WHEREAS the sins of prophane swearing and cursing are offenses forbidden by the word of God, and do highly provoke his wrath, not onely against the persons that are guilty thereof, but also against the place where such crimes are permitted to pass unpunished; And although there be a good provision made for punishing the said crimes, by An Act of Parliament made in this Kingdom, in the tenth year of the Reign of his late Majesty King CHARLES the first, en­tituled, An Act to prevent, and reform prohane Swea­ring and Cursing; which if it were duely put in ex­ecution would quickly suppress, and restrain the liberty that wicked persons take to themselves to transgress the said Law, as now they do without fear of punishment; & for that the Justices of the Peace, and such others as are in­trusted with the punishment of these offenses, do in a manner totally neglect their duty herein, whereby the said offenses do daily increase to the offense of Almightly God, and scandal of the Government, and doth endanger the drawing down the wrath of God on this people, if Speedy course be not taken for the punishing of so great and crying offenses: We therefore the Lord Lieutenant and Council do by this our Proclamation require and com­mand all Justices of the Peace, Mayors, Bayliffs, Head-officers, and all and every other person and persons intrusted by the said Act, to see the same put in Execution with all diligence and impartiality. And to the end the same may be the more duely effected, We the Lord Lieutenant will Nominate such persons, as We shall think fit in every County of this Kingdom to in­form against, apprehend, and bring before the said Justi [...]s of Peace, Head-Officers, and other persons by the said Act authorized to see the same put in Execution, the persons of all, and every such person and persons who shall offend contrary to the said Act, And assign them such allowances out of the forfeitures as shall be fit. And whereas by the said Act it is provided that the same shall be read in every Parish Church by the Minister thereof upon the Sunday after the Evening Prayer twice every year, which hath been of late neglected; We do therefore by this Proclamation require and Command the Ministers of all and every the respective Parishes in this Kingdom, that they cause the said Act to be publicquely read as by the Statute is re­quired, on the first Sunday after the publication hereof, and after publicque­ly to read the same yearly in such manner as by the said Act is prescribed.