WHereas His Majesty, with advice and consent of His Estates of Parliament, by their Act and Proclamation, bear­ing date the twenty two day of February, 1661. Finding, that many seditious and turbulent persons, Ministers and others in the Kingdom of Ireland, who, by reason of their phanatick principles could not comply with the administrati­on of His Majesties Authority and Government, so happily established in that Kingdom, were coming over, expecting shelter here; that they might be the more able to carry on their designs in perverting of the alleagiance of the Subjects, and subverting the peace of the Kingdom. And that it did much concern the publick peace, that such waspes and unworthy persons, enemies to all lawfull Authority, and to whom it is natural to stir up sedition, and undermine the peace where ever they are, should have no countenance in this Kingdom; Did therefore declare, that no persons whatsoever, coming from Ireland without a sufficient Pass and Testimony in writ from the Lord Iu­stices Council, or some having power from them, or from the Sheriff of the County, or Mayor of the City where the saids persons lived, of their peaceable carriage and conformity to the Laws, should be allowed any residence, receipt or stay within this Kingdom; but that it should be lawfull to, like as all Magistrates and Iustices of Peace are hereby required, to seize upon and imprison all such persons, wanting such Testimony, who should not willingly remove out of the Kingdom within fifteen dayes after the intimating of the said Proclamation to them, (excepting all ordinary known trafficking Merchants) Likeas, by the said Act and Proclamation, it is ordained, That all such persons, who should come over with any such Testimony, should, within fifteen dayes after their landing, make their appearance before the Parliament, or in case of their not sitting, before the Privy Council, or such as should be warranded by them, and there make known the reasons of their coming hither, and give such security as should be thought fit for their peaceable carriage; otherwise, to remove off the Country within fifteen dayes; wherein if they should failȝie, Magistrates, Sheriffs, and other publick Ministers, are by the said Act im­powered to apprehend, secure and imprison them, till course should be taken with them as with seditious and factious persons. And seing, That the said Act and Proclamation was only ordained to endure for one year after the date thereof, and longer, as the Privy Council should think fit; and seing the same hath not as yet been renewed, or prorogat; neither, as yet, have any person or persons been nominated and impowered, before whom, these coming from Ireland, in maner aforesaid, should appear and make known the reasons of their coming hither; and to whom, they should find caution for their peaceable carriage, in maner mentioned in the said Act: By reason whereof, several Ministers have presumed to come from Ireland to this Kingdom, without either owning or acknowledging of His Majesties Parliament, Privy Council or other Authority, Civil or Ecclesiastick; some of which have been so bold as to preach publickly in Churches, and others do privately watch their own opportu [...]ties to stir up the Subjects to sedition, and to alienat their minds from the Government, so happily established both in Church and State, The Lords of His Majesties Privy Council have renewed, and by these presents renewes the said Act and Proclamation, and ordains the same to stand in full force, strength and effect, and to be put to due execution against the Contraveeners thereof: And for that effect, have nominated, appointed and impowered, and by these presents, nominates, appoints and impowers, William Earl of Glencaim, Lord Chan­cellor, Hugh Earl of Eglintoun, [...] Earl of Galloway, William Lord Cochrane, the Provost of Glasgow for the time, the Provost of Air for the time, [...] Maxwel of Munshes, the Provost of Wigtoun for the time, and [...] Stewart of Tundergie, or any one of them, to call before them all such persons coming from Ireland, wanting sufficient Passes and Testimonies from the Lord Lieutenant, or the persons mention­ed in the said Act and Proclamation, who shall not willingly remove off the Kingdom within fifteen dayes after the publick intimation of these presents, and to secure their persons in prison, till His Majesties Council be acquaint therewith; With power also to the forenamed persons, or any one of them, to examine all such persons as shall come over from Ireland, having such Testimony, concerning the reasons of their coming hither; and to take such security of them for their peaceable carriage as they shall think fit. And in case they shall not find the said security, to cause them remove off the Countrey within fifteen dayes, otherwise to apprehend, secure and imprison them, untill they be proceeded against as seditious per­sons, and disturbers of the publick Peace. Moreover, the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council taking to their consideration, that notwith­standing of the Acts of Parliament and Council published, for preventing and suppressing the seeds of separation and disobedience to Authority, di­vers persons in several Paroches presume to withdraw and separate themselves from attending upon the ordinar meetings for divine Worship, in these Paroches where Ministers are legally planted, to the scandalous contempt of the Laws, and great encrease of disordour and licentious­ness; And that some do pervert the true meaning and intent of the Act of Parliament, Entituled, Act against separation and disobedience to Ecclesiastical Authority, which appoints every Minister to give admonition in presence of two witnesses to such persons as shall be given up to the Council as transgressors of the said Act. Therefore, the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council, for explanation of that clause of the said Act according to the true meaning and intent thereof; do declare, that these persons shall be proceeded against by the Council as transgressors of the Act, who withdraw from their Paroch Kirks after three publick admonitions given by the Ministers of the respective Paroches out of the Pulpit in the Church upon the Lords day after divine Service: And that the Ministers attestation under his hand, That in presence of two or moe sufficient Witnesses, he hath from the Pulpit upon three Lords dayes intimat the names of such, who ordinarly and wilfully absent themselves from the ordinary meetings of divine Worship in their own Paroch Church, shall give an sufficient ground of proceeding against such persons as transgres­sors of the said Act. For putting the which into more effectual execution, as they do discharge such persons, who under pretence of their being El­ders in Kirk-sessions formerly, do go about to leaven the people, with dissatisfaction and disobedience to the Laws and Ecclesiastick Authority, up­on pain of being proceeded against as seditious persons. So they do require such persons, as shall be called by the Ministers legally planted, to assist them for suppressing of sin and disorders in the Paroch, to give their concurrence for that effect. And farther, they do command and require and here­by [Page] authorize and warrand all Noblemen, Sheriffs, Magistrates of Burghs, Iustices of Peace, all Officers of standing Forces, as they tender His Majesties service and the peace of the Countrey, to give their assistance and effectual concurrence to Ministers in their respective bounds in the dis­charge of their office, and to put the Law in execution, and to exact the penalties which are exprest in the Acts of Parliament and Council from all and every person, who are transgressors within their respective Paroches; unless the Minister of the Paroch where the transgressor does re­side, shall give a sufficient reason, why the said person or persons are not to be proceeded against: And to take care, that these penalties be im­ployed for the relief of the poor, and other pious uses within the respective Paroches. And, farther, all Magistrates, Sheriffs, and other publick Ministers are hereby ordained, as they will be answerable upon their duty, to put this present Act and Proclamation, with the Acts of Parlia­ment and Secret Council, hereby renewed and explained, to due execution against the Contraveeners thereof, in manner therein exprest. And or­dains these presents to be printed, and published at the Mercat-cross of Edinburgh, and other places needful, that none pretend ignorance.