WHEREAS an Actuall and open Rebellion is raised, and severall Armies marching against Us, un­der the command and conduct of Robert Earle of Essex, and other Persons under his Commissions and authority, who falsly pretend that what they doe is by virtue of Our authority, and for Our ser­vice and so seduce many of Our weak Subjects from their duty and Allegiance into this horrid and odious Rebellion against Us. We doe therefore once more declare the said Robert Earle of Essex, and all such who by any Commission under him have levied or doe command any Souldiers, to be guilty of high Treason, and that this Rebellion is raised to take away Our Life from Us, to destroy Our Posterity, to change the blessed Protestant Religion established by the Lawes of the Land, to suppresse the Law of the Kingdom, to take away the Liberty of the Subject, and to subject both to an unlimited arbitrary power. And We doe therefore Will and Command all Our loving Subjects, upon their Allegiance, and their Oaths of Al­legiance and Supremacy, that they apprehend the said Earle of Essex, and all such who, by virtue of any Commission under him, have levied or doe now command any Souldiers in any places of this Kingdome, as guilty of high Treason.

And Whereas We understand that, at this time, the said Robert Earle of Essex, and some other Commanders who have equall or independent authority from him, doe traiterously lay seige to, and intend to assault Our Towne of Reading, We, considering that the most part of those Commanders and Souldiers are seduced by specious pretexts above said, have, out of Our Princely Grace and Clemency, thought fit, and doe hereby declare, That We are pleased to grant Our free and ge­nerall Pardon as well to all Captaines and inferior Officers (not formerly excepted in any of our Declarations or pro­clamations) as to all common Souldiers now before Our Towne of Reading, or elsewhere, as to Persons seduced by the cunning and falshood of the authors of the present Rebellion: If such Captains, inferior Officers and Souldiers shall dis­band within Six Daies after the publishing of this Our Proclamation, so as they commit no hostile Act in the mean while. And We doe farther declare, That such Officers as aforesaid, as shall returne to their due obedience to Us, and render them­selves to the Lieutenant-Generall, or other Principall Officer of Our Army, or to the Governor of that Our Towne of Reading, and be willing to serve Us, shall be entertained in Our Army, or, if they be not willing to serve, shall have Our Pardon and free Passe, provided they take an Oath never to take up Armes against Us. And that such common Souldiers as shall lay downe their Armes, according to this Our Proclamation, shall also receive Our like gratious Pardon, and be entertained in Our Service, if they shall be willing; or otherwise, taking the aforesaid Oath, have five shillings in mony gi­ven them, and a Passe to carry them to their dwellings. But in case that Our gratious mercy to them produce not those good effects We hope for, such extremity of Punishment they are to expect, as the highnesse of so Treasonable an Act in its own nature deserves.

Given at Our Court at OXFORD, the eighteenth day of Aprill in the ninteenth yeare of Our Reigne.

God Save the KING.