C R  DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
By the King.  
A PROCLAMATION COMMANDING All Jesuits and Popish Priests To departed this KINGDOM.  
CHARLES R.  
WHereas Our Loyal Subjects the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, by their humble Petition have represented to Us, That notwithstanding Our unquestionable Affection and Zeal to the true Protestant Religion, manifested in Our constant Profession and Practice, against all Temptations whatsoever; Yet by the great resort of jesuites and Romish Priests into this Kingdom, Our good Subjects generally were much affected with jealousy and Apprehension, that the Popish Religion might much increase in this Kingdom (Which We have most piously desired may be prevented) and so the Peace both in Church and State may be insensibly disturbed, to the great danger of both. The two Houses of Parliament were therefore humble Suitors to Us to issue out Our Proclamation to command all jesuites, and all English, Irish, and Scotish Priests, and all such other Priests as have taken Orders from the See of Rome, or by Authority thereof (except such foreign jesuites or Priests as by Contract of Marriage are to attend the Persons of either of the Queéns, or by the Laws of Nations to attend foreign Ambassadors) to departed this Kingdom by a day, under pain of having the penalties of the Laws inflicted upon them. And We having seriously considered and weighed the said humble Representation and Petition of Our said Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, and the great Affection and Duty with which the same was presented unto Us, and accepting with much contentment their great care for the preservation of the true Religion established in this Kingdom; Have therefore resolved to publish this Our Admonition and Commandment, and do hereby require, charge, and command all jesuites, and all English, Irish, and Scotish Priests, and all such other Priests as have taken Orders from the See of Rome, or by the Authority or pretended Authority thereof, Who are not under any restraint by Imprisonment, That they do before the fourteenth day of May next departed out of this Our Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, upon pain of having the Penalties of Our said Laws inflicted upon them. And for their better means to departed accordingly, We do hereby Declare and Publish Our further Pleasure, That if at any time before the said fourteenth day of May next, they or any of them shall resort to any Port-Town of Our said Kingdom of England or Dominion of Wales, and there declare himself to the Magistrate of the Town, or other Officers of any Port, that he is a Priest, and that he is there to take Shipping for his passage, they shall suffer him or them quietly to departed, and shall see them shipped and sent away for foreign Parts, and give them their furtherance for their departure. And to the end this Our Proclamation may be the better observed and obeyed, We do hereby strictly charge and command all Our Lieutenants, Deputy-Lieutenants, Commissioners, justices of the Peace, Mayor, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, and all other Our Officers whatsoever, that they be circumspect and vigilant each of them in their several charges from and after the said fourteenth day of May, in searching for, and discovering all such jesuites and Priests as aforesaid, as shall presume to remain in this Our Realm of England or Dominion of Wales, contrary to Our Laws, and Our Royal Pleasure and Command herein declared. Provided always, and Our intention is (which We do hereby declare) That this Our Proclamation do not extend to Priests that do or shall from time to time attend upon the Persons of Our Dearest Consort the Queen, or of the Queéns Our Dear Mother, according to the Treaties of their several Marriages, the names of which Priests shall be set down and signified by them under their Great Seals respectively, and such signification enrolled in Our Court of Kings-Bench. And because there may be some Priests imprisoned within this Our Realm yet unknown to Us, We do will and command all Sheriffs, Bailiffs, and Keepers of Prisons, within twenty days after the publication of this Our Proclamation, to advertise Our Privy Council, or some of them, of the names of all such Priests that are in their Custody, and by whom, and for what cause they were committed, to the end that thereupon We may give order for their Transportation, as the Case shall require.  
Given at Our Court at White-Hall, the Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord 1663. And of Our Reign the Fifteenth. 
 GOD SAVE THE KING.   

LONDON, Printed by John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent MAJESTY, 1663.