lands-lords in the Countrey, and Magistrates within Burghs-royal, had been careful and zealous in their stations in procuring obedience from their Servants, Tennents and Inhabitants over whom they have power and jurisdiction; So that it is more then high time to prevent the increase and spreading of these disorders, which by evil example, might poyson and infect these that are yet found in their Principles and well-affected to Our Government. OVR WILL IS HEREFORE, and We charge you straitly and commands, that incontinent, these Our Letters seen, ye pass to the Mercat-cross of Edinburgh, remanent head Burghs of the several Shires and other places needful, and there, by open Proclamation, in Our Name and Authority, command and charge all Masters of Families that they cause their Domestick-servants, Grieves, Cham­berlains, [Page] and others entertained by them, to give obedience to Our Laws foresaids and Acts of Council; and particularly that they frequent the publick Worship and Ordinances at their own Paroch-churches, and participate of the Sacra­ments, and abstain from all Conventicles and private Meetings, and that they retain none in their service but such as they will be answerable for; and in case [...]f their disobedience, that they remove them out of their service immediatly after intimation thereof by the Minister of the Paroch: As also, that all Heretors, Lands-lords and Life-renters, who have granted any Tacks or Rentals to their [...]nnents, which are yet standing unexpired, cause their Tennents and Rentallers give sufficient bond and surety for obeying the saids Acts of Parliament and Council, and specially for frequenting publick Worship and Ordinances, as said is, and abstaining from private Meetings; and if need be, that they raise Letters under the Signet of Our Privy Council, and charge them, for that effect, upon six dayes, and in case of disobedience, to denounce them to Our Horn and registrate the same; for which end, warrand is given to direct Letters in their name against all and sundry their Tennents and Rentallers: And We do declare, that We will give and bestow the Escheats falling to Vs by the saids Hornings, upon the Lands-lords and Setters of these Tacks and Rentals, in so far as may be extended thereto; recommending hereby to Our Thesaurer-principal and Thesaurer-depute, and others of Our Exchequer, to grant the same accordingly: And in case the Tennents be removeable and refuse to give obedience, that they warn and pursue them to remove, and obtain Decreets of ejection against them; and that no Heretor, Lands-lord or Life-renter, set their Lands hereafter to any person, by Word or Writ, but to such as they will be answerable for, as said is; and that they take surety from them by provisions and obliegements to be insert in their Tacks, or otherwayes by Bond apart, in case there be no Writ, that the saids Tacks-men, Rentallers and all others their Hindes, Cottars and Servants, who shall live under them upon the saids Lands, shall give obedience in manner foresaid; otherwayes, that their Tacks, Rentals and whole Interest, Right and Possession shall be vow and expire, ipso facto, as if they had never been granted, and that without any Declarator or farther Process, and then as now, and now as then, that they shall renounce all Right that they shall have thereto, and shall remove themselves without any warning; and in case of failʒie, the Lands-lords and others are to charge and denounce them in manner foresaid. As likewayes, that all Magistrates of Royal Burroughs take special care and notice and be answerable, that their Burgesses and Inhabitants be obedient to the foresaids Acts of Parliament and Council, and that they cause charge such of them as they shall think fit and are suspected, to give Bond and Surety, as said is; and for the Magistrates own relief, in case they contraveen, and if they failʒie, to denounce them in manner foresaid: With certification, that all Masters of Families, Lands-lords and Magi­strates of Burghs, who shall not give punctual obedience in manner above-written, that they shall be lyable to the same pains and penalties due to the Contraveeners, but prejudice alwayes of proceeding against the Contraveeners themselves, and inflicting the saids pains, and all other pains contained in any Act of Parliament or Council heretofore made against Papists, Quakers and persons disobedient: Certifying also all concerned, that the Lords of Our Privy Council will not only take special care to secure the publick Peace, but also to discover all secret attempts and designs to disturb the same, and to punish all persons that shall be found guilty, according to the quality of their offence. And ordains these presents to be printed and published, that none pretend ignorance.