By the King.
A Proclamation declaring His Maiesties pleasure concerning Sir Walter Rawleigh, and those who aduentured with him.
WHereas We gaue Licence to Sir Walter Rawleigh, Knight, and others of Our Subiects with him, to vndertake a Uoyage to the Countrey of Guyana, where they pretended great hopes and probabilities to make discouery of certaine Gold Mines, for the lawfull enriching of themselues, and these Our Kingdoms: Wherein We did by expresse limitation and Caution restraine, and forbid them and euery of them, from attempting any Acte of hostility, wrong, or violence whatsoeuer, vpon any of the Territories, States, or Subiects of any forraine Princes, with whom Wee are in amitie: And more peculiarly of those of Our deare Brother the King of Spaine, in respect of his Dominions and Interests in that Continent.
All which notwithstanding, We are since informed by a common fame, that they, or some of them haue, by an hostile inuasion of the Towne of S. Thome (being vnder the obedience of Our said deare Brother the King of Spaine) and by killing of diuers of the inhabitants therof, his Subiects, and after by sacking and burning of the said towne, (as much as in them for their owne parts lay) malitiously broken and infringed the Peace and Amitie, which hath beene so happily established, and so long inuiolably continued betweene Us and the Subiects of both our Crownes.
Wee haue therefore held it fit, as appertaining neerely to Our Royall Iustice and Honor, eftsoones to make a publique declaration of Our owne vtter mislike and detestation of the said insolences, and excesses, if any such haue beene by any of Our Subiects committed: And for the better detection and clearing of the very trueth of the said common fame, Wee doe heereby straitly charge and require all Our Subiects whatsoeuer, that haue any particular vnderstanding and notice therof, vpon their duety and alleagiance which they owe Us, immediately after publication of this Our pleasure, to repaire vnto some of Our Priuy Counsell, and to discouer and make knowne vnto them their whole knowledge and vnderstanding concerning the same, vnder paine of Our High displeasure and indignation; that Wee may thereupon proceede in Our Princely Iustice to the exemplary punishment and coertion of all such, as shal be conuicted and found guilty of so scandalous and enormous outrages.
Giuen at Our Mannor of Greenwich, the ninth day of Iune, in the sixteenth yeere of Our Raigne of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the one and Fiftieth.
God saue the King.
¶ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton, and Iohn Bill, deputie Printers for the Kings most Excellent Maiestie.
ANNO M.DC.XVIII.