The Lord Privy Seal.
The Lord President of the Council.
The Lord High Treasurer.
The Lord Archbishop of York.
Lord Chancellor.
Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.
His Royal Highness the Prince, (if not in the
Coach with his Majesty.)
The KING's Majesty in his Coach.
The King's Guards of Horse, commanded by
the Captains of the Guards.
In this manner his Majesty, preceded by the Nobility and others in
their Coaches as aforesaid, is to be attended from the Queen's House in
the Park through Greenwich and Deptford to Kent-street end, and from
thence to St. Margaret's-hill in Southwark, where the Lord Mayor of
London and others wait his arrival.
And upon notice that the Nobility, &c. are arrived near to St.
Margaret's-hill in their coaches, the Officers of Arms are to begin to
draw out the grand proceeding, in the following order; _viz._
A detachment of the Artillery Company
in buff-coats, &c.
The two City Marshals on Horseback, with their
men on foot to make way.
Two of the City Trumpets on horseback.
The Sheriffs' Officers on foot, with javelins in
their hands.
The Lord Mayor's Officers in black gowns, on
foot, two and two.
Two more of the City Trumpets on horseback.
The City Banner borne by the Water-bailiff on horseback, with
a servant on foot in a coloured livery.
Then the City Officers on horseback, in their proper gowns,
each attended by a servant on foot in coloured liveries.
The four Attorneys, two and two.
The Solicitor, and the Remembrancer.
The two Secondaries.
The Comptroller.
The four Common Pleaders.
The two Judges.
The Town-clerk.
The Common Serjeant, and the Chamberlain.
Two more of the City Trumpets on horseback.
The King's Banner, borne by the Common Hunt on horseback,
with a servant on foot in a coloured livery.
The Common Cryer in his gown, and the City Sword-bearer in
his black damask gown and gold chain, both on horseback, each
having a servant on foot in coloured liveries.
Then those who have fined for Sheriff or Alderman, or
served the office of Sheriff or Alderman, in scarlet gowns
on horseback, according to their seniorities, two and two,
the juniors first, each attended by two servants on foot in
coloured liveries.
The two Sheriffs in scarlet gowns on horseback, with their
gold chains, and their white staves in their hands, each
attended by two servants on foot in coloured liveries.
The Aldermen below the Chair on horseback in scarlet gowns,
two and two, each attended by his beadle and two servants on
foot in coloured liveries.
Then the Recorder in a scarlet gown on horseback, attended by
two servants on foot.
Then the Aldermen above the Chair in scarlet gowns, on
horseback, wearing their gold chains, attended by their
beadles, and two servants each, in coloured liveries.
Then the coaches of the Nobility, Great Officers, &c. in the
order they come from Greenwich.
The Knight Marshal's Men on horseback,
two and two.
The Knight Marshal, or his Deputy, on horseback.
The King's Kettle-drums.
The Drum-major.
The King's Trumpets, two and two.
Serjeants The Serjeant Trumpet with his mace. Serjeants
at Arms at Arms
with Pursuivants of Arms uncovered, with
their two and two. their
Maces, Maces,
bare-headed. Heralds of Arms, as before. bare-headed.
Kings of Arms, as before.
The PRINCE in his Coach.
Gentleman Usher The Lord-mayor of London Garter King
of the Black-rod, in his Crimson Velvet of Arms, or
on his left-hand, Gown on horseback, his Deputy,
uncovered. wearing his rich collar on the right
and jewel, uncovered, hand, uncovered.
bearing the City-sword
by his Majesty's
permission, with only
four servants on foot,
bareheaded, in coloured
liveries.
Yeomen of the Yeomen of the
guard, Footmen, The KING in his Coach. guard, Footmen,
Equerries. Equerries.
His Majesty's Horse-guards as before,
to close the proceeding.
Thus the KING is to pass from St. Margaret's-hill (after the
Recorder has made his speech, and the Lord Mayor received
the City sword from his Majesty) to his Royal-palace of St.
James's.
The Trained-bands of Southwark, by order of the
Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, are to line the way from
Kent-street end, to the foot of London-bridge.
Three regiments of the City Trained-bands are to make a guard
from the Bridge to the Stocks-market.
The several Companies of London, with their Ensigns, are to
line the streets on both sides, from the Stocks-market to St.
Paul's Church-yard; at the East-end whereof, the Children of
Christ's-hospital are to stand, and one of the King's boys
makes a speech to his Majesty.
