Forasmuch as it hath pleased God to call Us to the Throne, And
that thereby it is incumbent upon Us to prevent any Inconvenience
to Our Subjects that may arise by not executing the Laws necessary
or conducing to the Peace and good Government of Our People, Wee
therefore do hereby Declare Our Royall Pleasure That all Persons being
Protestants, who at the time of the Receipt of these presents shalbe
duly and lawfully possessed of, or invested in any office or Place of
Authority or Governm^t either Civill or Military within Our Island of
[blank left in text] in America, And namely all Governors, Lieutenants,
or Deputy Governors, Councellors, Justices, Provost Marshalls, Sherifs,
Justices of the Peace, and all others in Place of Governm^t either
meaner or superior as aforesaid. And all other Officers and Ministers
whose Interests and Estates in their offices are determined, shall be,
and shall hold themselves continued in the said Places and offices
under the same condition as formerly they held and enjoyed the same,[1]
untill Our Pleasure be further known, or that other Provision be made
pursuant to his late Ma^{ys} Commission and Instructions to [blank
left in text] aforesaid, Which Wee do hereby Declare to be in full
force untill further Order from Us. And that in the mean while for the
Preservation of the State, all the said Persons of whatsoever Degree
or Condition do not fail every one severally according to his Place
Office or Charge, to proceed in the performance of all Dutys thereunto
belonging as formerly apperteyned unto them. And further Wee do hereby
will and command all and singular Our Subjects of what Estate, Dignity
and Degree they or any of them be, to be aiding, helping and assisting,
and at the Commandment of the said Officers and Ministers in the
Performance and Execution of the said Offices and Places, as they and
every of them tender Our Displeasure, and will answer the contrary at
their Perills.
Provided alwaies, that nothing herein shalbe Construed or taken to
Extend to give or continue any Authority, Priviledge, Jurisdiction or
Command to any Papist or Papists with the said [blank left in text].
Given at Our Court at Whitehall this 19^{th} day of February 1688. in
the first year of Our Reigne.