C R

DIEV ET MON DROIT

HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

Present,

  • The Kings Most Excellent Majesty.
  • Lord Chancellor.
  • Lord Treasurer.
  • Lord Privy Seal.
  • Duke of Lauderdale.
  • Marquess of Worcester.
  • Lord Chamberlain.
  • Earl of Bridgwater.
  • Earl of Northampton.
  • Earl of Peterborough.
  • Earl of Essex.
  • Earl of Craven.
  • Earl of Ailesbury.
  • Earl of Carbery.
  • Viscount Fauconberg.
  • Viscount Newport.
  • Lord Bishop of London.
  • Lord Bishop of Durham.
  • Lord Berkeley.
  • Lord Maynard.
  • Mr. Secretary Coventry.
  • Mr. Secretary Williamson.
  • Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer.
  • Master of the Ordnance.
  • Mr. Speaker.

WHereas His Majesty and this Board are Informed of the Bold and Open Repair made to several places, and especially to Her Majesties Chappel at Somerset-House, and the Houses of Foreign Ambassadors, Agents, and other Publick Ministers, for the hearing of Mass, and other Worship and Service of the Romish Church; And that the said Ambassadors, Agents, and Ministers, do Permit and Suffer both daily Masses to be said, and other Worship and Service to be performed in their Hou­ses in a Publick manner, by English, Scottish, and Irish Priests, and also Sermons in English to be Preached in their said Houses and Chappels, which the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom do expresly forbid His Subjects to frequent or do; His Majesty taking the same into serious Consideration, and being sensible thereof, as a matter highly tending to the Violation of the Laws of the Realm, and the Scan­dal of Religion and Government, and breach of good Order, and in His Princely Wisdom weighing the Consequence thereof, is Resolved to take strict Order for the Stopping this Evil before it spread any further.

His Majesty therefore, by the Advice of His Council, doth hereby forbid any of His said Subjects hereafter to offend in the like kind, at their utmost perils; And straitly Commands, That no others presume to resort to Her Majesties Chappel, but such as are Her Majesties Allowed Servants. And to the end this Provision and Order may be more effectual, His Majesty doth Command, That forasmuch as concerneth the Repair to the Houses of Foreign Ambassadors, Agents, and Ministers, at the time of Mass, or other Romish Worship or Service, some Messengers of the Chamber, or other Officers or Persons fit for that Service, be appointed to watch at the several Passages to their Houses, and without entring into the said Houses, or invading the Freédom and Priviledges belonging unto them, observe such persons as go thither at such times, without Stopping or Questioning any as they go thither; but at their coming from thence, they are to apprehend and bring the said persons before some Iustice, or Iustices of the Peace, to have the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy tendered to them; and such as they cannot apprehend, to bring their Names to this Board. And that the Ambassadors and other Foreign Ministers may have no cause to complain for this Proceéding, as if there were any intention to wrong or disrespect them, His Majesty doth likewise Order, for the preventing of any such mistaking and sinister interpretation, That His Principal Secretaries of State, (according unto His Majesties express Commands now given unto them) should be hereby authorized and required forthwith to certifie the said Ambassadors, Agents, and other Foreign Ministers, His Maiesties Pleasure con­cerning the same; And that as his Majesty is careful not to have any of the just Priviledges and Immu­nities of the said Ambassadors, Agents, or Ministers, to be in any degree infringed or violated, so in the aforesaid Particulars of permitting Masses or other Service to be said by any of the said Priests, or Sermons to be preached in English in their Houses or Chappels (things not heard of in the Times of His Majesties Pre­decessors) or in suffering His Subjects to resort unto them, His Majesty is no less careful of preserving His Laws, and continuing His Subjects in their obedience to the same; And doth therefore expect the said Ambassadors, Agents, and Ministers compliance accordingly. And hereof His Majesty thinks fit that Notice shall be first given to the said Publick Ministers (the rather to testifie His respects unto them) before the stricter Course His Majesty hath resolved be taken with His own Subjects, by a vigorous Prosecution and Infliction of Penalties and Punishments for the Preventing and Repressing the like hereafter.

And it is likewise Ordered, That the Messengers of the Chamber, or others to be employed in the Service before specified, shall be appointed, and receive their Charge from the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, the Lord Bishop of London, and the said Secretaries, or some of them, who are to take special care to see this put in due and effectual Execution.

THOMAS DOLMAN.

LONDON, Printed by John Bill, Christopher Barker, Thomas Newcomb, and Henry Hills, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1678.

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