And the other three regiments of the City Trained-bands are
to guard the way from St. Paul's Church-yard to Temple-bar.
From Temple-bar, the Steward, High-bailiff, and Burgesses
of Westminster, in their gowns, attended by all the
Constables and Beadles with their respective staves: and the
High-bailiff's officers, with their ensigns of office, are
to line the way: and next to them the Militia of Westminster
make a guard, leaving a space between them and his Majesty's
Foot-guards (who line the way from St. James's into the
Strand) for the Artillery-company to draw up in.
Against St. Alban's-street in the Pall-mall, the Sheriffs'
officers and Lord Mayor's officers are to make a stand on the
right-hand.
Those who have served, or fined for Sheriffs or Aldermen of
London, are to make their stand between the passages into St.
James's-square.
The Sheriffs and Aldermen make their stand towards the
upper-end of the Pall-mall, on the right-hand leading to St.
James's-gate.
The Nobility, and others who go in their coaches, are to
alight at St. James's-gate; and the coaches to pass by St.
James's Meuse into St. James's-park, and go out again at the
upper gate by Hyde-park.
The Knight-marshal's men, kettle-drums, trumpets, and
serjeant-trumpet, are to make a stand on the right-hand side
from the end of the Pall-mall, by the Gloucester-tavern.
The Officers of arms and Serjeants at arms are to pass on to
the second gate-way, and there alight.
The Lord-mayor, with Garter, and the Gentleman-usher of the
Black-rod, are to attend his Majesty into St. James's, to
the foot of the stairs leading up to the Guard-chamber; where
they alight, and the Lord Mayor humbly takes his leave of his
Majesty.
During the whole proceeding from St. Margaret's-hill, the
Conduits at Stocks-market and other parts of the City are
to run with wine as usual. And the great guns at the Tower
are to be twice discharged: first, at his Majesty's taking
coach at Greenwich; and secondly, after his passing over
London-bridge. And at his Majesty's arrival at his Royal
Palace, the foot-guards in the Park fire three volleys, and
the cannon in the Park are to be discharged."
Such was the eagerness evinced on this occasion, that seats were
erected in every situation where it was possible the King could be
seen, and the balconies in Cheapside, Cornhill, &c. were let for 20
and 30 guineas each. It must, however, be acknowledged to have been
a superb spectacle, to grace which the publick provided prudently
and amply. Coaches, carts, &c. were forbid to enter the streets, and
those were lined by six regiments of Trained bands; the Conduits
ran with wine; the Charity-children, assembled on a vast range of
seats, sung Hymns; the Livery Companies exhibited their persons and
costume; and a number of aged gentlemen, whose hairs were silvered
by time, determined to invite others to join them in white camblet
cloaks, and seated on white horses to form part of the procession;
but some unforeseen obstacles intervening, they were compelled to
substitute a stand at the East-end of St. Paul's, erected over another
appointed for a boy from Christ's-hospital to pronounce an oration
to the King, where a considerable number appeared to shew their
loyalty.--One of the newspapers of the day observes, that the weather
was uncommonly fine, and that the cavalcade of the procession and
volunteers reached from Greenwich to St. Paul's. Exclusive of the
usual evening demonstrations of joy, a fire-work was exhibited in St.
Paul's church-yard, representing two flaming dragons on one side, and
on the other the Crown accompanied by the motto, "_Floreat Civitas_."
Cockades of ribband, and ribbands decorated with mottos and devices
in gold and silver, were very generally worn on this occasion, and at
the subsequent Coronation; previous to which, the Envoys of Sicily and
Venice had a warm dispute on precedency in the box prepared for the
Ambassadors in Westminster-hall; this the Marshal of the Ceremonies
adroitly parried, by declaring all precedency ceased _in_ the box.
Every description of utensils and table-linen were purloined from
Westminster-hall, as at the preceding Coronation.
Dreadful accidents occurred during the procession, by the fall of
over-loaded scaffolds in Old Palace-yard and the Broad Sanctuary:
nineteen persons were killed and wounded, amongst whom was Lady Burton,
far advanced in pregnancy; this unhappy lady died in a few minutes.
Every recompence was made to the survivors, by the King's orders, that
pecuniary assistance could afford.
The King soon after witnessed the Lord Mayor's annual ceremony from
Mr. Taylor's balcony in Cheapside. This gentleman was a Quaker and a
Linen-draper, to whom the Monarch offered the honour of Knighthood in
return for his civility; but the wary Friend declined the tempting
bait, which would have procured him the less acceptable ceremony of
being read out of Meeting.
