WHereas, an actuall and open Rebellion being raised against Vs under the Com­mand of Robert Earle of Essex, and diverse other Traiterous Persons, for the destruction of Vs and Our Posterity, and the subversion of the Religion, Laws, and Liberties of this Our Kingdom, great Endeavours are daily used to perswade and fright Our good Subjects in Our City of London, and thorowout this Kingdom, to submit to severall illegall Impositions, by pre­tended Orders or Ordinances of one or both Houses of Parliament, for the levying of the Twentieth Part of their Estates, and for VVeekly Taxes upon the same, and to engage them into unwarrantable Protestations and Associ­ations, to no other end then to foment and maintain this unnaturall VVarre against Vs; All which Contributions, Protestations, and Associations are by the known Law of the Land Acts of High Treason, and Endeavours to take Our Life from Vs; VVe do therefore strictly charge and command all Our loving Subjects whatsoever, and particularly of Our Counties of Norfolk, Suffolke, Hertford, Essex, Cambridge, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, South-Hampton, North-Hampton, Leicester, Derby, Rutland, Nottingham, Huntingdon, Bedford, and Buckingham, where this Association hath been already attempted, upon their Allegiance not to enter into any such Association or Protestation, And all Our loving Subjects in what parts of this Our Realm soever (particularly of Our City of London) not to submit to any such Imposition, Levy, or Tax as afore­said, nor to presume to be assistant thereunto by Assessing, Taxing, Levying or Collecting thereof. And VVe do hereby publish and declare, That VVe are resolved to grant out Our Commissions for the seizing of the Goods, and the sequestring of the Estates of all such Persons as shall rebelliously disobey Vs herein, To the Intent that such their Goods and Rents may be safely deposited, untill such time as the Offendors can be brought to a Le­gall Tryall, which shall speedily proceed against them, as soon as they can be apprehended and delivered into the hands of Iustice. And VVe do hereby will and command all Persons who are any wayes indebted unto, and all the severall Tenants of all such Persons, who shall by submitting to, or assisting of any such Imposition, Levy, or Tax, contribute to the maintenance of the Armies in Rebellion against Vs, or that shall joyn in any such Traiterous Association or Protestation, That they forbear to pay any Rents or Debts due to the said severall Persons, but detain the same in their hands towards the maintenance of the Peace of the Counties, and the Re­paration of such men who have suffered by the Violence of the aforesaid Armies, The same course being already taken by publique Order and directions against such as have faithfully and according to their Allegiance assisted Vs against this unnaturall Rebellion. And as VVe have heretofore declared, That whosoever sould lose his Life in this Our necessary Defence, the VVardship of his Heire should be granted by Vs without Rent or Fine to his own use; so on the other side VVe do here by publish and declare, That whosoever of Our Subjects shall not make use of this Our gracious VVarning, but persist in, or hereafter engage themselves into either actuall bearing Arms against Vs, or any such Traiterous Assistance of those that do bear Arms either by Contribution or Associ­ation as aforesaid, in case they dye or be so killed during this Rebellion, that the Coroner cannot have Inspecti­on of their bodies, their Heires shall have no benefit by Our Instructions of Grace to Our Court of VVards; The Benefit of which, VVe shall ever be carefull that all Our good Subjects may fully enjoy.

Given at Our Court at Oxford the Eight day of March, in the eighteenth yeer of our Reign. 1642.

God save the King.