Our dear father of blessed memory,
>> note 1 in
his return from Scotland, coming through
Lancashire, found that his subjects were
debarred from lawful recreations upon Sundays
after evening prayers ended, and upon Holy-days;
and he prudently considered that, if these
times were taken from them, the meaner
sort who labor hard all the week should
have no recreations at all to refresh their
spirits: and after his return, he further
saw that his loyal subjects in all other
parts of his kingdom did suffer in the
same kind, though perhaps not in the same
degree: and did therefore in his princely
wisdom publish a Declaration to all his
loving subjects concerning lawful sports
to be used at such times, which was printed
and published by his royal commandment
in the year 1618, in the tenor which hereafter
followeth:
Whereas upon our return the last year out
of Scotland, we did publish our pleasure
touching the recreations of our people in
those parts under our hand; for some causes
us thereunto moving, we have thought good
to command these our directions then given
in Lancashire, with a few words thereunto
added, and most appliable to these parts
of our realms, to be published to all our
subjects.
We did justly in our progress through Lancashire
rebuke some Puritans and precise people,
and took order that the like unlawful carriage
should not be used by any of them hereafter,
in the prohibiting and unlawful punishing
of our good people for using their lawful
recreations and honest exercises upon Sundays,
and other Holy-days, after the afternoon
sermon or service. * * * With our own ears
we heard the general complaint of our people,
that they were barred from all lawful recreations
and exercises upon the Sunday's afternoon,
after the ending of all divine service, which
cannot but produce two evils: the one the
hindering of the conversion of many, whom
their priests will take occasion hereby to
vex, persuading them that no honest mirth
or recreation is lawful or tolerable in our
religion, which cannot but breed a great
discontentment in our people's hearts,
especially of such as are peradventure on
the point of turning: the other inconvenience
is, that this prohibition barreth the common
and meaner sort of people from using such
exercises as may make their bodies more able
for war, when His Majesty or his successors
shall have occasion to use them; and in place
thereof sets up filthy tippling and drunkenness,
and breeds a number of idle and discontented
speeches in their ale-houses. For when shall
the common people have leave to exercise,
if not upon the Sundays and Holy-days, seeing
they must apply their labor and win their
living in all working days?
Our pleasure * * * is, that the Bishop of
that Diocese take the like strait order with
all the Puritans and Precisians within the
same, either constraining them to conform
themselves or to leave the county, according
to the laws of our kingdom and canons of
our Church, and so to strike equally on both
hands against the contemners of our authority
and adversaries of our Church; and as for
our good people's lawful recreation,
our pleasure likewise is, that after the
end of divine service our good people be
not disturbed, letted or discouraged from
any lawful recreation, such as dancing, either
men or women; archery for men, leaping, vaulting,
or any other such harmless recreation, nor
from having of May-games, Whitsun-ales, and
Morris-dances; and the setting up of May-poles
and other sports therewith used: so as the
same be had in due and convenient time, without
impediment or neglect of divine service:
and that women shall have leave to carry
rushes to the church for the decorating of
it, according to their old custom; but withal
we do here account still as prohibited all
unlawful games
>> note 2 to
be used upon Sundays only, as bear and bull-baitings, interludes, and at
all times in the meaner sort of people by law prohibited, bowling. * * *
And we likewise straightly command that
every person shall resort to his own parish
church to hear divine service, and each parish
by itself to use the said recreation after
divine service. * * *
Now out of a like pious care for the service
of God, and for suppressing of any humors
that oppose truth, and for the ease, comfort,
and recreation of our well-deserving people,
His Majesty [Charles] doth ratify and publish
this our blessed father's Declaration:
the rather, because of late in some counties
of our kingdom, we find that under pretense
of taking away abuses, there hath been a
general forbidding, not only of ordinary
meetings, but of the Feasts of the Dedications
of the Churches, commonly called Wakes. Now
our express will and pleasure is, that these
Feasts, with others, shall be observed, and
that our Justices of the Peace, in their
several divisions, shall look to it, both
that all disorders there may be prevented
or punished, and that all neighborhood and
freedom, with manlike and lawful exercises
be used: and we further command all Justices
of assize in their several circuits to see
that no man do trouble or molest any of our
lawful and dutiful people, in or for their
lawful recreations, having first done their
duty to God, and continuing in obedience
to us and our laws: and for this we command
all our Judges, Justices of the Peace, a
well within liberties as without, Mayors,
Bailiffs, Constables, and other officers,
to take notice of, and to see observed, as
they tender our displeasure. And we further
will that publication of this our command
be made by order from the Bishops, through
all the parish churches of their several
dioceses respectively.
Given at our Palace of Westminster, the
eighteenth day of October, in the ninth year
of our Reign.
God save the King.