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His Majefties
GRACIOUS
DECLARTION.
JAMES R.
Dr ConduSl h.ts been fuch in aR times, as ought to have per-
fivaded the world, that We are firm ana confiant to Our
Refolutions, yet that eafie People may not be abufed by the
Malice of Crafty Wicked Men, We think fit to Declare,
That Our Intentions are not changed Jince the Fourth
April 1687. when We out Our Declaration for Li¬
berty of Conference in the following Terms.
His Majefties Gracious Declaration to all
His Loving Subje&s for Liberty of Con¬
fidence.
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J A M E S R.
IT having pleafed Almighty God not only to bring Us to the Im¬
perial Crown of thefe Kingdoms through the greateft Difficul¬
ties, but to preferve Us by a more than Ordinary Providence up¬
on the Throne of Our Royal Anceftors; There is nothing now that
We fo earneftly defire, as to Eftablifh Our Government on fuch a Foun¬
dation as may make Our Subjects happy, arid Unite them to Us by In¬
clination as well as Duty ; Which Wethinktcanbe done by no Means
lo efte&ually, as by granting to them the free Exercife of their Reli¬
gion for the time to come, and add that to the perfeft Enjoyment
o.f their Property, which has never been in any cafe Invaded by Us
fince Our coming to theCrown ; Which being the two things Men
value moft, {hall ever be preferved in thefe Kingdoms, during Our
Reign over them, as the trueft Methods of their Peace and Our Glo¬
ry. We cannot but heartily wifh, as it will eafily be believed,
That all the People of Our Dominions were Members of the Ca-
tholick Churth, yet We humbly thank Almighty God, it is, and
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hath of long time been Our conftant Senfe and Opinion (which
upon diverle Occafions We have Declared ) That Confidence ought
not to be conftrained, nor People forced in Matters of meer Re¬
ligion : It has ever been dire&ly contrary to Our Inclination, as
We think it is to the Intereft of Government, which it deftroys by
Spoiling Trade, Depopulating Countries, and Difcouraging Stran¬
gers ; and finally, that it never obtained the End for which it was
employed : And in this We are the more confirmed by the Reflexions
We have made upon the Conduft of the Four laflr Reigns. For after
all the frequent and Preffing Endeavors that were uled in each of
them, to reduce this Kingdom to an exa£t Conformity in Religion,
it is vifible the Succefs has not anfwered the Defign, and that the Dif¬
ficulty is invincible. We therefore out of Our Princely Care and
Affe&ion unto all our Loving Subjects, that they may live at Eafe and
Quiet, and for the increafe of Trade, and encouragement of Strangers,
have thought fit by virtue of Our Royal Prerogative, to Iflue forth
this Our Declaration 6f Indulgence; making no doubt of the Con¬
currence of Our Two Houfes of Parliament, when We fhall think it
convenient for them to Meet.
Inthefirft Place We do Declare,That We will Protect and Maintain
Our Arch-Bifhops, Rifhops, and Clergy, and all other Our Subjects of
the Church of England, in the free Exercife of their Religion, as by
Law Eftablifhed, and in the quiet and full Enjoyment of all their Pof-
ieflions, without any Moleftation or Difturbance whatfoever.
We do likewife Declare, That it is our Royal Will and Pleafure,
That from henceforth the Execution of all and all manner of Penal
-Laws in Matters Ecclefiaftical, for not coming to Church, or not Re-
< ceiving the Sacrament, or for any other Non-conformity to the Re¬
ligion Eftablifhed, or for or by realbn of the Exercife of Religion in
any manner whatfoever , be immediately Suljpended ; And the fur¬
ther Execution of the laid Penal Laws and every of them is hereby
Sulpended.
And to the end that by the Liberty hereby Granted, the Peace and
Security of Our Government in the Practice thereof may not be en¬
dangered, We have thought fit, and do hereby ftraitly Charge and
Command all Our Loving Subjects, That as We do freely give them
Leaveto Meet and Serve God after their own Way and Manner, be it
in private Houfes, or Places purpofely Hired or Built for that ule: So
that they take efpecial care, that nothing be Preached or Taught a-
mongft them which may any ways tend to Alienate the Hearts of
Our People from Us or Our Government ; And that their Meetings
and Alfemblies be peaceably, openly, and publickly held, and all
Perfons freely admitted to them ; And that they do fignifie and
make known to fome one or more of the next Juftices of the Peace,
what Place or Places they let apart for thole ules.
And that all Our Subjects may enjoy fuch their Religious Alfem¬
blies with greater Alfurance and Prote&ion, We have thought it
Requifite, and do hereby Command, That no Difturbance of any
kind be made or given unto them, under Pain of our Difpleafure, and
to be further proceeded againll with the uttermoft Severity.
