THe Kings most Excellent Maiesty, taking notice that there are sundry Manors, Lands, Tenements, and other He­reditaments in the actuall possession of diuers of His louing Subiects, either by descent from their ancestors, or by their owne purchases, which neuerthelesse doe in truth and right belong vnto His Maiesty, as His owne proper inheritance, The pretended owners thereof, either hauing no Grant at all from the Crowne, whereby to deriue good tytles to them­selues, or else such grants as haue beene surreptitiously gotten vpon false suggestions, or by other deceitfull courses, or are otherwise defectiue and insufficient in Law; So as His Maiesty might by His royall prerogatiue and right, take aduantage thereof, to seize the same Mannors and Lands into His hands, and so leaue the said pretended owners without reliefe: Which might vpon iust reason be done, considering that both the late Queene Elizabeth in Her time, and His Maiesty sithence, haue by seuerall Commissions of Grace awarded for confirmation of all such defectiue tytles, and by former publique proclamations, as by so many solemne warnings, summoned and inuited all persons, whom the same might concerne, vpon easie and honorable compositions to preuent their owne dangers in this behalfe; which hitherto they haue contemned, or neglected to doe.

Notwithstanding, His Maiesty, out of His Princely clemency and vnwillingnesse to take any strict courses against His louing Subiects, hath beene graciously pleased, once more to renew His said Commission to sundry of His Priuy Councell, and others of His Iudges & Councell learned, authorizing them to treat & compound with any person or persons on His Maiesties behalfe, for confirming & making good of their defectiue Titles or Estates, according to the course heeretofore vsed in like Commissions: But with this expectation, that as it pleaseth His Maiesty, in his gracious well-wishing to the peace and quiet of His louing Subiects, thus to incline to them, and forbeare to take notice of their former negligences, So now they will be aduised vpon this renewed offer of his Grace to neglect the same no longer; lest after so many warnings, the same be iustly taken from them.

And therefore His Maiesty doth straitly charge and command all persons whom it may concerne, by this publike declaration of His Will and Pleasure, to take such notice thereof, that voluntarily, or vpon letters to them directed from His Maiesties Commissi­oners, with a draught of the particular case, whereupon their Title shall be questioned, they faile not at their perills to attend the said Commissioners, for such moderate and rea­sonable compositions, as shall be found fit and equall for confirmation of their estates, and cleering all doubts of the same: Letting them all to wit, that in case they shall neglect this offer of his Princely goodnesse and fauour towards them, in not appearing, or not compounding for the setling of their lands and possessions in peace; As His Maiesty in­tends not to make any second or new treaties, with those that shall shew themselues wil­full and refractary in this behalfe, So they shall haue no iust cause to complaine of any but themselues, if contrary to His Maiesties princely inclination, he be inforced to more seuere courses, for recouering and maintaining the Reuenues of His Crowne, against all intru­sions, and vnlawfull vsurpations and possessions whatsoeuer.

Giuen at Whitehall, the thirteenth day of February, in the sixteenth yeere of our Raigne of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the two and fiftieth.

God saue the King.