HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE royal blazon or coat of arms At the Court at Whitehall, the Third of October, 1676. Present The Kings most Excellent Majesty His Highness' Prince Rupert Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Duke of Monmouth Duke of Lauderdale Earl of Ossery Earl of Sunderland Earl of Peterborrow Earl of Bath Earl of Craven Earl of Carbery Viscount Faconberg Viscount Newport Lord Bishop of London Mr. Secretary Coventry Mr. Secretary Williamson Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer Master of the Ordnance. Whereas His Majesty and this Board are informed of the bold and open repair made to several places, and especially to Her Majesty's Chapel at Somerset. House, and the Houses of Foreign Ambassadors, Agents, and other Public Ministers, for the hearing of Mass, and other Worship and Service of the Romish Church; and that the said Ambassadors, Agents, and Ministers, do permit and suffer both daily Masses to be said, and other Worship and Service to be performed in their Houses, in a public manner, by English, Scotish, and Irish Priests, and also Sermons in English to be Preached in their said Houses and Chapels, which the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom do expressly forbid His subjects to frequent or do: His Majesty taking the same into serious Consideration, and being sensible thereof, as a matter highly tending to the violation of the Laws of the Realm, and the scandal of Religion and Government, and breach of good Order, and in His Princely Wisdom weighing the dangerous Consequence thereof, is Resolved to take strict Order for the stopping this evil before it spread any further. His Majesty therefore, by the advice of his Council, doth hereby forbid any of His said subjects hereafter to offend in the like kind, at their utmost perils; And straight Commands. That no others presume to Resort to Her Majesty's Chapel, but such as are Her Majesty's Domestic Servants. And to the end this Provision and Order may be the more effectual, His majesty doth Command, that forasmuch as concerneth the repair to the houses of foreign Ambassadors, Agents and Ministers, at the time of Mass, or other Romish Worship or Service, some Messengers of the Chamber, or other Officers or persons fit for that service, be appointed to Watch at the several Passages to their Houses, and without entering into the said houses, or invading the Freedom and Privileges belonging unto them, observe such persons as go thither at such times, without stopping or questioning any as they go thither, but at their coming from thence, they are to apprehend and bring the said persons to the Board, and such as they cannot apprehend, to bring their Names. And that the Ambassadors and other Foreign Ministers may have no cause to complain for this Proceeding, as if there were any intention to wrong or disrespect them, His Majesty doth likewise order, for the preventing of any such mistaking and sinister interpretation, that His principal Secretaries of State (according unto His Majesty's express Commands now given unto them) should be hereby authorized and required forthwith to repair to the said Ambassadors, Agents, and other foreign Ministers, to make known unto them His Majesty's Pleasure concerning the same; And that as His Majesty is careful not to have any the just Privileges and Immunities of the said Ambassadors, Agents, or Ministers, to be in any degree infringed or violated, so in the aforesaid particulars of permitting Masses or other Service to be said by any of the said Priests, or Sermons to be preached in English in their Houses or Chapels (things never heard of or attempted by any precedent Ambassadors or Agents here) or in suffering His subjects to resort unto them, His Majesty is no less careful of preserving His Laws, and containing His Subjects in their due obedience to the same; and doth therefore expect the said Ambassadors, Agents and Ministers compliance accordingly. And hereof His Majesty thinks fit that Notice should be first given to the said public Ministers (the rather to testify His Respects unto them) before the stricter course His Majesty hath resolved, be taken with His own Subjects, by a vigorous Prosecution, and Infliction of Penalties and Punishments for the preventing and repressing the like hereafter. And it is likewise Ordered, that the messengers of the Chamber, or others to be employed in the service before specified, shall be appointed, and receive their Charge from the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Bishop of London, and the said Secretaries, or some of them, who are to take special care to see this put in due and effectual Execution. EDW. WALKER. Edinburgh, reprinted by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty. Anno Dom. 1676.