VVHereas by a late Act of Parliament, Entituled, An Act to prohibit all Commerce and Traffique between England and Scotland, and Enjoyning the Departure of Scots out of this Com­wonwealth, herewith sent, all those of the Scotish Nation are forbid­den to continue in England, under the penalties therein expressed, un­less permitted so to do by the Parliament or Councel of State, as by the said Act appeareth: And whereas there may be divers of that Nation now in England, that are of good and peaceable Behavior, and from whom there is no cause to fear that evil which the said Act intends to prevent, yet will be by the said Act in danger to be proceeded against as is thereby directed: And for that it would be a great trouble to the Councel, and a charge to the persons, to make their personal Application to the Councel from all parts of the Commonwealth; The Councel, in pursuance of the Power given unto them, have thought fit to commit unto your care, the permitting of such of the Scotish Nation to continue here, [...] under the following Qua­lifications:

ALl such as having Families, do exercise any Trade or Manufacture, or that are Servants or Apprentices, and have resided in England before and ever since the Scotish Invasion in the year 1648, and have not been, nor are Delinquents, or under Sequestration by any Act or Ordinance of Parliament, nor Soldiers of Fortune, nor have mani­fested their disaffection to the Parliament and present Government.

You are hereby authorized to give License to these to stay in Eng­land (if they desire it of you) for so long onely as until the Parliament or Councel of State shall give Order to the contrary: The Names of which persons, with their Dwelling, are to be Entred into a Book by you to be provided for that purpose.

The persons thus to be Licensed by you, are to take and Subscribe the Engagement appointed by Authority of Parliament; and also shall before some of you who are Justices of the Peace, enter into Recog­nizance Custodibus Libertatis, &c. in some convenient Sum not under Two hundred pounds, and so upward, according to the quality of the persons, which is left to your judgement; conditioned, That they shall act nothing to the prejudice of this Commonwealth and present Government: And shall (within such time after Summon left at their [Page]houses, as you shall judge sufficient for their journey, according to the distance of their dwelling hence, which we leave to you to determine and express) make their appearance before the Parliament or the Councel of State, as they shall be by the said Summons appointed; Their Subscriptions of the Engagement, and Recognizances, you shall cause to be Registred as aforesaid.

You shall cause enquiry to be made after such of the Scotish Na­tion as shall continue in your County, and are not qualified as above­said, and that have not your License thereupon, and cause them to be prosecuted and proceeded against according to the said Act.

You are before the First of October, to certifie to us all your pro­ceedings upon these Instructions, The Names of the persons Licensed, with their Subscriptions and Recognizances: And if you meet with any particular case that is not clearly enough provided for by the said Act or these Instructions, worthy of consideration, You are to signi­fie the same to us for further direction.