HIs Highness the Lord Protector being informed of the frequent meeting of divers Pa­pists and other ill-affected persons (who have born Arms against this Common­wealth, or otherwise adhered to the Enemies in the late Wars) in, and about the Cities of London and Westminster, and the places adjacent, and having received of late certain intelligence of designes now on Foot, and endeavoured to be carried on by correspondencies with the King of Spain, and with Charls Stuart, and their Agents and Complices, and judging it necessary to use all means for preserving of the Peace of the Nation, and to prevent the mischiefs which may arise by such designes, Doth (by, and with the advice of his Privy Council) straitly Charge and Command all Papists, and all other persons, who have been at any time in Arms against the Commonwealth, or have adhered unto, or willingly assisted the Enemies thereof in the time of the late War, being within the Cities of London and Westminster, or the late Lines of Communication, and not under restraint, on or before the Eighth day of March now next coming, (or if under restraint, then within three daies after their respective enlargement) to depart out of the said Cities of London and Westminster, and late lines of Communication, and all other places within Twenty miles of the said late Lines, unless it be their places of habitation for themselves and their Families, and not to return until the First day of Easter Term next: And His Highness doth Require and Command the Lord Mayor of the City of London, and the Aldermen of the said City, and likewise the Iustices of the Peace within the said Cities, and of the several Counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Hertford, Kent and Essex, within their Limits and Iurisdictions, to cause strict Wards and Watches to be kept, and to make frequent and diligent searches for, and to apprehend, or cause to be apprehended, all such persons aforesaid, which shall be found within the said Cities, Pla­ces, or Distance aforesaid, after the time or times before Limited for their departure, and them and every of them to commit to Prison, and from time to time to certifie their proceedings therein, to His Highness Council, under their Hands and Seals. And all Sheriffs, Bayliffs, Constables, all Cap­tains of Guards, Officers and Souldiers, and all other the good People of this Commonwealth, are Required to be aiding and assisting to the said Iustices of the Peace, and other Officers aforesaid, in the due execution of the Premisses, as they will answer the contrary at their utmost perils. And for the better discovery of all Papists, and ill affected persons which now are, or during the time a­foresaid, shall resort unto the said Cities of London and Westminster, or Places within the late Lines of Communication, His Highness, by, and with the advice of His said Privy Council, doth Charge and Require all and every Housholder and Housholders, within the said Cities and Places aforesaid, on or before the Tenth day of March now next coming, to deliver in writing under their Hands unto the Alderman of the Ward, if such Housholder live within the City of London, or to the next Iustice of the Peace, a perfect List of the Names of all persons now lodging within the House of such Housholder, together with their Additions; and if they are Papists, to mention the same in such List, and so from time to time within Four and twenty hours after the receiving of any person to Lodge in his or their House and Houses, to deliver in the Names of such person and persons in manner aforesaid, to such Alderman or next Iustice of the Peace: And the Aldermen of the respective Wards within the said City of London, and the Iustices of Peace within the said City of Westminster, and places within the late Lines of Communication, are Required to take care that Lists be accordingly sent in unto them from all and every Housholder aforesaid, and to make enquiry of the truth of such Lists: And all Constables and other Officers are enjoyned and required to observe the Orders and Directions of such Alderman and Iustice of Peace respectively herein, and to yield obedience there­unto. And the said Aldermen and Iustices of the Peace respectively, are hereby likewise required to transmit true Copies of such Lists unto the Clerks of his Highness Council, or one of them: And his Highness doth hereby declare, that all and every such Housholder as shall make default of sending in such Lists as aforesaid, or shall send in a false List, shall be taken and deemed an Enemy to the Peace and Security of the Commonwealth.

Given at Our Palace of Westminster the 27th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, 1657.