178 A PROCLAMATION, &c. 



tain every several estate in a happy and flourishing 

 condition, without confusion or over-growing of any 

 one to the prejudice, discontentment, or discourage 

 ment of the rest : and generally in all estates we hope 

 God will strengthen and assist us, not only to extir 

 pate all gross and notorious abuses, and corruptions, 

 of simonies, briberies, extortions, exactions, oppres 

 sions, vexations, burthensome payments, and over 

 charges, and the like ; but further to extend our 

 princely care to the supply of the very neglects and 

 omissions of any thing that may tend to the good of 

 our people. So that every place and service that is 

 fit for the honour or good of the commonwealth shall 

 be filled, and no man s virtue left idle, unimployed, 

 or unrewarded ; and every good ordinance and con 

 stitution, for the amendment of the estate and times, 

 be revived and put in execution. 



In the mean time, minding by God s leave, all 

 delay set apart, to comfort and secure our loving sub 

 jects in our kingdom of England by our personal 

 presence there, we require all our loving subjects 

 joyfully to expect the same : and yet so, as we signify 

 our will and pleasure to be, that all such ceremonies 

 and preparations as shall be made and used to do us 

 honour, or to express gratulation, be rather comely 

 and orderly, than sumptuous and glorious ; and for 

 the expressing of magnificence, that it be rather em 

 ployed and bestowed upon the funeral of the late 

 queen, to whose memory, we are of opinion, too much 

 honour cannot be done or performed. 



