WEe have with great grief of mind, and anguish, beheld the late troubles and tu­multuous distempers which have swelled up above the bancks of peace and allege­ance, and drowned the whole Kingdome in an Ocean of blood, rapines and oppres­sions; how much Wee have in all the time of Our raigne sought and pursued the peace and safety of Our Subjects? those good Lawes by Us enacted for their preservation and benefit, doe to the world give a lu­culent and true testimony. But in this lamentable time of civill warre, which rages in the bowells of Our King­dome, and no Law, though of never so much Justice and Consequence to the publike commodity is observed; no Statute in force, no Institution, though never so sacred, re­guarded; every man making his lust a law, his revenge a Law: and as it was with the Israelites, in the time they had no King, every man does what he pleaseth, which u [...]limited and confused licenciousnesse, if it be not (and suddenly) restrained and reduced within its channell, it will like a vi­olent [Page 4] streame, when it hath overflowed its bounds, that ter­minate it within its current, threaten the whole Nation its peace and facility with a deluge. Into such a labyri [...]th of mischiefes are the affairs of this lately flourishing Kingdome betrayed, that Our best clue of reason and discourse can scarce conduct Us out of i [...].

But in the [...]reatest dangers are most [...] the greatnesse of fortitude and wisedome, which are as much expressed in preventing perills that are imminent, as in resisting and suf­fering th [...] vali [...]tly, when they are [...] upon Us. And in this kinde of prudence and courage for delivering Our Subjects from oppressions of the souldiers, Wee have neither beene wanting to Our peoples safety, nor those whom Wee have intrusted, with the performance of Our Commands neglected their duties: But 'tis, and hath beene in all wars, ancient and moderne, a certaine military licence usurped by the souldier, which Wee have no edict, though never so strict, can deter or restraine him from. And there­fore Wee cannot expect but some misdemeanors must be committed by ours, though it be publikely knowne by Our late Declaration to that purpose, how averse such pro­ceedings are to Our nature, and with what earnestnesse and severity Wee have prohibited such kinde of insolencies to be offered to any of Our Subjects, who, though some of them misled from their duties, have not performed the parts of Subjects towards Us; yet Wee shall never for­get We are their King, and therefore their Protector from all outrages: but more especially Wee are ingaged to have a particular and indulgent eye upon the good of this City of Oxford, where Wee have f [...]ed. Our royal [...] residence for the time being, and to secure the peace of this and the ad­joyning Counties, as well from the violence and incur­sions of the Parliaments forces, which are neere their borders, as also from any injury or rapine of Our owne souldiers, as they are vulgarly termed Cavaliers.

Our Royall Pleasure therefore is, That the Sheriffes of [Page 5] Our Counties of Oxford, B [...]rks and Buckingham, and the other Counties, Our Justices of peace in the said Coun­ties, as also Our adjoyning Majors, Bailiffes, and other Officers of Townes Corporate, upon any notice of the ap­proach of any of the adverse forces, to draw up in Armes for their security against any such invasions, all the power of the said Counties or Townes Corporate; and to make stout resistance against any that shall disturb the said Coun­ties or Townes Corporate, or seeke to rob or pillage them or any of them, either of moveables, Money, Plate, or Cattell or any of their goods whatsoever, that it shall in such cases be lawfull for any of Our good Subjects to kill, (or take prisoners, and then deliver them up to the justice of the Law) any such rebe [...]lious persons or felons that shall against Our Lawes in that case provided, presume to offer these and the like violences to any of Our good Subjects, persons or estates in the said Counties: and We doe here­by command all Our Officers of warre, in garrisons or bil­litted in the said Counties, upon all occasions, to be ready to assist and relieve the said Counties and Townes Corpo­rate, or any part of them, if any danger from the adverse for­ces shall approach them, under paine of Our Royall dis­pleasure, and having such punishments inflicted upon them as Our Councell of warre in such cases shall thinke meet, according to the de [...]ent sodained by any of the said Counties through the negligence, cowardise, or default of any of Our Commanders or Souldiers. And for the bet­ter security and guard of the said Counties, their Inhabi­tants and goods, We shall in Our Royall care, and by the advice of Our Councell of warre, provide that such a con­venient number of Our souldiers shall be billetted in most places of the said Counties, during Our abode in these parts, as shall neither be oppressive to the said Shires by rea­son of their multitude, nor yet shall suffer them to be op­pressed by the opposite forces, which in civill wars, as in all others, will still be ready to watch all opportunities and [Page 6] advantages, whereby to infest or inclose Us: and because Our strength consists more in horse then in foot, Wee will allot and proportion a competent number of troopes to be disposed in all these Counties, which joyned with the Posse Comitatus, may divert and repell all dangers and detriments from Our good Subjects, which might fall on them from the Parliaments forces.

