C R  
HONI SOIT x MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
BY THE KING.  
¶ A Proclamation against the Oppression of the Clergy by the Intrusion of Factious and schismatical Persons into their Cures, and inverting and detaining their Tithes and possessions by Orders of one or both Houses of Parliament, contrary to all Law and Justice.  
WHEREAS by the Great Charter of the Liberties of England it is provided, that the Church should have all its Rights whole, and Liberties inviolable; and amongst others the Church hath these privileges, That regularly no ecclesiastical Possessions may be extended, seized or sequestered but by the Ordinary, And that Distresses may not be taken of Lands wherewith Churches have been anciently endowed; And that Churches presentative cannot be filled, and the lawful Incumbents thereof removed but by the Ordinary, nor the Cure of the Incumbents served by Curates, Lecturers or others, but by their own appointment, or in their default by the appointment of the Ordinary; neither are any of Our Subjects of the Laity by the Common laws of Our realm capable to take or receive Tithes (which are the portion of the Clergy) unless by demise from them, or such as are appropriate and made Lay-Fee: nevertheless by colour of Orders or pretended Ordinances of one or both Houses of Parliament, the Estates real and personal as well of Our Clergy as Laity have been and are daily seized, sequestered and taken from them, and their Possessions distrained for illegal Taxes and Contributions for supporting the Rebellion against Us; Which being clearly against Law and unwarrantable, We did forbid by Our Proclamation of the seventh of April last, and do hereby forbid the same, under the penalties in that Our Proclamation contained. And whereas diverse of Our Clergy eminent for their Piety and Learning, because they publish Our lawful and just Commands and Declarations, and will nor, against the known laws of the Land and their own Consciences, submit to Contributions, nor publicly pray against Us and Our Assistants, but conform themselves to the Book of commonprayer established by Law, and Preach God's Word according to the purity thereof, and in their Sermons will not teach Sedition, nor will publish illegal Commands and Orders for fomenting the unnatural war levied against Us, are some of them 〈◊〉 and found 〈◊〉 their Cares and Habitat●●●●, 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 and Persecuted, and their C 〈…〉 if O 〈…〉 ●ded and put in, to sow Sedition● 〈…〉 expressly contrary to the word of God, and the laws of the Land 〈…〉 of Right belonging to such Incumbents as 〈…〉 Parishes where such Arbitray power prevails, and distributed part 〈…〉 the maintenance of this war, against Law and the Liberties of the Ch●●ch 〈…〉 and the Ple●sure therefore is, and We do hereby straightly charge and Command all Our Subject as well Ecclesticall as Tempo●all, not to presume to intermeddle in discharging or hindering any of Our said Clergy for the cause afores●●d