By His Highness a proclamation prohibiting the disturbing of ministers and other Christians in their assemblies and meetings. England and Wales. Lord Protector (1653-1658 : O. Cromwell) This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A81001 of text R212249 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason 669.f.19[68]). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 5 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A81001 Wing C7163 Thomason 669.f.19[68] ESTC R212249 99870891 99870891 163404 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A81001) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 163404) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 246:669f19[68]) By His Highness a proclamation prohibiting the disturbing of ministers and other Christians in their assemblies and meetings. England and Wales. Lord Protector (1653-1658 : O. Cromwell) Cromwell, Oliver, 1599-1658. 1 sheet ([1] p.) Printed by Henry Hills and John Field, Printers to His Highness, London : MDCLIV. [1654, i.e. 1655] Dated at end: Given at White-Hall the 15: day of February 1654. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Freedom of religion -- England -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- Religion -- 17th century -- Early works to 1800. A81001 R212249 (Thomason 669.f.19[68]). civilwar no By His Highness: a proclamation prohibiting the disturbing of ministers and other Christians in their assemblies and meetings. England and Wales. Lord Protector 1655 868 1 0 0 0 0 0 12 C The rate of 12 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-10 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2007-11 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion O blazon or coat of arms incorporating the Commonwealth Flag (1649-1651) P ❧ By His Highness : A PROCLAMATION PROHIBITING The Disturbing of MINISTERS and other CHRISTIANS in their Assemblies and Meetings . IT having pleased the Lord , by the manifold Mercies and Deliverances which he hath wrought in and for these Nations of late Years , and the Blessings wherewith he hath blessed the Endeavors of the Good People thereof , in making them Successful against his and their Enemies , to crown Vs with this , as not the least Token of his Favor and Good Will to Vs , That there is a free and uninterrupted Passage of the Gospel running through the midst of Vs , and Liberty for all to hold forth and profess with sobriety , their Light and Knowledge therein , according as the Lord in his rich Grace and Wisdom hath dispenced to every man , and with the same Freedom to practice and exercise the Faith of the Gospel , and to lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty , without any Interruption from the Powers God hath set over this Commonwealth , nay with all just and due Encouragement thereto , and Protection in so doing by the same ; A Mercy that is the Price of much Blood , and till of late years denyed to this Nation , as at this day it continues to be to most of the Nations round about Vs , and which all that fear God amongst Vs ought duly to consider and be thankful for in this Day , wherein God hath so graciously Visited and Redeemed his People ; His Highness , as He reckons it a Duty incumbent upon him , and shall take all possible Care to Preserve and Continue this Freedom and Liberty to all Persons in this Commonwealth fearing God , though of differing Iudgements , by protecting them in the sober and quiet exercise and profession of Religion , and the sincere worship of God , against all such who shall ; by imposing upon the Consciences of their Brethren , or offering violence to their Persons , or any other way , seek to hinder them therein ; So likewise doth He hold himself equally obliged to take Care , That , on no pretence whatsoever , such freedom given should be extended by any beyond those bounds which the Royal Law of Love and Christian Moderation have set us in our walking one towards another ; Or that thereby occasion should be taken by any to abuse this Liberty to the disturbance or disquiet of any of their Brethren in the same free Exercise of their Faith and Worship , which himself enjoies of his own . And His Highness cannot but sadly lament the woful distemper that is fallen upon the Spirits of many professing Religion and the Fear of God in these dayes , who instead of a suitable return to the Lord our God for this Liberty , and all our other Mercies , and appearing in an answerable carriage by a Spirit of tenderness and forbearance one towards another , and provoking one another to Love and good Works , are found in a Spirit of bitterness towards their Brethren , biting and devouring , hateful and hating one another , and whilest they pretend the Liberty which Christ hath purchased for his People , do openly and avowedly , by rude and unchristian Practices , disturb both the Publique and Private meetings for preaching the Word , and other Religious Exercises , and vilifie , oppose , and interrupt the Publique Preachers in their Ministery , whereby the Liberty of the Gospel , the profession of Religion , and the Name of God , is much dishonoured and abused , and the Spirits of all good men much grieved . His Highness therefore , having had many informations from divers parts of this Commonwealth of such Practices by divers men lately risen up under the names of Quakers , Ranters , and others , who do daily both reproach and disturb the Assemblies and Congregations of Christians , in their Publique and Private Meetings , and interrupt the Preachers in dispensing the Word , and others in their Worship , contrary to just Liberty , and to the disturbance of the Publique Peace , Doth hold himself obliged by His Trust to Declare His dislike of all such Practices , as being contrary to the just Freedome and Liberties of the People , which by the Laws and Government of this Commonwealth they ought to be Protected in ; And doth hereby strictly Require and Command all Persons whatsoever , That they forbear henceforth all such irregular and disorderly Practices . And if in Contempt hereof , any Persons shall presume to offend as aforesaid , We shall esteem them as Disturbers of the Civil Peace , and shall expect , and do require all Officers and Ministers of Iustice to proceed against them accordingly . Given at White-Hall the 15. day of February 1654. London , Printed by Henry Hills and John Field , Pri●●ers to His Highness , MDCLIV .