C R  DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
By the King.  
A PROCLAMATION, Prohibiting all unlawful and Seditious Meetings and Conventicles under pretence of Religious Worship.  
CHARLES R.  
ALthough nothing can be more unwelcome unto Us, than the necessity of restraining some part of that Liberty which was indulged to tender Consciences by Our late gracious Declaration; Yet since divers persons (known by the name of Anabaptists and Quakers, Fifth-Monarchy-men, or some such like Appellation, as a mark of distinction and separation) under pretence of serving God, do daily meét in great numbers in secret places, and at unusual times, by reason whereof they begin to boast of their multitudes, and to increase in their confidences, as having frequent opportunities to settle a perfect correspondency and confederacy between themselves, of which some evil Effects have already ensued, even to the disturbance of the public Peace by Insurrection and Murder, for which the Offenders must answer to the Law and far worse may be still expected, unless some speedy course be taken to prevent their further growth.  
To the intent therefore that none of those persons who have presumed to make so ill an use of Our indulgence, may be strengthened in such their proceed by any general words, or expressions in Our late Declaration, We have thought fit by these presents to publish and Declare Our Royal Will and Pleasure, That no Meeting whatsoever of the Persons aforesaid, under pretence of Worshipping God, shall at any time hereafter be permitted or allowed, unless it be in some Parochial Church or Chapel in this Realm, or in private houses by the persons there inhabiting. And that all Meetings and Assemblies whatsoever, in order to any Spiritual exercise or serving of God by the persons aforesaid, unless in the places aforesaid, shall be esteemed, and are hereby declared to be unlawful Assemblies, and shall be prosecuted accordingly, and the persons therein Assembled shall be proceeded against as persons riotously and unlawfully Assembled.  
And for the better execution of this Our Proclamation, and the prevention of all illegal and Seditious Meetings, and Conventicles. We do hereby straight charge and command all Mayors, Sheriffs, justices of Peace, Constables, Headboroughs, Commanders, and other Our Officers and Ministers whom it may concern, That they cause diligent search to be made from time to time, in all and every the places where any such Meetings or Conventicles, as aforesaid, shall or may be suspected. And that they cause all and every the persons therein Assembled, to be apprehended and brought before one or more justices of the Peace, and to be bound over to appear at the next Sessions within the respective Precincts, and in the mean time to find Sureties for the good Behaviour, or in default thereof to be committed to the next Gaol.  
And further We do Will and Command Our justices of Peace, That they cause the Oath of Allegiance to be tendered to every person so brought before them, and upon his or their refusal, to proceed according as by the Statute made in the seventh year of the Reign of Our Royal Grandfather of ever blessed memory they are directed and commanded.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Tenth day of January, One thousand six hundred and sixty, in the Twelfth Year of Our Reign. 
 GOD SAVE THE KING.   

LONDON, Printed by John Bill, Printer to the KING'S most Excellent MAJESTY, 1660.  
At the KING'S Printing-House in Blackfriars. Jan. 11