By the King, a proclamation, for the encouragement of piety and virtue, and for the preventing and punishing of vice, prophaneness, and immorality

By the King,
A PROCLAMATION,
For the Encouragement of Piety and V irtue, and for the Preventing and Punishing of Vice,
Prophanenefs, and Immorality.
GEORGE R.
, E moft Serioufly and Religioufly Confidering, That it is an Indifpenfible Duty on Us, to be Careful, above all
other Things, to Prelerve and Advance the Honour and Service of Almighty God, and to Difcourage and Sup-
prefs all Vice, Phrophanenefs, Debauchery and Immorality, which are fo highly Difpleafing to God, fo great
a Reproach to Our Religion and Government, and (by Means of the frequent 111 Examples of the Practices
thereof; have fo Fatal a Tendency to the Corruption of many ot Our Loving Subjefts, otherwiie Retigioully
and Virtuoufly Difpofed, and which fif not timely Remedied) may juftly draw down the Divine Vengeance
on Us and Our Kingdoms: We alfo humbly Acknowledging, That we cannot expect the Blelling and Good-
nets of Almighty God (by whom Kings Reign) and on which We entirely Rely; to make Our Reign Happy
and Profperons to Our Self and Our People, without a Religious Obfervance of Gods Holy Laws: 1 o the In¬
tent therefore that Religion, Piety, and Good Manners may (according to Our moft Hearty Defire) Flourilh
and Increafe under Our Adminiftration and Government, We have thought fit, by the Advice ot Our Pnvy-
Council, to liTue this Our Royal Proclamation, and do hereby Declare Our Royal Purpofe and Resolution to
Difcountenance and Punifh all Manner of Vice, Prophanenefs, and Immorality m allPerfons ofwhatioever
Degree or Quality within this Our Realm, and particularly m fuch as are Imployed near Our Royal Per fon;
and that for the greater Encouragement of Religion and Morality, We will, upon all Occasions, Diftingmfh
Perfons of Piety and Virtue by Marks of Our Royal Favour. And We do Expe£fc and Require that a.l Per*
fons of Honour or in Place of Authority, will give good Example by their own Virtue and Piety", and to their utmoft contribute to the Difcounte*
nancing Perfons of Diffdute and Debauched Lives, that they being by that Means reduced ^meand Co^
and Behaviour, may be thereby alfo Enforced the fooner to Reform their ill Habits, and Prafli es, h—ehv ftri^lv Fniovnand Pro
wards them mav Vas far as it is poifible) fupply what the Laws /probably; cannot altogether prevent^ And We do hereby ftrid y Enjoy n and Pro*
lubita!! OuT Lov/suEs, 0f what Degree or Quality foever, from Playing on the Lords Day at Dice Cards or any other Game wnatfoever either in
Puhiick or Private Houfes or other Place or Places whatioever; and do hereby Require and Command them and every ot them Decently a/ ^e''ercnc’
ly to Attend tlie Worfhipo°God on every Lords Day, on Pain of Our higheft Difpleafure, and of being Proceeded againft with the utmoft Rigour tnat
.may be bfu w AnTfor the more Effeaual Reforming of all fuch Perfons who by Reafon of their D.ffolute Lives and Converfations, are a Scandal to
Our Kingdom Our further Pleafure is, and We do hereby ftriaiy Charge and Command all Our Judges, Mayors, Sheriffs, Juftices of the Pvace, and
all other Our Officers and Minifters, both Ecclefiaftical a^.d Civil, and all other Our Spbjeas, whom it may concern, to be very Vig.lant and Str.a in
the Difcovery, and the Effeaual Profecution, and Punifhment of all Perfons who fhall be Guilty of Exceffive Drinking, Blafphemy, Prophane Swea^ -
in? andCurfi^g,3 Lewdnefty Prophanation of the Lords Day, or other Diffolute, Immoral, or Diforderly Praa.ces , and that they take Care alfo,
Effeaually to Suporefs all Publick Gaming-Houfes and Places, and other Lewd and Diforderly Houfes, and to put in Execution the Statute made in
the Nine and Twentieth Year of the Reign of the late King Charles the Second, Intituled, MAtt for the better Ob,ervmon of the Lords Day, commonly
coded Sunday, and alfo an Aft of Parliament made in the Ninth Year of the Reign of the late King William the Third, Intituled, An- AB for the more
Effectual Suppreffine of Blafpbemy and Propbanenefs, and all other Laws now in Force for the Pumlhing and Suppreffing any of iheVicos aforefaid:
And alfo to Supprds and Prevent all Gaming whatfoever in Publick or Private Houfes on the Lords Day, and hkewife that they take Effeaual Care .0
Prevent all PeHons Keeping Taverns, Chocolate-Houfes, Coffee Houfes, or other Publick Houfes whatfoeyer, from Selling Wine, Chocolate, Coffee,
Ale, Beer, or other Liquors^ or receiving or Permitting Guefts to be or remain in fuch their Houfes in the Time of Divine Service on the Lords Day, as
they w ill anfwer it to Almighty God, and upon Pain of Our Higheft Difpleafure. And for the more Efteaual Proceeding herein. We do hereby Dir el
and^Command all Our Judges of Affize and Juftices of the Peace, to give ftril Charges at their refpeaive Affizes and Seffions, for the due Profecution
and Punifhment of all Pertons that fhall prefume to Offend in any the Kinds aforefaid, andalfo ofall Perfons that, contrary to their Duty, fhall beRe-
mifs or Negligent in Putting the faid Laws in Execution; and that they do, at their refpeaive Affizes and Quarter Seffions of the Peace, caufe this Our
Proclamation fo be publickly Read in Open Court immediately before the Charge is given. Ind We do hereby further Charge and Command every
Minifter in his refpeaive Parilh-Church or Chapel, to Read or caufe to be Read this Our Proclamation, at leaft Four tunes in every Year, immediate y
after Divine Service, and to incite and ftir up their refpeaive Auditories to the Praaice of Piety and Virtue; and the Avoidir^ of all Immorality
and Prophanenefs. And to the end that all Vice and Debauchery may be prevented, and Religion and Vn tue Praaffed by all Officers, PrivategoWi-
fequences of their NegleQ; herein.
Given at Our Court at St. James’j- the Fifth Day o/January,i 714. and in the EirfiWar of Our Reign.
God lave the King.
EfDINB'URGH: Printed by James W atson. One of the Printers to the KING’S Moft Excellent Maiefty. I7*4p^^>