THE Committee of Estates presently conveened by His Majesties speciall Warrand and Authority; Laying seriously to heart the great Trust committed to them for carrying on, ordering, and using of all means which may tend to the securing of the Peace of this Kingdom, and maintaining and furthering His Majesties Power and Authority therein. Considering, that by many Acts of Par­liament, all Leiseing-makers, and tellers thereof, makers of evil Information, or engendering discord betwixt the KING and His People; All Reproachers, or Slanderers of His Majestie, Government, or Realms, depravers of His Laws, misconstruers of His Proceedings, medlers in the affaires of His Estate: As also, all hearers of any such Leisings, Calumnies or Slanders, by Word or Writ, and Concealers thereof, should be punished as seditious persons, Enemies to His Majestie▪ and the pain of Death to be execute upon them, as at length is contained in the 43. Act. of K. James 1. his 3. parl. The 83. Act of K. James Fifth his 6. parl. The 134 Act parl. 8. The 10. Act parl. 10. The 205 Act parl. 14. of K. James 6. And the 27 Act of the 2. parl. of His Sacred Majesties uniquhile dearest Father of blessed Memory, Which more particularly, in relation to any such Re­proaches, Lies, or Calumnies concerning the Kingdom of England, and His Majesties worthy Subjects therein, is expresly prohibite by the 9 Act of King James 6. his 20 parl. holden in Anno 1609. under the pain specified in the said Act. Likeas, all Convocation of His Majesties Leidges without His Majesties special Command, or expresse Licence, what ever Quality, Estate▪ or Function the Persons be of, Spirituall, or Temporall, is expresly prohibite by the [...] Act parl. 8. K▪ James 6▪ under the pains therein contained. As also, The Remonstrance presented to the Committee of Estates in Anno, 1650. Declared by Hi [...] Majestie and Parliament in July 16 [...] Sediti [...] [...] Neverthelesse, and albeit it hath pleased the Almighty GOD of His wonderfull Goodnesse and Providence, happily to restore His Sacred Majesty to the peaceable Government of His Ancient Kingdoms, and all His Majesties Subjects to t [...] [...]ir wonted Peace, Freedom, and Priviledge, which is (as it ought to be) a matter of great rejoycing to all good Christians and Loyal Subjects whatsoever, both at home and abroad: Yet the said Committeee of Estates, certainly knowing, and receiving dayly Information, that several of His Majesties Leidges and Subjects within this Kingdom, do contrary to the saids Acts of Parliament, Convocat, Conveen and Assemble themselves, without His Majesties special Command and Licence: And that there are several scandalous seditious Speeches uttered and Preached in Sermons, Declamations and otherwise, and several calumnious Pasquils, Libels, Ryms, and others Writs Devised, Vented, and Published to the reproach or slander of His Majesties Person, Estate, or Government: As also, That several His Majesties Subjects, do own, adhere to, avow, abate, or assist the foresaid Remonstrance, whereby His Majesties Loyal well-meaning Subjects may be drawn from their due Allegiance, and ensnared in such seditious Combinations and Meetings, and involved in their said Treasonable Plots and Practices, unlesse timeous remedy be provided. There­fore, The Committee of Estates, in His Majesties Name and Authority, Command and Charge, that no Subject, or Subjects within this Kingdom, of whatsoever Quality, Estate, or Function they be of, Spirituall, or Temporall, presume, or take upon hand, to Convocate, Conveen, or Assemble themselves together for holding of Councils, Conventions, or Assemblies, to Treat, Consult, or Determinate in any matter of Estate, Civil, or Eccle­siastick, (except in the ordinary Judicatories) without His Majesties special Command and expresse Licence had and obtained to that effect. As also, that none of them of whatsoever Function, Degree or Quality, presume, nor take upon hand, privatly, or publictly, in Sermons, Preachings, Declamations, Speeches, or otherwise, by Word or Writ, to Utter, Devise, or Vent any purpose of Reproach or Slander against His Majesties Person, Estate, or Go­vernment, His Parents, or Progenitors, or to deprave His Laws and Acts of Parliament, or misconstrue His Proceedings, whereby any misliking may be moved betwixt His Majesty and His Nobility, and Loving Subjects, or to medle in the Affairs of His Majesty and His Estate, present, bygone, and in time coming; Or to own, abate, or assist the foresaid Remonstrance, With Certification, they shall be proceeded against, conform to the Te­nors of the saids respective Acts of Parliament. Likeas, The said Committee of Estates Declares, that any person or persons, who hears any such Leising, Calumnie, or Slanderous Speech, or shall see or have any such Pasquils, or Writs as aforesaid, and reveals not the same to His Majesty, or one of the said Committee, or to the Sheriff, Steward, or Bailie of the Shire, Stewards in Regality, or Royalty, or to the Provest, or one of the Bailies within Burgh, as with best conveniency he may; be whom the same may come to the knowledge of His Majesty His Parliament, the said Committee of Estates, or His Majesties Privie Council, by whom the saids Leising-makers and Authors of such slanderous Speeches may be called, tryed, and pu­nished according to the saids Acts, In that case they shall incurre the like Censure or punishment as the principall party offender. And the said Com­mittee of Estates, considering that His Majesties Leidges are subject more easily to be ensnared and entised to any such Seditious or Treasonable Courses and Practices by Ministers in their Sermons, Prayers, Declamations, and private Discourses: The said Committee do Declare, that upon Information given to them of any thing uttered or spoken contrary to the Tenor of the preceeding Act, the same being lawfully proven in presence of the said Com­mittee, or Parliament, or His Majesties Privy Council, They summarily will Sequestrate their whole Stipend, and Imprison their person, untill His Maje­stie, Parliament, or Committee of Estates, or any other Judge competent shall proceed to the finall cognition and Sentencing of their said Crime or Crimes. And to the effect, that this Act and Ordinance may come to the knowledge of all His Majesties Leidges, Ordains Publication to be made thereof, at the Mercat Crosse of Edinburgh, and at the Mercat Crosses of the Heid Burghs of the Shires; And Ordains the Magistrates of the several Heid Burghs to send so many of the saids Proclamations to each Collector of the Assessment of every Shire, requiring the said Collector to send the same to the several Paroches, that the foresaid Proclamation may be Read after Sermon, and Affixt upon the Kirk-doors of each Paroch, and upon the Mercat Crosse of each Heid Burgh. Extracted forth of the Books of the said Committee, be me