HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

DIEV ET MON DROIT.


❧ By the King.
¶ A Proclamation for the establishing of the Peace and Quiet of the Church of England.

THe Kings most Excellent Maiesty, in His most religious care, and Princely consideration, of the Peace of this Church & Common wealth of England, and other his Dominions, whereof God of his goodnes hath, vnder his Sonne Christ Iesus, made him the supreame Gouernour, obseruing, that in all ages great disturbances, both to Church and State, haue ensued out of small beginnings, when the seedes of Contention were not timely preuented; and finding▪ that of late some Questions and Opinions seeme to haue been broched or raised in matters of Doctrine, and the Tenents of our Religion, which at first onely being meant against the Papists, but afterwards by the sharpe and indiscreete handling and main­taining of some of either parts, haue giuen much offence to the sober and well grounded Rea­ders, and Hearers of these late written Bookes on both sides, which may iustly be feared, will raise some hopes in the professed enemies of our Religion, the Romish Catholikes, that by de­grees, the professours of our Religion may bee drawen first to Schisme and after to plaine Popery.

His Maiestie therefore, in the integrity of His owne heart, and singular prouidence of the peaceable gouernment of that people, which God hath committed to His charge, hath thought fit, by the aduice of His reuerend Bishops, to declare and publish, not onely to His owne people, but also to the whole world, His vtter dislike to all those, who to shew the subtilty of their wits, or to please their owne humours, or vent their owne passions, doe, or shall aduenture to stirre or moue any new Opinions, not only contrary, but differing from the sound and Ortho­doxall grounds of the true Religion, sincerely professed, and happily established in the Church of England; And also to declare His full and constant resolution, that neither in matter of Doctrine, or Discipline of the Church, nor in the gouernment of the State, he will admit of the least innouation, but by Gods assistance will so guide the Scepter of these His Kingdomes and Dominions, by the Diuine prouidence put into his hand, as shall be for the comfort and assu­rance of His sober, religious and well affected Subiects, and for the repressing and seuere pu­nishing of the insolencies of such, as out of any sinister respects, or disaffection to his Person or Gouernment, shall dare either in Church or State, to disturbe or disquiet the peace thereof.

And therefore his most excellent Maiestie, doth heereby admonish, and also straitly charge and command all his subiects of this Realme, and of his Realme of Ireland, of whatsoeuer degree, qualitie, or condition they be of, especially those who are Church-men, and by their Profession and places, ought to be Lights and Guides to others, that from hencefoorth they cary themselues so wisely, warily, and conscionably, that neither by Writing, Preaching, Printing, Conferences, or otherwise, they raise any doubts, or publish, or maintaine any new inuentions, or opinions concerning Religion, then such as are clearly grounded, and warran­ted by the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England, heretofore published, and happily established by authoritie. And if any person, of what degree soeuer, shall at any time hereaf­ter, aduenture to breake this Rule of sobrietie, and due obedience to his Maiestie, and his Lawes, and to this religious duetie to the Church of God; His Maiestie doth hereby strait­ly charge, and command all his reuerend Archbishops and Bishops in their seuerall Dio­cesses, speedily to reclaime and represse all such spirits, as shall in the least degree attempt to violate this bond of peace. And his Maiestie doth also charge and command all his Counsel­lors of State, Iudges, Iustices and ministers of Iustice whatsoeuer, that they in their seue­rall places take especiall care, to obserue and execute his Maiesties pious and Royall pleasure herein expressed.

And lastly, his Maiestie doth hereby giue assurance to all whom it may concerne, that such as shall take the boldnesse wilfully to neglect this his Maiesties gracious admonition, and for the satisfying of their vnquiet and restlesse spirits, or to expresse their rash or vndutifull in­solencies, shall wilfully breake that circle of Order, which without apparant danger to Church and State, may not bee broken; That his Maiestie shall and will proceed against all such offendors, and wilfull contemners of his gracious and Religious gouernment, with that seueritie, as vpon due consideration had of the qualitie of their offences and contempts they shall deserue, that so by the exemplary punishment of some few, who by lenitie and mercy can­not be wonne, all others may be warned, and take heed, how they fall into the iust indignati­on of their Soueraigne; and that all his Maiesties good and louing subiects, who are studi­ous of the peace and prosperitie of this Church and Common wealth, may blesse God, for his Maiesties pious, religious, wise, iust, and gracious gouernment.

God saue the King.

¶ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and Iohn Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie. M.DC.XXVI.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.