The Proprietors of Sion gardens advertised the following singular
method of selling deer from their park, in May 1715. They appointed
the afternoons of Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, for killing those
animals; when the publick were admitted at one shilling each to see the
operation, or they might purchase tickets from four to ten shillings,
which entitled them, I suppose by way of Lottery, to different parts
of the beast, as they say the quantity killed was to be divided into
sixteen lots, and the first choice to be governed by the numbers on
the tickets; a ten shilling ticket was entitled to a fillet; eight
a shoulder; seven a loin, &c. If the full price of the Deer was not
received on a given day, the keeper held the money till that sum was
obtained. They offered to sell whole deer, and to purchase as many as
might be offered.
A singular wedding occurred in November 1715, _secundum usum
Tremulorum_, between a rich Quaker Apothecary, and a daughter of
Daniel Quare, the celebrated watch-maker in Exchange-alley. The place
of entertainment was Skinners-hall, "where 300 persons were present,
amongst whom was the Duchess of Marlborough, &c. The Princess of Wales
was invited, but did not go."
However unpleasant the yells of Barrow-women are at present, no other
mischief arises from them than the obstruction of the ways. It was far
otherwise before 1716, when they generally carried Dice with them,
and children were enticed to throw for fruit and nuts, or indeed any
persons of more advanced age. However, in the year just mentioned, the
pernicious consequences of the practice beginning to be felt, the Lord
Mayor issued an order to apprehend all retailers so offending, which
speedily put an end to street-gaming; though, I am sorry to observe,
that some miscreants now carry little wheels marked with numbers, which
being turned govern the chance by the figure a hand in the centre
points to when stopped.
The first notice of coloured lamps for illuminations that I have met
with is in the year 1716, when Dr. Chamberlain displayed 200 on the
front of his house in Surrey-street, in honour of the King's birth-day.
The same year produced the annual rowing-match by six young watermen
who have just completed their apprenticeship, which was founded by Mr.
Doggett, the Comedian, who left a certain sum in trust for the purchase
of the prize, an orange-coloured coat with a silver badge, representing
the Hanoverian horse, as I take it; but the papers of the day will have
it to represent _the wild unbridled horse_ Liberty.
The reader will find in the following advertisement a singular method
of invitation to a public-house and gardens; and I think he will agree
with me, that this custom of our predecessors is better honoured in the
breach than in the observance.
"Sion Chapel, at Hampstead, being a private and pleasant place, many
persons of the best fashion have been lately married there. Now, as
a Minister is obliged constantly to attend, this is to give notice,
that all persons, upon bringing a licence, and who shall have their
wedding-dinner at the house in the gardens, may be married in the said
Chapel without giving any fee or reward; and such as do not keep their
wedding at the gardens, only five shillings will be demanded of them
for all fees."
A grand aquatic procession occurred in July 1717. The King, accompanied
by the Dutchess of Newcastle, Lady Godolphin, Madam Kilmanseck and
the Earl of Orkney, went in the evening in an open barge to Chelsea.
As they floated up the tide, surrounded by thousands of boats, fifty
performers in a City-barge serenaded his Majesty with the strains of
Handel, composed expressly for this occasion, with which he was so
enraptured that they were thrice repeated. At eleven o'clock the boats
had reached Chelsea; there the Monarch landed, and, proceeding to the
mansion of Lady Catharine Jones[257:A] he supped, was entertained by
a concert, and returned at two in the morning. The Princess of Wales
frequently hired the common watermen, and glided about the same part
of the river; and once honoured a West-country barge with a visit,
partaking with the men their homely fare of salt-pork and bread, and
distributing a tenfold equivalent of guineas. This honour was so
acceptable to the Master of the vessel, that he immediately gave her
a Royal title, and expended great part of the money in purchasing a
splendid cockade as a _distinguishing vane_ for his head, vowing to
_renew it when decayed_.
Such were the happier moments of Royalty! Thanks to our Constitution,
happiness reigns in gradations from the Throne to the Cottage; and
while George I. solaced in his Gondola, fanned by the evening breeze,
and lulled by the sweet notes of Handel, his peasants were celebrating
their Florists' feast at Bethnal-green, with a Carnation named after
him, the King of the Year; the Stewards bearing gilded staves, crowned
with laurel, and bedecked with flowers, and 90 cultivators in their
rear, each bearing his blooming trophy, traversed the fields to the
sound of musick, happy in themselves, and rendering the numerous
spectators not less so. Why is this pleasing custom neglected and
forgotten?
