O  blazon or coat of arms incorporating the Commonwealth Flag (1649-1651) P  
❧ By His Highness: A PROCLAMATION PROHIBITING The Disturbing of MINISTERS and other CHRISTIANS in their Assemblies and Meetings.  
IT having pleased the Lord, by the manifold Mercies and Deliverances which he hath wrought in and for these Nations of late Years, and the Blessings wherewith he hath blessed the endeavours of the Good People thereof, in making them Successful against his and their Enemies, to crown us with this, as not the least Token of his favour and Good Will to us, That there is a free and uninterrupted Passage of the Gospel running through the midst of us, and Liberty for all to hold forth and profess with sobriety, their Light and Knowledge therein, according as the Lord in his rich Grace and Wisdom hath dispensed to every man, and with the same Freedom to practice and exercise the Faith of the Gospel, and to lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty, without any Interruption from the Powers God hath set over this Commonwealth, nay with all just and due Encouragement thereto, and Protection in so doing by the same; A Mercy that is the Price of much Blood, and till of late years denied to this Nation, as at this day it continues to be to most of the Nations round about us, and which all that fear God amongst us ought duly to consider and be thankful for in this Day, wherein God hath so graciously Visited and Redeemed his People; His Highness, as He reckons it a Duty incumbent upon him, and shall take all possible Care to Preserve and Continue this Freedom and Liberty to all Persons in this Commonwealth fearing God, though of differing judgements, by protecting them in the sober and quiet exercise and profession of Religion, and the sincere worship of God, against all such who shall; by imposing upon the Consciences of their Brethren, or offering violence to their Persons, or any other way, seek to hinder them therein; So likewise doth He hold himself equally obliged to take Care, That, on no pretence whatsoever, such freedom given should be extended by any beyond those bounds which the Royal Law of Love and Christian Moderation have set us in our walking one towards another; Or that thereby occasion should be taken by any to abuse this Liberty to the disturbance or disquiet of any of their Brethren in the same free Exercise of their Faith and Worship, which himself enjoies of his own. And His Highness cannot but sadly lament the woeful distemper that is fallen upon the Spirits of many professing Religion and the Fear of God in these days, who instead of a suitable return to the Lord our God for this Liberty, and all our other Mercies, and appearing in an answerable carriage by a Spirit of tenderness and forbearance one towards another, and provoking one another to Love and good Works, are found in a Spirit of bitterness towards their Brethren, biting and devouring, hateful and hating one another, and whilst they pretend the Liberty which Christ hath purchased for his People, do openly and avowedly, by rude and unchristian Practices, disturb both the public and Private meetings for preaching the Word, and other Religious Exercises, and vilify, oppose, and interrupt the public Preachers in their ministry, whereby the Liberty of the Gospel, the profession of Religion, and the Name of God, is much dishonoured and abused, and the Spirits of all good men much grieved. His Highness therefore, having had many informations from divers parts of this Commonwealth of such Practices by divers men lately risen up under the names of Quakers, Ranters, and others, who do daily both reproach and disturb the Assemblies and Congregations of Christians, in their public and Private Meetings, and interrupt the Preachers in dispensing the Word, and others in their Worship, contrary to just Liberty, and to the disturbance of the public Peace, Doth hold himself obliged by His Trust to Declare His dislike of all such Practices, as being contrary to the just freedom and Liberties of the People, which by the Laws and Government of this Commonwealth they ought to be Protected in; And doth hereby strictly Require and Command all Persons whatsoever, That they forbear henceforth all such irregular and disorderly Practices. And if in Contempt hereof, any Persons shall presume to offend as aforesaid, We shall esteem them as Disturbers of the Civil Peace, and shall expect, and do require all Officers and Ministers of justice to proceed against them accordingly.  
Given at White-Hall the 15. day of February 1654.   

London, Printed by Henry Hills and John Field, printers to His Highness, MDCLIV.