Our care and endeavours for the preservation of the rights and interests
of the Church have been sufficiently manifested to the world by the
whole course of our government since our happy restoration, and by the
many and frequent ways of coercion that we have used for reducing all
erring or dissenting persons, and for composing the unhappy differences
in matters of religion which we found among our subjects upon our return.
But, it being evident by the sad experience of twelve years that there
is very little fruit of all those forcible courses, we think ourselves
obliged to make use of that supreme power in ecclesiastical matters,
which is not only inherent in us but hath been declared and recognized
to be so by several statutes and acts of parliament. And therefore we do
now accordingly issue out this our royal declaration, as well for the
quieting the minds of our good subjects in these points, for inviting
strangers in this conjunction to come and live under us, and for the
better encouragement of all to a cheerful following of their trades and
callings, from whence we hope, by the blessing of God, to have many good
and happy advantages to our government; as also for preventing for the
future the danger that might otherwise arise from private meetings and
seditious conventicles. And in the first place, we declare our express
resolution, meaning, and intention to be that the Church of England be
preserved and remain entire in its doctrine, discipline, and government,
as it now stands established by law; and that this be taken to be, as it
is, the basis, rule, and standard of the general and public worship of
God, and the orthodox conformable clergy do receive and enjoy the
revenues belonging thereunto; and that no person, though of different
opinion and persuasion, shall be exempt from paying his tithes, or other
dues whatsoever. And further we declare that no person shall be capable
of holding any benefice, living, or ecclesiastical dignity or preferment
of any kind in this Kingdom of England, who is not exactly conformable.
We do in the next place declare our will and pleasure to be that the
execution of all and all manner of penal laws in matters ecclesiastical,
against whatsoever sort of nonconformists or recusants, be immediately
suspended, and they are hereby suspended. And all judges of assize and
gaol-delivery sheriffs, justices of the peace, mayors, bailiffs, and
other officers whatsoever, whether ecclesiastical or civil, are to take
notice of it, and pay due obedience thereunto, and that there may be no
pretence for any of our subjects to continue their illegal meetings and
conventicles, we do declare that we shall from time to time allow a
sufficient number of places, as shall be desired, in all parts of this
our kingdom, for the use of such as do not conform to the Church of
England, to meet and assemble in, in order to their public worship and
devotion; which places shall be open and free to all persons.
But to prevent such disorders and inconveniences as may happen by this
our indulgence, if not duly regulated, and that they may be better
protected by the civil magistrate, our express will and pleasure is that
none of our subjects do presume to meet in any place, until such place
be allowed, and the teacher of that congregation be approved by us. And
lest any should apprehend that this our restriction should make our said
allowance and approbation difficult to be obtained, we do further
declare, that this our indulgence as to the allowance of public places
of worship and approbation of teachers shall extend to all sorts of
nonconformists and recusants, except the recusants of the Roman Catholic
religion, to whom we shall no ways allow public places of worship, but
only indulge them in their share in the common exemption from the
executing the penal laws and the exercise of their worship in their
private houses only. And if after this our clemency and indulgence any
of our subjects shall presume to abuse this liberty and shall preach
seditiously, or to the derogation of the doctrine, discipline or
government of the established church, or shall meet in places not
allowed by us, we do hereby give them warning and declare we will let
them see we can be as severe to punish such offenders, when so justly
provoked, as we are indulgent to truly tender consciences.