WHereas His Majesty hath Received Information upon Oath, of a Horrid and Detestable Conspiracy to Assassinate and Murther His Royal Person, carried on by Papists, and other Wicked and Trai­terous Persons; And hath also Received certain Intelligence of an Invasion intended by the French upon this Kingdom; And His Majesty taking Notice, That great Numbers of Papists and other Ill Disposed Persons have lately Resorted to, and Assembled in the Cities of London and Westminster, contrary to the known Laws of this Kingdom, and in Order, as may reasonably be thought, to put their said Wicked and Traiterous Designs in Execution: His Majesty therefore, upon the humble Address of the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled, hath thought fit, by the Advice of His Privy Council, to Issue this His Royal Proclamation, and does hereby strictly Charge and Command all Popish Recusants, Natives or Denizons, being above the Age of Sixteén Years, That they do, according to the Statutes in that behalf made, repair to their respective Places of Abode, and if they have none, then to the Places where their respective Father or Mother is or shall be Dwelling, and do not thereafter Remove or Pass above Five Miles from thence. And His Majesty doth likewise Charge and Command all Papists and Persons reputed so to be (Except Mer­chant Strangers, Settled Housholders, and other Persons Excepted in the Statutes made in this behalf) on or before the Tenth Day of March next, to Depart out of the said Cities of London and Westminster, and from all Places within the Distance of Ten Miles of the same. And His Majesty does hereby Command the Lord Mayor of London, and all other Iustices of the Peace, and other Officers within the said Cities, and Ten Miles of the same, That they make Strict Search for, and Proceed against all such of them as shall presume to Remain, Repair or Return within the Limits aforesaid, according to the Statutes in that Case provided, and particularly the Statute made in the First Year of the Reign of His present Ma­jesty and of the late Queén Mary of Blessed Memory, Intituled, (An Act for the Amoving Papists and Reputed Papists from the Cities of London and Westminster, and Ten Miles Distance from the same) by Tendring to them the Declaration therein mentioned, and otherwise according to the said Act. And His Majesty does likewise Charge and Command the aforesaid, and all other Iustices of the Peace whatsoever, who shall Know or be Informed, that any Person is, or is Suspected to be a Papist, to Tender unto such Person the Declaration aforesaid, and Proceed thereupon, according to one other Act made in the said First Year of the Reign of His pre­sent Majesty and the said late Queen, Intituled (An Act for the better Securing the Government, by Disarming Papists and Reputed Papists.) And for the better Discovery of Persons Disaffected to the Government, and that being Discovered, their Disloyal and Wicked Purposes and Attempts may be Disappointed, His Majesty does strictly Charge and Command all Iustices of the Peace, and other Officers in that behalf Authorized, That where they shall Find or be Informed of any Person, who by rea­son of his Conversation, Discourse or other Demeanour, shall be Suspected not to be well Affected to His Majesties Govern­ment, they do Tender unto such Person the Oaths Appointed by an Act made in the First Year of the Reign of His present Majesty and the said late Queen, Intituled (An Act for the Abrogating of the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance and Appointing other Oaths) and that in Case of Refusal to take the same due Prosecution be made thereupon. And for the more effectual Performance thereof, the said Iustices of Peace are to make and keép Entries or Records of such their Proceédings, in order to the Tendring the said Oaths again to the Person so Refusing; it being His Majesties Pleasure, that the said Law be Executed to the ut­most against such Offenders. And His Majesty does hereby Charge and particularly Require all Deputy Lieutenants and Iustices of the Peace, that they do meét Monthly, to Inquire into and Inform themselves of the Affairs of their respective Counties and Divisions in Relation to the Premisses, and take special Care to Preserve the Peace, and Prevent all Vnlaw­ful Meétings and Assemblies against His Majesty and His Government, and that from time to time they give Information of their Proceédings and Discoveries to the Lords of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council.

Given at Our Court at Kensington, the Twenty fifth Day of February 1695/6. In the Eighth Year of Our Reign.

God save the King.