Whereas We cannot but be deeply Sensible of the great Goodneſs and mercy of Almighty God, in putting an End to a Long, Bloody and Expenſive War, by the Concluſion of an Honourable Peace, ſo We are not leſs touched with a Reſentment, that notwithſtanding this and many other great Bleſſings and Deliverances, Impiety, Prophaneneſs and Immorality do still abound in this Our Kingdom : And whereas nothing can prove a greater Diſhonour to a well ordered Government, where the Chriſtian Faith is Profeſſed, nor is likelier to provoke God to withdraw his Mercy and Bleſſings from Vs, and inſtead thereof, to inflict heavy and ſevere Iudgments upon this Kingdom, than the open and avowed Practice of Vice, Immorality and Prophaneneſs, which amongſt many Men has too much prevailed in this Our Kingdom of late Years, to the high Diſpleaſure of Almighty God, the great Scandal of Chriſtianity, and the ill and fatal Example of the reſt of Our Loving Subjects, who have been Soberly Educated, and whoſe Inclinations would lead them to the Exerciſe of Piety and Virtue, did they not daily find ſuch frequent and repeated Instances of Diſſolute Living, Prophaneneſs and Impiety, which has in a great Meaſure been occaſioned by the Neglect of the Magiſtrates not putting in Execution thoſe good Laws which have been made for Suppreſſing and Puniſhing thereof, and by the ill Example of many in Authority, to the great Diſhonour of God, and Reproach of our Religion : Wherefore, and for that We cannot expect Increaſe or Continuance of the Bleſſings We and Our Subjects Enjoy, without Providing Remedies to prevent the like evils for the future, We think Our Selves bound by the Duty We owe to God, and the Care We have of the People committed to Our Charge, to proceed in taking effectual Courſe, that Religion, Piety and Good Manners may, according to Our hearty Deſire, Flouriſh and Increaſe under Our Adminiſtration and Government; and being thereunto moved by the Pious Addreſs of the Commons in Parliament Aſſembled, We have thought fit, by the Advice of Our Privy Council, to Iſſue this Our Royal Proclamation, and do Declare Our Royal Purpoſe and Reſolution to Diſcountenance and Puniſh all manner of Vice, Immorality and Prophanenſs in all Perſons from the higheſt to the loweſt Degree within this Our Realm, and particularly in ſuch who are Imployed near Our Royal Perſon ; and that for the greater Incouragement of Religion and Morality, We will, upon all Occaſions Diſtinguiſh Men of Piety and Virtue by Marks of Our Royal Favour. And We do expect that all Perſons of Honour, or in Place of Authority, will to their utmoſt contribute to the Diſcountenancing Men of Diſſolute and Debauched Lives, that they being reduced to Shame and Contempt, may be enforced the ſooner to Reform their ill habits and Practices, that the Diſpleaſure of Good Men towards them, may ſupply what the Laws (it may be) cannot wholly Prevent. And for the more Effectual Reforming theſe Men, who are a Diſcredit to Our Kingdom, Our further Pleaſure is, and We do hereby ſtrictly Charge and Command all Our Iudges, Mayors, Sheriffs, Iuſtices of the Peace, and all other Our Officers and Miniſters, both Eccleſiaſtical and Civil, and other Our Subjects, whom it may Concern, to be very Vigilant and Strict in the Diſcovery and the Effectual Proſecution and Puniſhment of all Perſons who ſhall be Guilty of Exceſſive Drinking, Blaſphemy, Prophane Swearing and Curling, Lewdneſs, Prophanation of the Lords Day, or other Diſſolute, Immoral or Diſorderly Practices, as they will anſwer it to Almighty God, and upon Pain of Our Higheſt Diſpleaſure. And for the more Effectual Proceedings herein, We do hereby Direct and Command Our Iudges of Aſſizes and Iuſtices of Peace, to give ſtrict Charges at the reſpective Aſſizes and Seſſions, for the due Proſecution and Puniſhment of all Perſons that ſhall preſume to Offend in any the Kinds aforeſaid, and alſo of all Perſons that, contrary to their Duty, ſhall be Remiſs or Negligent in Putting the ſaid Laws in Execution, and that they do at their reſpective Aſſizes and Quarter Seſſions of the Peace, cauſe this Our Proclamation to be pulickly Read in Open Court immediately before the Charge is given. And We do hereby further Charge and Command every Miniſter in his reſpective Pariſh or Chapel, to Read or cauſe to be Read this Our Proclamation, at leaſt Four times in every Year, immediately after Divine Service, and to incite and ſtir up their reſpective Auditories to the Practice of Piety and Virtue, and the Avoiding of all Immorality and Prophaneneſs. And to the end that all Vice and Debauchery may be Prevented, and Religion and Virtue Practiſed by all Officers, Private Soldiers, Mariners or others, who are Imployed in Our Service, either by Sea or Land, We do hereby ſtrictly Charge and Command all Our Commanders and Officers whatſoever, That they do take Care to Avoid all Prophaneneſs, Debauchery and other Immoralities, and that by the Piety and Virtue of their own Lives and Converſations they do ſet good Examples to all ſuch as are under their Authority, and likewiſe to take Care and Inſpect the Behaviour and Manners of all ſuch as are under them, and to Puniſh all thoſe who ſhall be Guilty of any the Offences aforeſaid. And whereas ſeveral Wicked and Prophane Perſons have preſumed to Print and Publiſh ſeveral Pernicious Books and Pamphlets, which contain in them Impious Doctrines againſt the Holy Trinity and other Fundamental Articles of Our Faith, tending to the Subverſion of the Chriſtian Religion, therefore for the Puniſhing the Authors and Publiſhers thereof, and for the Preventing ſuch Impious Books and Pamphlets being Publiſhed or Printed for the future, We do hereby ſtrictly Charge and Prohibit all Perſons that they do not preſume to Write, Print or Publiſh any ſuch Pernicious Books or Pamphlets, under the Pain of Incurring Our High Diſpleaſure, and of being Puniſhed according to the utmoſt Severity of the Law. And We do hereby ſtrictly Charge and Require all Our Loving Subjects to Diſcover and Apprehend ſuch Perſon and Perſons whom they ſhall know to be the Authors or Publiſhers of any ſuch Books or Pamphlets, and to bring them before ſome Iuſtice of Peace or Chief Magiſtrate, in order that they may be Proceeded againſt according to Law.