❧ By the Queene.
WHereas the Earle of Essex, accompanied with the Earles of Rutland & Southampton, and diuers other their complices, Gentlemen of birth and qualitie, knowing themselues to be discouered in diuers treasonable actions, into which they haue heeretofore entred, aswell in our Realme of Ireland, where some of them had layed plots with the Traitour Tirone, as in this our Realme of England, did vpon Sunday, being the eight of this Moneth, in the morning, not onely imprison our Keeper of our Great Seale of England, our Chiefe Iustice of England, and others both of our Nobilitie and Councell, that were sent in our Name to his house, to perswade the sayd Earle to lay open any his petitions or complaints, with promise if he would disperse his disordered company in his house) that all his iust requests shoulde bee heard, and graciously considered: but also did (after strait order giuen by him to murder our sayd Counsellers and others, whensoeuer they should offer to stirre out of that place) traitourously issue into our City of London in armes, with great numbers, and there breaking out into open action of rebellion, deuised and diuulged base and foolish lies, That their liues were sought, spreading out diuers strange and seditious inuentions, to haue drawen our people to their partie, with purpose to attempt traitourous actions, both against our Person and State, and to expose as it now appeareth) our City and people with their goods to the spoile of a number of needy and desperate persons their adherents, continuing still in armes, and killing diuers of our Subiects, after many Proclamations of rebellion made by our King of Heralds:
Forasmuch as notwithstanding (God be thanked) they haue found themselues deceiued of their expectation (being now all apprehended, and within our Tower of London, as well the three principal Traitorous Earles, of Essex, Rutland, and Southampton, as diuers others of the principal Gentlemen their confederats) our good Subiects of our Citie, and elsewhere, hauing shewed themselues so constant, and vmnoueable from their duties towards vs, as not any one of them of any note (that we can yet heare of) did offer to assist the said Earle and his associats; Wee haue bene contented, in regard of the comfort that we take to finde by so notorious euidence, the loyall disposition of our people (whereof we neuer doubted) not onely to make knowen to all our said Subiects of our Citie and elsewhere, in how thankefull part wee doe accept both their loyall persisting in their duetie, and stay from following the false perswasions of the Traitours, but to promise on our part, That whensoeuer wee shall haue to shew it, they shall finde vs more carefull ouer them, then for our selues, And hereby also in regard of our gracious meaning towards our good people, to admonish them, That seeing this open Acte was so sudden, as it cannot yet be throughly looked into, how farre it stretched, and how many hearts it hath corrupted, but that it is to bee presumed by the common example of the maner of proceeding of all Rebels in like actions, that it was not without instruments and ministers dispersed in diuers places, to prouoke the mindes of our people, to like of their attempts, with calumniating our gouernment, and our principall Seruants and ministers thereof; That they shall doe well (and so wee charge them) to giue diligent heede in all places, to the conuersation of persons not well knowen for their good behauiour, and to the speaches of any that shall giue out slanderous and vnduetifull wordes or rumours against vs and our gouernment: And they that be in authoritie, to lay holde on such Spreaders of rumours, And such as be not in authority, to aduertise those thereof that haue authoritie, to the end that by the apprehension of such dangerous instruments, both the drift & purpose of euill minded persons may be discouered, their desseignes preuented, and our people conserued in such peace and tranquillitie, as heeretofore by Gods fauour, we haue mainteined, and doe hope still to continue amongst them.
Giuen at our Palace of Westminster the ninth day of Februarie 1600, in the three and fortieth yeere of our reigne.
God saue the Queene.