arms of Cromwell 
PROTECTOR OLIVARIUS DEI GRA REIPUB ANGLIAE SCOTIAE ET HIBERNIAE, & c  By His Highness. A PROCLAMATION FOR THE Better encouragement of GODLY MINISTERS and others, and their enjoying their Deuce and Liberty according to LAW.  
HIs Highness the Lord Protector having been informed by Complaints from several parts of this Nation, how much discouragement hath been lately given to many Godly and Painful Ministers endeavouring Reformation according to the present happy Establishment, by the practices of some, not only in withholding from them the Tithes and other Duties, which by the Laws of this Commonwealth are belonging unto them as Public Preachers; but prosecuting them by Indictments for not using the Common-prayer Book, not administering Sacraments unto all their Parishioners, and the like omissions; and considering how apt the evil example and suggests of some few persons is, to provoke and misled others; hath thought it fit and necessary to apply a seasonable remedy for preventing so great an evil. It is evident, that as soon as the Lord began to deliver this Nation out of the darkness of Popery in the times of Edward the sixth, and Queen Elizabeth, much opposition was raised against that Reformation; on the one hand by Popish Priests, who pretending a Conformity, continued in their several Cures, but yet retained their old Superstitious practices, in administering the Sacrament of the Lords Supper under the form of Bread only, to the people, and denying the same unto such as would not so receive it, and in private Communions, wherein the Priest only did partake of both Elements of Bread and Wine: And on the other hand by the People, who being wedded to their old Customs, and because they could not have Divine Service and Devotions in such a Popish and Superstitious Form as before time, did not only by Songs, Libels and Scurrilous reflections, endeavour to reproach the present Reformation, and the faithful Ministers that were forward and zealous in it; but did also refuse to allow and pay such Ministers their due Maintenance, putting them upon many chargeable Suits, and troublesome Contentions, which became a great hindrance to the progress of the Gospel. And as the latter of those evils occasioned Queen Elizabeth (according to the example of Edward the sixth before in like case) in the first year of her Reign, with the advice of her Council, by her public Injunctions, amongst other things, strictly to require and enjoin as followeth, Forasmuch as by Laws established every man is bound to pay his Tithes, no man shall by colour of Duty omitted by their Curates detain their Tithes, and so requite one wrong for another, or be his own Judge, but shall truly pay the same, as hath been accustomed, to their Parsons, Vicars and Curates, without any restraint or diminution. Which Injunction, as formerly, so than took good effect, and prevented those many Suits in Law, and other disturbances which before Ministers were molested with: So for relief of the People, and reforming the Superstitious practices aforesaid, remedy was provided by a Statute made in the first year of the Reign of the said King Edward the sixth. And although it plainly appears by the words of the said Statute, that the same was intended only to compel the Administration of that Sacrament under both kinds, (unto all such as should receive) according to the first Institution, and to abolish the Superstitious practice of the Priests receiving alone, and administering it to the people under the form of Bread only: nor doth the same enjoin the admitting all persons to that Ordinance, but that the Minister should not without lawful cause deny the same to such as should desire it; and by certain Injunctions set forth in the time of the said King, several Causes were assigned for which the Minister might keep persons from that Sacrament, which hath been owned and practised in all times since the said Statute was made. And the Lord having by the light of the Gospel, which hath shined more clearly in our days, discovered many things necessary to be further Reform, for the preserving the purity of his Ordinance, did put it into the hearts of the Parliament begun in 1640. not only to take away the Liturgy or Book of Common-prayer, but also to impose a Penalty upon any Minister that shall use the same, or the forms of Baptising, Church, Burials, together with the Ceremonies of the Cross, Surplice and other Superstitious Rites in the Service of God; And likewise to provide that unfit and unworthy persons should by the Minister be refused and kept back from the Supper of the Lord, that those holy Mysteries might not be abused: yet nevertheless under colour of the said Act of 1ᵒ Edward the sixth, (though contrary to the true meaning and end for which the same was made, and contrary to that liberty given and established by the Humble Petition and Advice) divers godly and faithful Ministers have been Indicted, Presented, and otherwise molested for not Administering the Sacrament to all their Parishioners, and the Tithes and other Duties belonging to them detained upon that account, and for not conforming to the old manner of Baptising, Burials, and other things of the like kind.  
And as several Laws have been made both in former and latter times, for the due and better payment of Tithes, so for the avoiding of contentions between the people and their Ministers about the same, by the Wisdom and Godly care of His late Highness with the Advice of His Council, an Ordinance was made appointing Commisoners, consisting of Pious and Learned men, to judge of the worth and fitness, both for Gifts and Graces, of such persons as shall be from time to time presented to Live throughout the Nation, to the end such fit and approved persons faithfully labouring in the Work of the Gospel, might be in a capacity without farther controversy to receive such Public Maintenance: which after some years' experience being found of great advantage, for furnishing the Nation with a Pious and Able Ministry, hath since received the Approbation and Confirmation of Par-  
Upon consideration of all which, His Highness holds himself obliged to use his Authority that those Laws be observed, and to follow the good examples of the Governors of this Nation in former times, for the due encouragement of the Faithful and Conscientious Preachers of the Gospel, and preventing dissensions and Suits between them, and such as live under their Ministry; And therefore His Highness with the Advice of his Privy Council, hath thought fit to enjoin and require, and doth hereby enjoin and require, all and every person and persons within this Nation, that they do well and duly pay, discharge and satisfy from time to time, their Tithes and other Duties accrueing, growing due or belonging unto the respective Ministers and Public Preachers in their respective Parishes within all and every the Counties, Cities, Towns and Places within this Nation, which by the Laws of the Land are or shall be settled and established for the Maintenance of the Minister or Ministers there, with the Arrears thereof; And that no person or persons do withhold or diminish such legal and rightful Deuce and Duties, or molest any Minister by Presentments or Indictments, or otherwise: Upon pretence of such omissions or refusals, as are by the present Establishment and Laws in force for further Reformation permitted or allowed. And His Highness doth further will and require all His judges, justices of Assize, justices of Oyer and Terminer, justices of the Peace, Mayor and Chief Officers within their respective jurisdictions, to take especial care that no Minister or Ministers be molested or troubled contrary to the liberty granted by the Humble Petition and Advice; and that the Laws and Statutes for payment of Tithes and Duties to Ministers be duly put in execution, and that no encouragement be given unto any person or persons who shall deny the payment thereof upon any such pretences as aforesaid, but that they discountenance the same.  
And His Highness doth hereby Declare, That it is his full purpose through the assistance of the Lord, to carry on and promote, to the utmost of his power, the Work of Reformation so happily begun and owned by God, and that he will make use of the Authority the Lord hath betrusted him with, for the Protection and Encouragement of such Godly and Painful Preachers of the Gospel, whose hearts are engaged, and whose care and labours shall be conscientiously exercised in furthering so blessed a Work, in the enjoyment of the Liberty aforesaid; And His Highness further pleasure is, That His Highness' judges, justices of Assize, and all other his justices of the Peace within this Commonwealth, do take special care that no person or persons (in prejudice of the Liberty given by the Humble Petition and Advice, or any other Laws or Ordinances in force) be interrupted, molested or troubled for their going to or from any place for the Service of God on the Lord's day.  
Given at White-Hall the Twenty fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord God, One thousand six hundred fifty and eight.   

LONDON: Printed by Henry Hills and John Field, Printers to His Highness the Lord Protector, 1658.  
And are to be sold at the Sign of the Seven Stars in Fleetstreet over against DUNSTAN'S Church.