WHereas an Actuall and open Rebellion is raised, and severall Armies marching against Us, under the command and conduct of Robert Earle of Essex, and other Persons under his Commissions and authority, who falsly pretend that what they do is by Vertue of Our Authority, & for Our Service, and so seduce many of Our weak Subjects from their Duty and Allegiance into this horrid and odious Rebellon against Us. We doe therefore once more declare the said Robert Earle of Essex, and all such who by any Commission under him, have levied or doe command any Souldiers to bee guilty of High Treason; and that this Rebellion is raised to take away Our Life from Us, to destroy Our Posterity, to change the bles­sed Protestant Religion established by the Lawes of the Land, to suppresse the Law of the Kingdome, to take away the Liberty of the Subject, and to subject both to an unlimited arbitrary power. And We doe therefore Will and Command all Our loving Subjects up­on their Allegiance, and their Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, that they apprehend the said Earle of Essex, and all such who, by ver­tue of any Commission under him, have levied, or doe now command any Souldiers in any places of this Kingdome, as guilty of high Treason.

And whereas We understand that, at this time, the said Robert Earle of Essex, and some other Commanders who have equall or inde­pendent authority from him, doe traiterously lay siege to, and intend to assault Our Towne of Redding, We, considering that the most part of those Commanders and Souldiers are seduced by specious pretexts above said, have, out of Our Princely Grace and Clemency, thought fit, and doe hereby declare, That We are pleased to grant Our free and generall Pardon as well to all Captaines and inferiour Officers (not formerly excepted in any of Our Declarations or Proclamations) as to all common Souldiers now before Our Towne of Redding, or elsewhere, as to Persons seduced by the cunning & falshood of the authors of the present Rebellion: If such Captains, inferior Officers and souldiers shall disband within six dayes after the publishing of this Our Proclamation, so as they commit no hostile Act in the meane while. And We doe farther declare, That such Officers as aforesaid, shall returne to their due Obedience to Us, and render themselves to the Lieutenant-Generall, or other principall Officer of Our Army, or to the Governour of that Our Towne of Redding, and be willing to serve Us, shall be entertained in Our Army, or if they be not willing to serve, shall have Our Pardon and free Passe, provided they take an Oath never to take up Armes against Us. And that such common souldiers as shall lay downe their Armes ac­cording to this Our Proclamation, shall receive Our like Gracious Pardon, and be entertained in Our service, if they shall be willing, or otherwise, taking the aforesaid Oath, have five shillings in money given them, and a Passe to carry them to their dwellings. But in case this Our Gracious Mercy to them, produce not those good effects We hope for, such extremity of punishment they are to expect, as the highnesse of so Treasonablean Act in its owne nature deserves.

Given at Our Court at Oxford, the eighteenth day of April in the nine­teenth Year of our Reigne.

God save the KING.