Die Iovis 24. Octob. 1644.

THe Lords and Commons aſſembled in the Parliament of England doe Declare, That no Quarter ſhall be given hereafter to any Iriſhman, nor to any Papiſts whatſoever borne in Ireland, which ſhall be taken in Hoſtillitie againſt the Parliament: either upon the Sea or within this Kingdome, or Dominion of Wales: And therefore doe Order and Ordaine, That the Lord Generall, Lord Admirall, and all other Officers and Commanders both by Sea and Land ſhall except all Iriſhmen, and all Papiſts borne in Ireland. out of all Capitulations, Agree­ments, or Compoſitions hereafter to be made with the Enemy, and ſhall upon the taking of every ſuch Iriſhman or Papiſt born in Ireland, as aforeſaid, forthwith put every ſuch Perſon to death. And it is further Ordered and Ordain­ed, That the Lord Generall Lord Admiral, and2 the Committees of the ſeverall Counties, do give ſpeedy notice hereof to all ſubordinate Officers and Commanders by Sea and Land reſpective­ly who are hereby required to uſe their utmoſt care and circumſpection that this Ordinance be duly executed. And laſtly, the Lords and Commons doe Declare, that every Officer and Commander by Sea or Land, that ſhall be re­miſſe or negligent in obſerving the Tenour of this Ordinance, ſhall be reputed a favourer of that bloody Rebellion of Ireland, and ſhall be liable to ſuch condigne puniſhment as the Iu­ſtice of both Houſes of Parliament ſhall inflict upon him.

An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons in Parlia­ment Aſſembled, For the better obſervation of the monethly Faſt. 24 Aug. 1642.

VVHereas the Kings moſt Excellent Maieſty, upon the requeſt of the Lords and Com­mons in this preſent Parliament aſſembled, and by and with their advice and conſent, conſidering the lamen­table and diſtreſſed condition of his good Subiects in the Kingdome of Ireland; (that there might be a gene­rall humiliation of all the eſtates of this Kingdome be­fore3 Almighty God in Faſting and Prayer) was graci­ouſly pleaſed to Command the keeping of a monethly Faſt; and to the end that all perſons might the better take notice thereof (and to leave ſuch without excuſe, as ſhould not duly keep and obſerve the ſame) did afterward by his Proclamation of the 8 of January 1641. appoint that the ſame ſhould be generally, publike­ly, and ſolmnly holden and kept, as well by abſti­nence from Food, as by publike Prayers, Preach­ing, and Hearing of the Word of God, and other Religious and holy Duties in all Cathedrals, Col­legiate, and Pariſh Churches, and Chappels within the Kingdom of England, & Dominion of Wales (with­out any exception) on the laſt Wedneſday of every Moneth, to continue during the troubles in the ſaid Kingdom of Ireland: All which His Maieſty did ſtrait­ly charge and command ſhould be reverently and de­voutly performed by all His Subiects, as they deſire the bleſſing of Almighty God, and would avoid his heavy indignation againſt this Land and People; and upon paine of ſuch puniſhments as may iuſtly be inſti­cted upon all ſuch as ſhall confe•••e or neglect ſo Reli­gious a worke and duty.

And whereas the Lords and Commons in both Hou­ſes of Parliament, have received divers Informati­ons from ſeverall parts of this Kingdome and Domi­nion of Wales, of the great neglect of the due obſerva­tion and keeping of the ſaid Faſt upon the dayes ap­pointed, and of the prophanations of the ſame by ma­ny irreligious, ill affected, looſe, and ſcandalous per­ſons, as we•l of the Clergy as others, who are ſo farre from afflicting their ſoules, and looſing the bands of4 wickedneſſe, as that they provoke the wrath of Almigh­ty God, and make ſo pious a meanes to procure his bleſſings, the occaſion of greater Iudgements.

