WHereas I am daily aduertised by the relations of many honest and Re­ligious persons, of a generall misbehauiour in most Churches in, and about the Citie of London, in time of diuine Seruice; Men and Boyes sitting then couered with their hats on their heads, without all shew of reuerence or respect, either of that holy place or action, the one being the House of Almightie God, the other a continued vicissitude (as it were) of speech betweene God and his people. The due consideration whereof might easily induce any well disposed Christian, to vse such outward posture and gesture of his body as becommeth that sacred place, and the great Ma­iestie of that God, to whom they come at that time professedly to performe a diuine worship. I haue therefore thought it my dutie, instantly to recommend to you the Ministers, Church-wardens, and Side-men, the reformation of this profane abuse, scandalous to our Religion, a­gainst an expresse Law in that case prouided, and condemned by the contrary practise of all Christians in all ages in their like Solemnities and Assemblies; Praying and requiring you to ioyne together your vtmost and best endeauors to effect the same, for which purpose it shalbe necessary for you the Church-wardens and Side-men, during the time of diuine Seruice, dili­gently to looke about the Church, and where you see any couered, if boyes, or of the yonger sort, these to shame openly by pulling off their hats, and chastice with such discipline, as you haue bin laudably accustomed to inflict vpon such rude and vnmannerly fellowes. If of the elder or better sort (though I well hope that none of that condition out of their owne iudge­ment will hereafter offend in this kind) those to admonish grauely of their duety, representing vnto them the inconueniences of this their ill example, and how directly repugnant it is to the Apostles rule of decency in the Church, thus to celebrate diuine Seruice, and to performe a professed and religious worship of Almighty God. After which your admonition, if any shall obstinately refuse to vncouer his, or their heads in Seruice time, you shall then pre­sent them to mee or my Chancellour, to the end, that they by the seueritie of Censures may be amended, by whom brotherly and gentle perswasions haue been contemned.

Moreouer also I am certainely informed, that the publike seruice of Almighty God in the Churches is much omitted, and thereby come to neglect, and almost scorned, forasmuch as the Ministers reade not Diuine Seruice, the first and second seruice, before their sermons accor­ding to the order of our Church Liturgie, and the Cannon, in that case prouided, I doe there­fore hereby require all the Parsons, Vicars, and Curates in my Diocesse, to take care that they offend not in this kind, strictly likewise requiring you the Church-wardens and Side-men that according to your oaths, you present to me or my Chancellor, those Ministers that shalbe faulty in this kind, and that you admit no man to preach in your seuerall Churches, who is not licen­ced thereunto, and his license to appeare, to you the Ministers and Church-wardens, and that he write his name with the day of the moneth when he preacheth; and by whom he was li­cenced to preach, in a booke by you prouided for that purpose, which booke is to remaine in the chest of your Parish Churches, that so I may be able to make answere if enquiry be made of any such Preachers after their Sermons. And these instructions I doe require the Mini­sters of the diocesse of London, to publish in their seuerall Churches, and that a copy of them be affixed to some eminent place in euery of your Churches, that they may be seene and reade of all men, that so no man may pretend ignorance of his duty in that; whereof both the Lawes of God, and the King require a carefull, and religious performance.