It would have been well if the Society for the Reformation of Manners
had attempted the reform of a class of people whose manners were
extremely provoking and very disgusting.
I beg leave to introduce a paragraph from the Medley of May 16, which
will explain my meaning, and support my assertion, that in this
particular the watermen of our day are greatly improved, though still
very rough in their actions and conversation.
"On Monday last, being the day King George set out for Hanover,
several of his lower domesticks went before; and while they were upon
the Thames, a brisk bold lass, that was perfectly well versed in
water-language, gave them several plaguy broadsides; certain it is,
she made use of several odd, comical, out-of-the-way expressions, at
which, though at the same time they were heartily vexed, they could
not forbear laughing. The phrases she made use of should be repeated
here, but only they were of such a rude nature, that, though they did
not fall under the cognizance of the law by water, yet they would be
perfectly punishable by land; and I question whether if they would not
even be deemed treasonable. The Thames seems to have a charter for
rudeness; and the sons of Triton and Neptune have not only a freedom
of, but a licence for, any sort of speech. The privilege, by being so
antient, is grown incontestible; and scandal there is as it were a law
by prescription. Crowned heads in former times did not go scot-free,
and yet no punishment ensued; so that Majesty then seemed, by conniving
in silence at the abuse, to give the Royal assent to those rough
water-laws. Several bitter jests were cast on our good Queen Catharine;
and people told her Majesty merrily of the several children King
Charles had by his concubines, and made it a matter of ludicrous wonder
and surprize, that the constant bedfellow of so mettlesome a Prince
should not give the world one token of their mutual love."
Such were the manners of watermen; and, without doubt, their passengers
frequently bore a part in the low _amusement of abuse_. Mr. Mist, well
known as one of the heroes of the Dunciad, enables me to shew those of
some of the landsmen of the same period. He introduces them in very
good advice to parents and masters previous to the holidays of May;
and observes, that many coaches were in a state of requisition for the
conveyance of journeymen, apprentices, and their masters' daughters, to
the churches of St. Pancras and Mary-le-bon, for private marriage.
He conjures all sober honest tradesmen who love their wives to walk
abroad with them and their children. "And whereas Mr. Mist has
been informed, that in holiday times divers persons of distinction
and figure _transform themselves into the shapes of journeymen,
apprentices_, and other mechanical habits, to trepan young wenches out
of their modesty; he therefore requires of all viceroys and governors
of families to give the strictest orders for their female children and
servants to repair to their respective habitations before candle-light.
"All journeymen Drapers, Mercers, Lawyers-clerks, _and other ten or
twelve-shilling workmen_, are strictly forbid to cause riots and routs
in the streets _concerning precedency_, as they return from their
carouses in the night-time.
"N. B. Bullies and Gamesters, who have an indisputable right to make
disturbances every night in the year, are not meant in this article.
"Journeymen Shoemakers are desired to take notice, that by an antient
statute, yet unrepealed, any of their function going sober to bed on
the night of Whitsun-Monday forfeits 5_s._; upon non-payment to be
levied by distress, one moiety to the informer, and the other to the
poor alehouse-keepers of the Parish where the fact was committed."
The horrid custom of Duelling never was at a greater height than at the
above date. The newspapers from 1700 to 1719 appear to have preserved
their progression faithfully; every gaming-table, despicable brothel,
tavern, coffee-house, masquerade, the theatres, and even festive
meetings, produced its duellist; and the universal fashion of wearing
swords allowed no time for passion to subside, or reason to reflect;
a walk into the street or into an adjoining room, enabled the parties
to wound each other in an instant; revenge and pain maddened them; and
death frequently ensued to both. Government at length interfered; but
duelling has again recovered from _temporary_ interruption!--Doctors
Mead and Woodward fought like a pair of butchers, in June 1719, at the
very gates of Gresham-college; and every drunken rake who staggered
through the streets had it in his power to plunge a sword into an
unoffending breast, or to _wound_ where he now _dare_ not _strike_.
