Orders of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal against Papists, December 22, 1688


A printed version of the text can be found on page 156 of A Kingdom without a King: The Journal of the Provisional Government in the Revolution of 1688, edited by Robert Beddard (Oxford: Phaidon Press, 1988).


The Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled in this extraordinary conjuncture, considering the great mischiefs that have happened unto, and do still threaten, this Kingdom by the evil designs and practices of the papists in great numbers resorting unto, and abiding in, the City of London and places adjacent to the said city; for the better preservation of the peace and common safety have thought fit, and do order and require, that all papists and reputed Papists do, and shall, within five days after the date hereof, depart from the said city unto their respective habitations, from which they are not to stir above five miles' distance; except such as are now in the actual service of the Queen Dowager, and except all Ambassadors and Foreign Ministers, with their domestic servants, being foreigners, and all other foreigners, being merchants or factors, or who are come into of do reside in this Kingdom upon the account of trade only; except also all such persons as have been householders of have exercised any trade within the City of London, or within ten miles of the same, by the space of three years last past (other than such as do sell arms), so as such householders shall within eight days from the date hereof leave an account in writing with my Lord Mayor, the Recorder, or some Alderman, being a Justice of the Peace within the said City, or other Justices of the Peace, of their respective names and places of their habitations; except also all such Parish Officers as shall, within six days of the date hereof, give good and sufficient bail before the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, or some Alderman, being a Justice of the Peace within the said City, for their appearance in the Court of King's Bench the first day of the next Term to answer such things as shall be there objected to them, who are in the mean time to keep the peace.

And it is hereby ordered that such Popish Officers, as shall not within the said eight days give such bail as aforesaid, shall be committed into custody, and be detained and kept in some public inns by the Trained Bands or Militia of the said City, or Counties adjacent, respectively, until further order.

Signed by their Lordships' order,

F. Gwyn


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