Midd. ss. Ad general. quarterial. sessionem pacis Domini Regis tent. per adjornament pro com. Midd. apud Hicks-Hall in St. John-street in com. prædicto die Veneris, scilicet quarto decimo die Octobris anno regni Regis Caroli Secundi nunc Angliæ, &c. tricesimo tertio.

[illustration] royal blazon surmounted by a crown and flanked by the English lion and Tudor rose on one side and the Scottish unicorn and thistle on the other

C R

DIEV ET MON DROIT

HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

Mid. ss.

Ad General. Quarterial. Sessionem Pacis Domini Regis tent. per Adjornament pro Com. Midd. apud Hicks-Hall in St. John-street in Com. praedicto die Veneris, scilicet Quarto decimo die Octobris Anno Regni Regis Caroli Secundi nunc Angliae, &c.Tricesimo tertio.

WHEREAS by a Statute made in the Seventeenth year of the Reign of His Majesty that now is amongst other things it is enacted, that all such Persons, who take upon them to Preach in any un∣lawful Assembly, Conventicle or Meeting, under colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion, con∣trary to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom, shall not at any time come within Five miles of a Corporation, nor any person teach School, who shall not frequent Divine Service established by the Laws of this Kingdom, as by the said Statute more at large appeareth, under the penalty of Forty pounds for every offence. And whereas by another Statute made in the Two and twentieth year of the Reign of his said Majesty, it is amongst other things enacted, That if any person of the age of sixteen years and upwards, shall be present at any Assembly, Meeting, or Conventicle, under colour or pretence of any Exercise of Religion, in other manner than according to the Litur∣gy and practice of the Church of England, where there shall be assembled five persons or more, over and besides those of the Houshold: And every person who shall take upon him to preach or teach in any such Meeting, Assembly, and Conventicle, shall forfeit for every such offence, as in the said Statute is provided: And whereas Papists, Seminary Priests and Jesuits may likewise in Conventicles and Schools, withdraw his Majesties Subjects from their Obedience, and corrupt them both in their Religion and duty to his Majesty; And whereas the Justices are informed, that di∣vers Houses have been lately erected and built within this County, for such Conventicles and Meetings, and fre∣quented by great numbers of persons inhabiting in the said County and others, to the great disturbance of the Go∣vernment, and may be of dangerous consequence, and if not timely suppressed, such publick Conventicles not be∣ing permitted in any Christian Country; no, not in these very Countries where most Religions are tollerated; And whereas the Justices are likewise informed, that divers persons keep School within the said County contrary to the said Statute, and other Laws, by whom ill principles will be planted in young Children, which will grow up with them, and thereby continue the Separation and Division which is in this Kingdom, to the certain ruine and destructi∣on of his Majesties Peace and the established Government. Now for the prevention of the mischiefs which may arise by the said Conventicles and Schools, the Justices are of opinion that the said Statutes of the Seventeenth and Two and twentieth of this King ought to be put in due Execution, and do esteem themselves obliged by the Oaths which they have taken, to see them duly executed; And that they may do, all that in them lies, in order thereunto, They do declare that all House-keepers within this County who keep Alehouses and other publick houses for Entertainment by virtue of any License from the Justices of the Peace of this County, and shall not go to their Parish Church and receive the Sacrament according to the practice in the Church of England, and shall after the Nine and twentieth day of October instant go to any such Conventicle as aforesaid, contrary to the said Statutes, shall have their Licences taken from them, and the Houses of Entertainment suppressed; and if any such for the future happen to be licensed, as soon as they shall be discovered, they shall likewise be suppressed. The Justices further declare, that if the Church-wardens and Overseers of the Poor, shall dispose of any of the Parish money by way of Pension or otherwise to poor people who frequent Conventicles, and do not come to their Parish Church, and receive the Sacrament there (except in case of sickness and necessity to be allowed by a Justice of Peace) the mony paid to such people shall not be allowed by the said Justices in the Accounts of the Church-wardens and Overseers of the Poor, because such persons who never come to the Parish Church ought not to be reckoned of the Parish. The Justices further declare, that they will appoint some fitting persons to prosecute all Offenders against the said Statutes, such publick houses being the place where factious persons meet to keep Clubs, and con∣sult together how to disturb the Government. It is Ordered by this Court, that the aforesaid Declaration made in Sessions be published, that all persons concerned may take notice of it, and that the Ministers of each Parish in the County be desired to publish it in his Parish Church. It is further Ordered, that an humble Address be made to his Majesty, humbly to beseech him, in order for better settlement of the Peace of this County and his Majesties established Government, that all manner of persons who now are, or hereafter shall be, in any Employment in this County under his Majesty immediately, as likewise those who act under them, or by any authority derived by or from them, may be such as go to their Parish Church, and receive the Sacrament there according to law. And it is further Ordered, that the Chair-man Sir George Jeoffryes wait upon his Majesty on Saturday morning next with this Address, and that the Justices of Peace attend upon him; As likewise congratulate with his Majesty upon his safe Return to London.

per Cur. Adderly.