Dead bodies were frequently found; and the thief and the duellist
seemed emulous which should furnish the Diaries of the time with the
greater number of victims. Robberies, attended with monstrous cruelty,
were dreadfully frequent; and such was the general profligacy of the
age, that the paragraph-writers endeavoured to convey horrid facts
with a levity of expression suited to the coarseness of their style,
which was truly vulgar throughout all the newspapers. Let one instance
speak for me: "People sicken and die at an uncommon rate in and about
this city and suburbs; and there is a sad outcry raised (especially
by antient females) of a plague, pestilence, and what not, which has
occasioned abundance of people to leave the town, and fly to the
_countries_ for refuge, whilst horse and foot physicians, mountebanks,
_dead-mongers_, parish-clerks, and other lesser _ministers of dust
and ashes_, are continually in motion in one part or other to perform
their several offices; and we hear that in some parishes the sexton or
grave-digger can afford to employ two or three journeymen."
_Original Weekly Journal, May 22, 1719._
It must, however, be allowed that frequent attempts were made to
resist the progress of vice, and many of the Justices concurred in
warning the people of the illegality of their conduct; ten of them,
at a special Session held for the division of the Tower, in pursuance
of an order made at the General Quarter Sessions for Middlesex, on
the 19th of January 1719, for putting in execution the Statute of 33
Henry VIII. Cap. 9, directed authentic copies of the order to be given
to all victuallers, &c. whom it concerned, and also to be affixed
in all public places within that Division; "That none shall keep or
maintain any house or place of unlawful games, on pain of 40_s._ for
every day, of forfeiting their recognizance, and of being suppressed;
that none shall use or haunt such places on pain of 6_s._ 8_d._ for
every offence; and that no artificer, or his journeyman, husbandman,
apprentice, labourer, servant at husbandry, mariner, fisherman,
waterman, or serving-man, shall play at tables, tennis, dice, cards,
bowls, clash, coiting, loggating, or any other unlawful game, out of
Christmas, or then out of their master's house or presence, on pain of
20_s._"
But, though it was sometimes possible to prevent the depravity of the
lower order of people, there were others, that moved in the sphere
of gentlemen, who set the worst of examples to their inferiors. Such
were those that had assembled on the evening of a Court drawing-room
at the Royal Chocolate-house in St. James's-street; where disputes at
hazard produced a quarrel, which became general throughout the room;
and, as they fought with their swords, three gentlemen were mortally
wounded; and the affray was at length ended by the interposition of the
Royal-guards, who were compelled to knock the parties down with the
butt-ends of their muskets indiscriminately, as intreaties and commands
were of no avail. A footman of Colonel Cunningham's, greatly attached
to his master, rushed through the swords, seized, and literally carried
him out by force without injury.
This horrid rencontre was the effect of sudden passion, roused by
disappointment and avarice; there was nothing of depravity prepense,
except the act of gaming. Weak as this palliative may be, the members
of two other clubs had them not to plead for their infamous profligacy.
The wretches who associated under the titles of the "_Bold Bucks_" and
the "_Hell-fires_," are described in a paper of February 20, 1720, as
deliberate abandoned villains. "The principles of the first are to
come up to the flaming lust of their worthy patrons, from whom they
take their denomination, by their examples; they attempt all females
of their own species promiscuously--grandmothers and mothers, as well
as daughters; even their own sisters fear their violence, and fly
their privacies. Blind and bold Love is their motto, and their soul's
faculties strictly terminated in a participation of entertainment and
judgment with brutes."
"The Hell-fires, you may guess by the appellation, aim at a more
transcendant malignity; deriding the forms of Religion as a trifle
with them, by a natural progression from the form they turn to the
substance; with Lucifer they fly at Divinity. The third person of the
Trinity is what they peculiarly attack; by the following specimen
you may judge of their good will: _i. e._ their calling for a Holy
Ghost-pye at the Tavern, in which, by the bye, you may still observe
the propriety and justice of God's judgment on them, that blasts the
advantages of their education, so as to make this shocking stupidity to
be the poignancy of their wit, and the life they lead, the sublimity
of their genius. Such is their disposition; the next things to be
remarked are their education and usual place of conference. Their
education then, after the care of tender parents, and their initiation
into the liberal arts, is proposed to be finished in an academy; (do
not mistake me) not a scholastic schismatical one, but a riding one;
where obsceneness, curses, blasphemy, exclamations, with revolving
regularity, meet each curvet of the more rational animal. Their usual
place of conference in full council, is a diminutive Tavern not very
far from thence; where the master and cook may perhaps in time hear
something from a Magistrate for striking in with the rakes' blasphemous
jests, and supplying them with cards and dice on Sundays."