And fbrafinuch as We are defirous to have the Benefit of the Ser¬
vice of all Our Loving Subjects, which by the Law of Nature is inle-
par&biy annexed to, andinherent in Our Royal Per loo ; And that none
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of Our Subjects may for the future be under any Difcouragement or
Difability (who are otherwife well inclined and fit to Serve Us) by
realbn of fome Oaths or Tefts, that have been ufually Adminiftred
on fuch Occafions: We do hereby further Declare, That it is Our
Royal VVill and Pleafure , That the Oaths commonly called, The
Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, and alfo the feverai Tefts and De¬
clarations mentioned in the A&s of Parliament made in the 2<th and
50th Years of the Reign of Our late Royal Brother King Charles the
Second, fhall not at any time hereafter be required to be Taken, De¬
clared, or Subfcribed by any Perlon or Perfons whatloever, who is
or fhall be Employed in any Office or Place of Truft, either Civil or
Military, under Us or in Our Government. And VVe do further
Declare it to be Our Pleafure and Intention from time to time here¬
after, to Grant Our Royal Difpenfations under Our Great Seal to all
Our Loving Subje&s fo to be Employed, who fhall not take the faid
Oaths, or Sublcribe or Declare the faid Tefts or Declarations in the
abovementioned A&s and every of them.
And to the end that all Our Loving Subjecls may receive and en¬
joy the full Benefit and Advantage of Our Gracious Indulgence here¬
by intended, and may be Acquitted and Difcharged from all Pains,:
Penalties, Forfeitures, and Difabilities by them or any of them in¬
curred or forfeited, or which they fhall or may at any time hereafter
be liable to, for or by reafon of their Non-conformity, or the Exer-
cife of their Religion, and from all Suits, Troubles, or Difturbancev
for the fame: We do hereby give Our Free and Ample Pardon unto-
all Non-conformifts, Recufants, and other Our Loving Sub jects, for,
all Crimes and Things by them committed or done contrary to the
I'enal Laws formerly made relating to Religion and the Profeffion or
Exercife thereof, Hereby Declaring, That this Our Royal Pardon
and Indempnity fhall be as Good and Effe&ual to all Intents and Pur-
pofes, as if every Individual Perfon had been therein particularly na¬
med, or had particular Pardons under our Great Seal, which VVe do
likewife Declare fhall from time to time be Granted unto any Perfon
or Perfons defiring the fame : Willing and Requiring Our Judges,
fuftices, and other Officers, to take Notice of and Obey Our Royal
VVill and Pleafure herein before Declared.
And although the Freedom and AfTurance We have hereby given in
relation to Religion and Property, might be fufficient to remove from
the Minds of our Loving Subjecls all Fears and Jealoufies in relation to
either; yet We have thought fit further to Declare, That We will
Maintain them in all their Properties and Polfeffions, as well of
Church and Abby-Lands, as in any other their Lands and Properties
whatloever. "
Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Fourth day of April 168-7.
the Third Tear of Our Reign.-
"v.
E[ Ver fince We granted this Indulgence W have made it Our principal
j Care to fee it preferred without , we are encouraged to
do daily by multitudes of Addreffes and many other Ajfurances W? receive from
Our Subjects of all Perflations, as Teftimonies of their Satisfaction and Duty ;
the Effects of which We doubt not but next Parliament willplainly ,
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tntl that it will not be in vain that we have refolved to ufe Our uttermoft
Endeavours to Fflablifh Liberty of Confcience on equal
dations , as will render it unalterable, andfecnre to all People the free Excrcife
of their Religion forever ; by which future Ages may
is fo undoubtedly for the general Good of the whole Kjngdom. It is fuch a Se¬
curity We defire without the burthen and confiraint of Oaths and Tefs, which
have been unhappily made by fome Governments, but could never Support any,
.nor fhould men he advanced by fuch means to Offices and Imployments, which
ought to be the Reward of Services, Fidelity and Merit. We mufi conclude,
That 'ndt only good Chriflians will joyn in this, but whoever is concerned for
the enffreafe of the Wealth and Power of the Nation. Jt would perhaps
prejudice fome of our Neighbours who might lofe part of thofe vafl
Advantages they now enjoy, if Liberty of Confcience were Settled in
thefe Kjngdoms, which are above all others capable of ,
md of commanding the Trade of the World: In purfuance ofthis great Work,
We have been forced to make many Cha Officers
throughout our Dominions, not thinking any ought to be imployed in Cur
Service, who wiM not contribute towards the eflablifbing the Peace and Great-
nefs of their Country, which We mojl earneflly dtfire, as unbyafs'd Men may
foe by the whole Conduct of Our Governmand by the Condition of Our
Fleet, and of Our Armies, which with good Management fhall be conflantly
the fame, and greater, if the Safety or Honour of the Nation require it*
We recommend thefe Confiderations to all Our Subjects, and that they will
reflect on their prefent Eafe and Happinef, how for above three Tear that
it has pleafed God to permit us to Reign over thefe Kjngdoms, We have not
appeared to be that Prince, Our Enemies would have made the World afraid
of, Our chief Aim having been not to be the Oppreffor, but the Father of Our
People 5 of which W; can gi&e no better vjjr." C onflcrrngtheifi
to lay afide all private , as nell as groundUfs fealc 'ujtes, and to
choofe fuch Members of Parliament as may do their part to what We
have begun for the Advantage of the Monarchy, over which Almighty God
hath placed 'Vs, being refolved to call a Parliament that fhall meet in No¬
vember next, at furthefi.
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Twenty feventh day cf
April 1688. In the Fourth Year of Our Reign.
26p gpafcftics fpccial Command
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LONDON,J
#flnted by Charles Bill, Henry Hills, and Thomas Newcomb, Printers
to the King's Moft Excellent Majefty. 1687.
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