For the prevention whereof for the time to come, the Lords and Commons doe Order, Declare, Ordaine, that in all and every the Cathedrals, Collegiate, and Pariſh Churches, and Chappels within the Kingdome of England, and Dominion of Wales, (without any ex­cepti•n) upon every Lords day, next and immediately before any the daies appointed for the ſaid publike Faſt, the Parſon, Vicar, Curate, or Miniſter, that upon that day ſhall Officiate, or exerciſe in any of the ſaid Cathedrals, Collegiate, Pariſh Churches, or Chap­pels, ſhall give publike notice in every of the ſaid Ca­thedrals, Collegiate, Pariſh Churches, or Chappels reſpectively, of the Faſt day next enſuing immediately after Sermon or Prayer ended in the forenoon before the Congregation be diſmiſſed, earneſtly exhorting and perſwading all the people to the ſolemne due keeping and religious obſervation of the whole day appointed for the ſaid Faſt, and that they would repaire to ſome Church or Chappell, there diligently and reve­rently to attend all ſuch holy Duties as ſhall be uſed in the obſervance of the ſame; that they forbeare to uſe all manner of Sports and Paſtimes whatſoever, and their ordinary Trades and Callings upon the ſaid day, as well Carriers, Waggoners, Carters, Waynmen, Drovers, Butchers, Huckſters, Shop-keepers, La­bourers, or any others uſing any Art, Trade, Myſtery, or Manual Occupation whatſoever, and that all Wintners, Taverners, Alehouſe-keepers, and keepers of Victualling-houſes, doe forbeare to keep open their Doors, Bulks, or Shops, or to ſell or utter (except in5 caſes of extr•me neceſſity) any Wine, Beere, Ale, or Victuall, till the publike Exerciſes and religious•u­ties of that day in the reſpective Cathedrals, Coll•gi­ate, Pariſh Churches and Chappels be paſt and over.

And laſtly, all and every the Iuſtices of the Peace, Maiors, Bayliffes, Conſtables, Church wardens, and other Officers inhabiting or reſiding within the li­mits or precincts of any ſuch Cathedrall, Coll•giate, Pariſh Church or Chappell, are hereby required to take ſpeciall notice as well of ſuch Parſon, Vicar, Cu­rate, or other Miniſter that ought to officiate in any of the ſaid Cathedrals, Collegiate, and Pariſh Chur­ches or Chappels, upon any ſuch day appointed for the ſaid Faſt, that ſhall either refuſe or neglect to doe the ſame, or not doe or cau•e the ſame to be done in that re­ligious and ſolemne manner as it ought to be, or that ſhall refuſe to give notice of the Faſt day at the time, and in manner as aforeſaid, and forthwith to returne their names, and the names of all ſuch (from time to time) as ſhall wilfully offend herein, in contempt of the Lawes, His Majeſty, and both Houſes of Parlia­ment, unto ſome one or more of the Knights, Citizens, or Burgeſſes that ſerve for the County where ſuch of­fence is or ſhall be committed, that ſome ſpeedy courſe may be taken for the ſevere puniſhing of ſuch as ſhall offend herein, according to the Lawes.

VVHereas the Lords and Commons in Parliament, have made an Ordinance for the more ſtrict and ſolemne keeping of the dayes of publike Faſt, which are not by all perſons duly obſerved, even in theſe times of publike Calamity, to the great diſhonor of God, and the contempt of the Authority of both Houſes of Parliament.

Now that more particular notice may be given to all ſuch that ſhall offend herein, before any exemplary puniſhment be inflicted upon them, It is Ordered by the Commons now Aſſembled in Parliament, that all Conſtables (or their Depu­ties ſhall the day before every publike Faſt, repaire to every houſe within their ſeverall and reſpective Liberties, and charge all perſons, that they ſtrictly obſerve the Faſt, accor­ding to the directions in the ſaid Ordinance.

And they ſhall upon the ſaid dayes of the publike Faſt, walke through their ſaid Liberties, diligently ſerching for, and taking notice of all perſons, who either by following the worke of their calling, or ſitting in Tavernes, Victualing, or Alehouſes ▪ or any other wayes ſhall not duly obſerve the ſame, and they are hereby required, to returne the names of all ſuch perſons as they ſhall finde ſo offending, as alſo ſuch Informations as they ſhall receive againſt any other perſons within their Liberties guilty of the leaſt offence unto the Committee for Examinations that ſo they may be proceeded againſt for the contempt of the ſaid Ordinance, and all Conſtables are to obſerve theſe directions, from time to time, ſo long as the ſaid Publike Faſt ſhall be kept, without expecting any further Order.