THe Kings Most Excellent Majesty having found it necessary during the present War, to raise more Souldiers, and to form them into Regiments, and dispose of them in several Quarters until there should be occasion for their Service against the Enemy; And being desirous that during their continuance in their Quarters no kind of Rudeness or Misdemeanour should be committed by any of His Souldiers to the grievance or dissatisfaction of any of His Sub­jects; Hath thought fit, by Advice of His Privy Council, to Publish this His Royal Proclamation, and doth hereby straightly Charge and Command all and every the Officers in any Troops or Regiments that they forthwith repair unto their several and respective Quarters, and continue and abide there without presuming to de­part from thence, unless His Majesties License in that behalf under His Royal Sign Manual shall be first had and obtained. And His Majesties further Pleasure and express Command is, That all Officers and Souldiers do take strict Care that no Violence or Injury be offered to any of His Majesties Subjects either in their Persons or Estates, Nor any kind of Disorder committed or suffered within the several Quarters: And for the better prevention of all Abuses of this kind, His Majesty doth hereby require all and every His loving Subjects, when and as often as they shall receive any kind of In­jury or Abuse from any of the Souldiers under His Majesties Day, forthwith to make their Complaints unto the Officer, or Officers, under whom such Souldiers shall serve; which Officer upon such Complaint made shall immediately relieve the Complainant; or otherwise, wherein the case shall so require, deliver up the Offender to the Civil Ma­gistrate, to be proceeded against according to Law: And it upon such Complaint made, the Complainants shall not find a present satisfaction and redress, or a delivery of the Offender as aforesaid, That then they cause Information thereof to be given to some Iustice of the Peace, who shall take the same upon Oath, and certifie it unto one of His Majesties Principal Secretaries of State, to the end the same may be brought before His Majesty, who will Graciously vouchsafe to hear the matter Himself, And not onely give the Petitioner a full and ample relief, But likewise severely punish the Officer who shall be found to have been negligent in his Duty, or shall suffer any just Complaint to pass without a due and timely redress. And it is His Majesties Pleasure, That this Proclamation be set up, and remain affixed in all Market-Towns within this Kingdom.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Fourth day of December, In the Four and twentieth Year of Our Reign. 1672.

God save the King.