As a further illustration of the manners of the times, the following
paragraph is of importance: "On Wednesday night last, about twelve,
there was such a great riot in Windmill-street, near the Haymarket,
that near 100 gentlemen and others were all engaged at one time, some
with swords, and others with sticks and canes, wherein abundance
were dangerously wounded; the watchmen that came to put an end to the
affray were knocked down and barbarously used; at last the patrole of
Horse-guards came, and finding them obdurate, rode through them cutting
all the way with their swords; yet we hear of none that were killed
upon the spot, though many, it is thought, cannot recover of their
wounds. When they saw their own time, they gave over; and, upon summing
up the matter, the quarrel began at first by two chairmen only[266:A]."
On the evening of May 28, Captain Fitzgerald and three young men his
companions met a lady in the Strand, returning from St. James's,
conveyed in a sedan-chair. They immediately endeavoured to force her
out, but were opposed by the chairmen, upon which they drew their
swords, and proceeded to demolish the vehicle. The noise brought a
watchman to the spot, who instantly received a deadly wound through the
back, and as instantly expired. This mighty son of Mars was secured;
but the others fled from their foul deed, like true cowards.
It may be supposed that this laxity of manners influenced all ranks,
when inroads upon the paths of decorum prevailed even in the Church.
In order that this fact may not rest upon my mere assertion, I shall
quote the concluding lines of a letter to the Author of the London
Journal, dated December 21, 1720, and signed "A. A. a lover of decency
and order." He speaks of an impropriety, _now_ become quite common,
in the Stewards of the Sons of the Clergy permitting persons from the
Theatres to perform in their annual celebration at St. Paul's; and then
proceeds: "There are other things truly blameable to be observed, when
the _Te Deum_ or Anthem hath been performing, yes, when the parson hath
been preaching, (viz.) _persons eating, drinking wine_, laughing and
talking; a conduct much more becoming those who attend the performances
of Drury-lane or the Haymarket, than the Temple of the Lord.
"What is here taken notice of, as it is fact, so it is abominable,
and ought to be exposed; the doing of which may tend to reform such
irregularities for the future, and keep those disorders from the House
of God, which cannot admit of a justification unless by those who may
think the same liberties may be taken in places set apart for devotion,
as are in the Synagogue of Satan."
The progress of the shocking Clubs already noticed became so alarming,
that the King found it necessary to issue his proclamation for their
suppression, in April 1721, which establishes their existence beyond
all dispute.
"At the Court of St. James's, the 28th day of April 1721.
Present, the King's most excellent Majesty in Council.
"His Majesty having received information which gives great reason
to suspect that there have been lately, and still are, in and about
the Cities of London and Westminster, certain scandalous Clubs or
Societies of young persons, who meet together, and in the most impious
and blasphemous manner insult the most sacred principles of our Holy
Religion, affront Almighty God himself, and corrupt the minds and
morals of one another; and being resolved to make use of all the
authority committed to him by Almighty God to punish such enormous
offenders, and to crush such shocking impieties, before they increase,
and draw down the vengeance of God upon this nation: His Majesty
has thought fit to command the Lord Chancellor, and his Lordship is
hereby required, to call together his Majesty's Justices of the Peace
of Middlesex and Westminster, and strictly to enjoin them in the
most effectual manner, that they and every of them do make the most
diligent and careful inquiry and search for the discovery of any thing
of this and the like sort, tending in any wise to the corruption of
the principles and manners of men, and to lay before his Lordship
such discoveries as from time to time may be made, to the end that
all proper methods may be taken for the utter suppression of all such
detestable practices. His Lordship is further directed to urge them
to the due execution of their office, in detecting and prosecuting
with vigour all profaneness, immorality, and debauchery, as they
value the blessing of Almighty God, as they regard the happiness of
their country, which cannot subsist if things sacred and virtuous are
trampled upon; and, as they tender his Majesty's favour, to which they
cannot recommend themselves more effectually than by shewing the utmost
zeal upon so important an occasion; to which end his Lordship is to
acquaint them, that as his Majesty, for himself, has nothing more at
heart than to regard the honour of God so impiously struck at, and is
determined to shew all marks of displeasure and discouragement to any
who may lie even under the suspicion of such practices; so he shall
always account it the greatest and substantial service they can do to
his Majesty or his government, to exert themselves in discovering any
who are guilty of such impieties, that they may be openly prosecuted
and punished with the utmost severity and most public ignominy which
the laws of the land can inflict.