«4 The feCond SeJJlon of the firft Parliament of cafes of Vacancies. And his Majefty confidering , that under the pretext of Religious excercifes, divers un j lawful Meetings and Conventicles (the nurfcries of fedition ) have been kept in private families ; Hath thought fit, with advice forefaid, hereby to Declare , That as he doth , and will , give all due encouragement to the Worlhip of God in families amongft the peribns of the iamiiy , and others who fhall be occafiortally there- for the time , fo he doth hereby Difcharge all private Meetings ot Conventicles in houfes , which under the pre- tence of , or for , Relilgious excercifes , may tend to the prejudice of the publick worlhip of God in the Church- es, or to the alienating of the people from their lawful Paftours , and that duty and obedience they owe to Church and State, And it is hereby Ordained , That none be hereafter permitted to preach in publick or in families within any Dioccile , or teach any publick School , or to be pedagogues to the children of perfons of quality , without the licence of the Ordinary of the Diocefle. i_A C T concerning the Declaration to be figned by all perfons in publick Truft. FOrafmuchasithathpleafed Almighty God, in His Majefties Reftitution to His Royal Government, to reflore this Kingdom to its ancient liberties and peace , and to deliver His Majefties good Subjects from thefemiferies and bondage whereby they have been opprefled, during thefe troubles ; And the fi- liates of Parliament , finding thernfelves obliged in a due refentment of this mercy, and in difcharge of that duty they owe to God, to the Kings Majefty , to the publick peace of the Kingdom, and the good of His Subjects, To ufe ail means for the due prefervation of that peace and happinefs they now enjoy under His Royal Government ; and to prevent and fupprefle every thing that may tend to the renewing or favour- ing of thefe courfes, by which, the late Rebellion hath been fomented and carried on; And conceiving, that the imploying of perfons of found principles and intire loyalty , in all offices of Truft and places of publick Adminiftration , will conduce much to thefe ends : Therefore , and for quieting the fpirits of His Maje- fties good Subjects , and begetting a confidence in them of their fecurity for the future, His Majefty hath thought fit, with advice and confent of His Eftates of Parliament, to Statute, Ordain and Enact; Like- as His Majefty , by thefe prefents , doth, with advice forefaid , Statute, Ordain and Enact, That all fuch perfons as fhall hereafter be called or admitted to any publick Truft or Office , under His Majefties Govern- ment within this Kingdom ; that is to fay, to be Officers of State , Members of Parliament, privy Counci- lors, Lords of Seffion, Commiffioners in Exchequer , Members of the Colledge of Juftice, Sheriffs, Ste- warts or Commiflaries, their Deputs and Clerks, Magiftrates and council of Borroughs, Juftices of Peace and their Clearks, or any other publick Charge, Office and Truft within this Kingdom; fhall at and before their admiffion to the exercife of fuch places or Offices, publickly, in face of the refpective Courts they re- late to, fubferibe the Declaration under-written: And that they fhall have no right to their faid Offices or Benefites thereof, untill they fubferibe the fame as faid is ; but that every fuch perfon who mall offer to enter and exerce any fuch Office, before he fubferibe the Declaration, is to be reputed and punifhed as an ufurper . of His Majefties Authority, and the place to be difpofed to another. Likeas His Majefty doth, withadvcie forefaid, remit to His Commiffioner , to take fuchcourfe as he fhall think fit, how thefe who are prefently in Office may fubferibe the faid Declaration. And it is hereby Declared, that this Act is without prejudice of any former Acts, for taking the Oath of Alleagiance and afferting the Royal Prerogative. |" Do fincerely affirm and declare, that I judge it unlawful to Subjects, J_ upon -pretence of Reformation or other pretence whatfoever, to enter into Leagues and Covenants, or to take up hrmes against the King or thofe commijfionated by Him : And that all thefe Gatherings, Convoca- tions, Petitions, Protestations, and erecting and keeping of Council-tables, that were ufed in the beginning, and for carrying on , of the late troubles, were unlawful and feditious . And particularly , that thefe Oathes, whereof the one was commonly called, The National Covenant, ( as it was fworu and explained in the year, one thoufand, fix hundred and thirty eight, and thereafter) and the other entituled , A Solemn League and Covenant , were , and are, in thernfelves unlawful Oaths, and were taken by , and impofed upon, the Subjects of this Kingdom, againH 'the 'fundamental Laws and Liberties of *the fame. i_Andthat there lyeth no obligation upon me, or any of the Subjects from thefaids Oaths, or either of them, to endeavour any change or alteration of the Government, either in Church or State , as it is now establifbed by the Laws of the Kingdom. ACT
