Act for securing the publick peace. At Hally-rude-house, the 14. day of February, 1678.

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ACT FOR securing the publick Peace.

At Hally-rude-house, the 14. day of February, 1678.

THE Lords of His Majesties Privy Council considering seriously, that the greatest part of the disorders of this Nationare occa∣sioned by a seditious and schismatick humour in some Westerne and other Shires, which upon all occasions inflames them into great Irregularities, and remembring how, albeit it might have been expected after His Majesties happy Restauration, that the fresh remembrance of these insolencie•• which we suffered under a Tyrannick usurpation, (drawn upon us by the same sediti••us Principles, which begin now to revive ••n those places) would have inclined all His Majesties good Subjects to live with great satisfaction quietly un•••••• His happy Government, and to believe that the Laws made by His Majesty, and their own Representa∣ti••es, were both the 〈…〉〈…〉g remedies of these bygone distempers, and the safest means for preventing the like for 〈…〉〈…〉 Shires did, by a most remarkable principle of disloyalty, rise in rebellion against their Native 〈…〉〈…〉 He was ingadged in a forraign war: And though after the beating of their forces, His Maj∣esty had 〈…〉〈…〉 even to these Rebels, and had so far gratified those Shires, as to grant them an Indulgence; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they continued still to disturbe the Peace their infection over the neighbouring Shires, by assembling themselves in field Con∣••••••ticles, these Rendezvouses of rebellion, ressent••••g 〈…〉〈…〉g, and hearing Intercommuned Preachers, and declared Traitors, who infused in them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and boldly rebellious and treacherous Princi••••••••, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••nvading the persons, usurping the Pulpits of the Orthodox Clergie, threatning, affron∣••••••g, and injuring both them and such as adhered to them 〈…〉〈…〉d by disobeying and deforceing with armed men in a Hostile manner, and even woun∣ding and killing such as offered in His Majesties name to put 〈…〉〈…〉s in execution: And to let the world see that they were fixedly resolved to ad∣here to these principles in spight of Authority, and that they had •••…•••…ed themselves in a permanent form of Government (as they imagined) They did hold Sessions, Presbyteries and Assemblies, established correspo••de••cies, and for perpetuating the Schisme, Ordained and granted Missions to Preachers, built Meeting-places, and taxed His Majesties Subjects for their maintainance: And that they might cut off their Proselytes from all depen∣dence upon their Native Prince, against whose Person and Government they railed upon all occasions; they at last arrived at so great a height of rebel∣lion, as to perswade the people, that it was unlawful to take the Oath of Alleadgeance: Whereupon the Lords of His Majesties Privy Council, upon designe to prevent these growing disorders, or the just severity which the Authors thereof had deserved, Did Ordain the Commissioners of Excise, Militia, and Justices of Peace within these Shires, to meet and to propose such means as might effectually secure His Majestie and the Peace of the Countrey; With certification that if they did not, His Majestie behoved to reduce them to their dutie by force, and would look upon the Heretors therein who refused to secure the peace (as said is) as involved in, and fautors of, those seditious and disorderly courses. To which they re∣turned no other answer, save that these disorders were grown to such a height, that it was not in their power to redress them; whereupon it was thought high time to acquaint His Majestie with the present state of these His Affairs here, Who to vindicate His own Authority, and from a tender Care of His People, whose security with that of His Laws, He did foresee to be under-mined by such pernicious contrivances and practises; Did by His Royall 〈◊〉〈◊〉, dated the eleventh day of December, 1677. declare His resentment against, and His detestation of these courses: And for sup∣pressing thereof, commanded and authorised His said Privy Council, to proceed by force and armes, to reduce that Countrey to their obedience, and to obliege them to give bands for their own, and their tenents, living Regularly and Obedient to the Laws; And particularly, that they should not go to Conventicles, harbour nor commune with Rebels, or persons intercommuned, and for keeping the persons, families, and goods of their regular Ministers harmless; and that under such penalties as they should think fit. In obedience to which Letter, a band was accordingly drawn, onely oblieging the Heretors alternatively, either to present their tenents, or to remove them; and declared, that they should be onely answerable for their saids tenents, if they were convict within a year after the committing of these delinquencies. All which couries proving ineffectual, His Majestie hath just reason to suspect the designes of such as have, or shall refuse or delay to take the said band, as tending to overthrow His Majesties Authority, to subvert the established Order of the Church, and to disquiet the Peace of His Majesties good Subjects: And since every privat Sub∣ject may force such, from whom they fear any harm, to secure them by Lawborrows, and that it hath been the uncontroverted and Legal practice of His Majesties Privy Council to obliege such, whose peaceableness they justly suspected, to secure the peace for themselves, their Wives, Bairns, Men, tenents, and Servants, which are the very words of all such bands, and that under such penalties as they find suitable to their contempt, guilt or occasion, upon which 〈…〉〈…〉 and suitable to the qualities of such from whom caution is craved. Therefore, the Lords of His Majesties Privy Cou•••••••• 〈…〉〈…〉 ••••••••y hath declared His just suspition of those who refuse or delay to take the said band in the terms fore∣saids; And the saids Lords, bes〈…〉〈…〉e series foresaid justly suspicious of the practises and principles of such as refuse the same, do Or∣dain, That all such persons as refuse the 〈…〉〈…〉 shall be oblieged to Enact themselves in the books of Secret Council, that they, their wives, bairns▪ men, tennants, and servants, shall keep His Majesties s Peace, and particularly, that they shal not goe to field Conventicles, nor harbour nor commune with Rebells, or persons intercom••••…••••…ed ••••d that they shall keep the persons, families and goods of Regular Ministers harmless; and that under the double of every mans valued yearly ••••••t, (if he have any) and of such other penalties as shall be thought convenient by the •••…•••…rds of His Majesties Privy Councill, or their Comm••••…••••…, if they have no valued rent: ordaining Letters to be direct for charging all such per∣•••••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 refuse to take the said band••, to Enact themselves 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the books of Privy Council, to the effect foresaid, and that within six days 〈…〉〈…〉 the charge, under the pain of rebellion, and p••••…••••…g of them to the horn; With certification to them if they if they faile, the said space being 〈…〉〈…〉d by-past, that they shall be denunced Rebels, and put to the horn for their contempt and disobedience: And Ordains these presents to be

Extracted by me, Al. Gibsone. Cls. Sti. Concilii.

GOD save the KING.