And We doe further signifie Our Royall pleasure to all Our Commanders and Souldiers that shall be disposed of as safeguards to the said Counties, that if at any time, or upon any occasion, be it want of pay, or whatsoever other pre­tence they bee to induce them thereunto, that none of them presume, either directly or indirectly to take any thing of any value from any of Our good Subjects, nor them any way, or by any meanes molest, but to demeane them­selves like honest and civill Subjects, and such as are con­stituted the preservers of the peace and quietnesse of the said places where they are billetted, and not as infringers there­of: Whosoever shall presume to breake this Our Royall command, shall incurre such penalty as the haynousnesse of the fact doth deserve, both for the breach of Our Lawes, and the violation of the rights of hospitality. And this Our command stretcheth not onely to such places and per­sons, where, or with whom Our said forces are billet­ted, but to all other places within Our said Counties, and to all the persons of Our said Subjects, espe­cially women and travellers, as Carriers, and the like, whom what souldier soever shal rob or plunder of any thing, or offer any violence to, which may be in terrorem vitae, shall surely upon proofe of that fact suffer death for the same.

And whereas We have for the present made Our good City of Oxford Our place of residence, Wee esteeme Our selves ingaged as well to secure the peace and affaires of the University and City against the violences and misdemeanors of Our owne souldiers, as against the attempts and inva­sions [Page 7] of the adverse partie. And for as much as dive [...]s of our Souldiers (notwithstanding all the Declarations of Our Pleasure to the contrarie) have, as Wee have been credibly enformed, committed divers abominable ou [...]rages in the townes of Abington, Alisburie, and other places in the said Counties: nay that some unruley Schollers, under pre­tence of his being a Malignant to Us, plundered the house of one Alderman Nickson in our Citie of Ox [...]ord, contrarie to Our Lawes in that case provide [...]; Wee do hereby signi­fie to all Our Soldiers, and others within our Universitie and Citie of Oxford, that it is Our Royall Pleasure, that no Soldier or other shall dare to plunder the house, or houses of any Inhabitant in this Our Citie, for any pretence whatso­ever, under the penaltie of suffering all the extremities of punishment, which the severitie and Justice of Our Lawes hath provided for Felons and Burglarers. And Wee doe hereby charge and command all Our Colonels, Lievtenant-Colonels, Sergeant Majors, Captaines and other Officers of Our Armie now resident in and about this Universitie and Citie, to observe this Our charge with all strictnesse, and to intimate the same to all the Souldiers of their severall Troops and Foot-Companies, that none of them hereafter (so offending) may plead ignorance for their excuse.

Wee further certifie to all Our said Officers, that Our Royall Pleasure is, that by their owne examples of sobrietie and temperance, and by their authorities, if any need re­quire, that they restraine and endevour to avert all manner of quarrels betwtxt the Souldiers in this Our Citie of Ox­ford, it being now to be accounted as Our Royall Court, and they meerly as a Guard for Our Person, Our owne Pre­sidiarie Legions: And that the said Commanders doe (as much as in them lies) for the restraint of their Souldiers, from all manner of cavill and contention, with any Inhabi­tant of this Our Citie, or Student of the Universitie; inti­mating hereby, that Our Royall Pleasu [...]e is, that any Stu­dent or Inhabitant, who shall be fouly treated, or beaten, or [Page 8] revil'd by any of Our Souldiers, shall upon complain [...] [...]e to the Captaine, of Colonell of the said Souldier so offen­ding, have right done him for the said in [...]urie, by the pu­nishment of the Souldier, according to the merit of his [...] We also will and require all our Captaines, and all other su­periour and inferiour Commanders, to abstaine themselves from all manner of disorders, in or about our said Citie, e­specially from the bestiall and unmanly vice of inordinate drinking, which by custome is growne to be too much used in our Nation, especially amongst those of the Militarie Profession.

Further, charging the said Commanders, to kind or asmuch as in them lies, the said intemperate excesse in the souldiers. And We doe hereby give all Our loving Subjects to under­stand, as well within Our said City and Counties adjoyning, as in the rest of Our Dominions, That We have alwayes [...]d, and so will ever have, as much true and tender surfe [...] theirs as of Our owne sufferings, and shall evermore study to keepe them secure from all dangers, preserving, as Wee have often firmely declared and protested, their lives estates, and ancient libertie, from all oppression and invasions what­soever, both during the time of these lamentable intestifie wars, and after, when it shall please heaven in its mercy [...]o constitute and effect a faire reconcilement of all these sad and wofull distractions betweene Our selfe and Our high Court of Parliament; which We hope will be speedily, that this Nation so long time blessed (both in Our owne prece­dent raign, and that of Our deare fathers of famous memory) with the fruits of peace, may againe flourish in unity▪ peace and concord, which We hope the prayers of all Our good subjects doe implore with Us may suddenly come to pa [...]; in which no care of Ours shall at any (time, or upon any oc­casion be wanting.