❧ A DECLARATION Of the Lords Spiritual, and Temporal, and the Commons in this present Parliament of IRELAND assembled, concerning Ecclesiastical Government, and the Book of COMMON-PRAYER.
WE the Lords Spiritual, and Temporal, and Commons assembled in Parliament, observing that although the Government of the Church by Arch-Bishops and Bishops, and the Book of Common-Prayer, are both setled and established by the Laws of the Land; Yet divers Fanaticks, and other persons given to change, doe take the boldness not onely to deprave the one, and to speak irreverently of the other: but doe obstinately refuse to submit to that Government, and to use that form of Prayer, in high contempt, and derogation of those Laws, (which because in some it may proceed from ignorance of the Law, for which there is some pretence, by reason of the long intermission of Iustice, occasioned by the late confusions.) We doe therefore Publish and Declare, that those Laws are still in force, and that We are fully resolved, by all fair and lawful ways and means to countenance and support the same; and in order thereunto, We do hereby require all persons whatsoever, to give due obedience to the said Ecclesiastical Government, and to conform themselves to the said Book of Common-Prayer, and to the practise thereof, as the onely publique form of serving God, established and allowed to be in this Realm; And we do further require all Magistrates Ecclesiastical and Civil, and all other Officers and Ministers of Iustice to proceed with all just severity against the contemners of the said Government or Common-Prayer Book, either by disobedience, by reproachful words, or otherwise, as they will answer the contrary at their utmost perils.
ORdered that the several Ministers in and about this City, do read the said Declaration, the next Sunday after its coming from the Press, publiquely in their Congregations before Sermon; And that all Ministers throughout this Kingdom, do read the same the next Sunday after its comming into their hands, in their respective Congregations; And that the several Reverend BISHOPS of this House do take care that there be a convenient number of the said Declarations sent into their several Diocesses, and that it be duely put in execution in their said Diocesses.