Proclamation of King Charles II Regarding Foreign Seminaries
From EuroDocs
A Proclamation
Commanding the immediate Return of all His Majesties Subjects who are in any Foreign Seminaries, and Forbidding Relief to be sent to them.
Charles R.
Whereas by a Statute made in the Seven and Twentieth year of the Reign of the late Queen Elizabeth, it is (amongst other things) Enacted, That if any of the Subjects of this Kingdom (not being a Jesuit, Seminary Priest, or other such Priest, Deacon, or Religious or Ecclesiastical person, Ordained, or Professed by any Authority or Jurisdiction derived, challenged or pretended from the See of Rome) shall be of, or brought up in any Colledge of Jesuits, or Seminary Erected or Ordained in parts beyond the Seas, and shall not Within Six months next after Proclamation in that behalf to be made in the City of London, under the Great Seal of England, return into this Kingdom, and thereupon within Two days after such return, before the Bishop of the Diocese, or Two Justices of the Peace of the County where he shall arrive, submit himself to the Kings Majesty and his Laws, and take the Oath of Supremacy, That then every such person (Which shall otherwise return, come into, or be in this Realm) for such offence of returning, or being in this Realm Without Submission as aforesaid, shall be adjudged a Traitor, and Suffer Lose and forfeit as in case of high Treason. And whereas by diverse other statutes of this Realm, great Penalties are inflected as well upon the Person[??????]up in foreign Seminaries, as upon their Parents, Guardians and friends [?????????????]send them thither, or shall send them any Relief or Maintenance to them there; And whereas His Majesty has been informed, that many of His Subjects of this Kingdom do live in, and are daily conveyed into Foreign Seminaries, where they are brought up and educated in Romish Superstition to the great Detriment of this Kingdom: His Majesty doth therefore by this His royal Proclamation (with the Advice of His Privy Council) straitly Charge and Command all His Subjects of this Kingdom, who are in any Foreign Seminaries, That they do with all speed return into this His Kingdom; and doth likewise Command and Require their respective Parents, and Guardians, to take the most effectual Care for such their Return. And His Majesty is hereby Graciously pleased to promise His Royal Pardon for their Offence in going into Foreign Seminaries, to such of His Subjects as being now there, shall in Obedience to this His Royal Proclamation, make there speedy Return; and also to their Parents, Guardians and friends, for sending them thither, if they shall procure their speedy Return. And His Majesty doth hereby straitly Prohibit and forbid all and every His Subjects of this His Kingdom Whatsoever, for the time to come, from going to, or residing in any of the said Seminaries: And doth likewise Prohibit and forbid all and every His Subjects to send any Relief or Maintenance to any of His Subjects or others, who now are, or shall hereafter be or reside in any Foreign Seminary. To all which His Majesty doth expect all due Obedience, Letting the Offenders to the contrary know, That they shall not onely incur His high Displeasure, but be proceded against (for their respective Offences) according to the utmost Severities of Law.
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Eighth day of January 1678. In the Thirtieth year of our Reign.
London
Printed by John Bill, Christopher Barker, Thomas Newcomb, and Henry Hills, printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1678.
[edit]
Return to United Kingdom: Primary Documents
[edit]
Return to EuroDocs Homepage
EuroDocs Creator: Richard Hacken, European Studies Bibliographer,
Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.
Feel free to get in touch: Hacken @ byu.edu
