"His Majesty having received information which gives great reason to suspect that there have been lately, and still are, in and about the Cities of London and Westminster, certain scandalous Clubs or Societies of young persons, who meet together, and in the most impious and blasphemous manner insult the most sacred principles of our Holy Religion, affront Almighty God himself, and corrupt the minds and morals of one another; and being resolved to make use of all the authority committed to him by Almighty God to punish such enormous offenders, and to crush such shocking impieties, before they increase, and draw down the vengeance of God upon this nation: His Majesty has thought fit to command the Lord Chancellor, and his Lordship is hereby required, to call together his Majesty's Justices of the Peace of Middlesex and Westminster, and strictly to enjoin them in the most effectual manner, that they and every of them do make the most diligent and careful inquiry and search for the discovery of any thing of this and the like sort, tending in any wise to the corruption of the principles and manners of men, and to lay before his Lordship such discoveries as from time to time may be made, to the end that all proper methods may be taken for the utter suppression of all such detestable practices. His Lordship is further directed to urge them to the due execution of their office, in detecting and prosecuting with vigour all profaneness, immorality, and debauchery, as they value the blessing of Almighty God, as they regard the happiness of their country, which cannot subsist if things sacred and virtuous are trampled upon; and, as they tender his Majesty's favour, to which they cannot recommend themselves more effectually than by shewing the utmost zeal upon so important an occasion; to which end his Lordship is to acquaint them, that as his Majesty, for himself, has nothing more at heart than to regard the honour of God so impiously struck at, and is determined to shew all marks of displeasure and discouragement to any who may lie even under the suspicion of such practices; so he shall always account it the greatest and substantial service they can do to his Majesty or his government, to exert themselves in discovering any who are guilty of such impieties, that they may be openly prosecuted and punished with the utmost severity and most public ignominy which the laws of the land can inflict. EDWARD SOUTHWELL." "His Majesty has been pleased to give orders to the principal officers of his Household, to make strict and diligent enquiry whether any of his Majesty's servants are guilty of the horrid impieties mentioned in the Order of Council inserted above, and to make their report to his Majesty."