By the Kings most excellent Majestie, a proclamation. For as much as we have seriously weighed the present sad distractions that are, and have a long time been in our much enslaved and oppressed Kingdoms, ...

Author: England and Wales. Sovereign (1660-1685 : Charles II)2016-02

University of Oxford Text Archive

[Figure]

This material was created by the Text Creation Partnership in partnership with ProQuest's Early English Books Online, Gale Cengage's Eighteenth Century Collections Online, and Readex's Evans Early American Imprints.

[Page]

C R

‘DIEV ET MON DROIT’‘HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE’

By the Kings most Excellent Maiesty, A PROCLAMATION.

FOR AS MUCH as We have seriously weighed the present said Distractions that are, and have a long time been in Our much enslaved and oppressed Kingdoms, occasioned by the divers Changes of an unlawful, usurped, and unsetled Government, to the preventing of the proceeding of Justice, and the execurion of the just Lawes, whereby Our Loving Subjects are robbed of the Peace due to them by Birth.

We do therefore Proclaim and Declare unto all Our good Subjects, That so far as God shall enable Us, we shall seek and endeavour to Our utmost ability, (not looking so much upon Our own Interest as the settlement of Our Kingdoms in a happy & lasting Peace) to advance the only means of their happiness; For which end and purpose We have provided a considerable Fotce, (not with an intent to adde to that late effusion of bloud, but) to the assistance of our good Subjects, to redeem them from their intollerable bondage, & the renewing of Trade and Commerce amongst Our good Subjects whereby they may enjoy the Liberties and Freedom they were born to, and did enjoy many years before the cruel, bloody and unpresidented Martyrdom of Our Royal Father the KING,

We do hereby further Declare by this Our Proclamation, That we shall agree and stand to whatsoever was by Us expressed in Our former Propositions, and likewise will, and do grant Our free and general Pardon to all those who have been seduced to rise in Rebellion against Us, contrary to their duty and Allegiance, seeking to destroy Our Self and Our Posterity, and to change the true, Ancient, Protestant Religion, established by the Lawes of the Land, to suppress the Laws of Our Kingdom, the Liberty of the Subject, and to subject both to an unlimited Arbitrary Power: Provided they shall with in 21 daies after the first of February next, being convinced in their Consciences of their horrid offence against God and Our Self, in assisting in the late Rebellion) return to their Allegiance, and repair to Our assistance at our Landing in Cornwal, or the North of Scotland within 10 days after the time before limitted; and shall in the mean time commit no Hostile acts against Us, or any of Our Loving Subjects within Our Dominions.

And We shall not only grant Our Free and General Pardon to such Person or persons, but so far employ them as their quality and demeanour shall deserve (such persons only excepted as are mentioned in Our last Propositions

And for such Souldiers or Officers who shall adhere to Us in this Our just and lawful Right, We shall also provide such liberal Rewards, by Pensions or otherwise, as their several services in respect of the quality of the persons so acting shall deserve.

We do herby likewise require all Our good Subjects of what degree soever, upon their Allegiance to Our Self or Our Royal Father, as they tender the preservation of the true Protestant Religion (now in great danger of being rooted out by Anabaptists, Quakers, and Athests) Our Self and Posterity, and themselves, their Lawes and Liberties from an Arbitrary power of ambitious persons, to provide themselves of all things necessary to assist Us at Our landing.

And We do also Declare, That whereas We have been several times, almost ensnared by the fair pretences of some disloyal persons in our Dominions, (who have protested and promised to make Us a glorious KING) we shall not for the future put the lest confidence in them, whereby to ruinate Our Self and Posterity for ever; but cast Our Self wholly on Almighty God, and crave his assisting hand with our handful, to overcome the mighty Force of our enemies.

And We do professe in the presence of Almighty God, That We seek not revenge on any person or persons whatever further then by Law is due to the meanest of Our Subjects; But shall on Our part (according to the clear evidence of Our Conscience) leave no action unattempted, that may prevent the misery and confusion, which the ambition, fury and malice of Our enemies is like to bring on Our Self, and all Our good subjects if not timely composed; To effect which We shall freely hazard Our Self, and may by Gods blessing and your helping hands, both settle Our Self, and the Kingdom recover its former Peace and prosperity.

Signed by Our Self at Our Pallace at Brussels, the 25 day of January 1659.

God Save the King.

ANWERPE, Printed Cum Privilegio, 1659.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal licence. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.