WHereas we have taken notice, That by the Malice, Industry, and Importunity of severall ill affected and seditious Persons Our Countries of Stafford and Derby very many of Our Weak and seduced Subjects of those our our counties have not onely been drawn to exercise the Militia, under colour of a pretended Ordinance with­out and against Our consent,(a crime of a very high nature, if Wee would strictly enquire thereinto) but have made contributi-ons of Plate, Money, and Horses, towards the maintenance of the Army now in Rebellion against Us, and have at last actually themselves taken Arms against Us; we do hereby publish and declare, That we are graciously pleased to attesbute the Crimes and Offences of Our said Subjects of those Our Counties to the power and saction of the their Seducers, who, we beleeve, by Threats, Menaces, and false informations, compelled and led them into those Actions of Undutifulnesse and Disloyalty towards Us; And we do there­fore hereby offer Our free and gracious Pardon to all the Inhabitants of Our said Coun­ties of Stafford and Derby, for all offences concerning the premisses committed against US, be­fore the publishing of this Our Proclamation, except Sir John Gell, and Sir William Brereton Knights, against whom We shall proceed according to the Rules of the Law, as against Traytors and Stirrers of Sedition against Us , And whom we do hereby require all Our Officers and Ministers of Juctice, and all Our lobing Subjects Whatsoever, to apprehend and cause to be kept in safe Custody, till our pleasure be further known. Provided that this Our grace shall not extend to any person, who after the publishing this Our Proclamation, shall presume by Loan, or Contibution to assist the said Army of Rebells, to assemble and Mustrer themselves in Arms without Authority derived from Us under Our hand, to enter into any Oath of Association for apposing Us and Our Army or to succour or entertain any of the persons excepted in this Our Proclamation, or in Our Declaration of the twelfth of August, But we must and do declare, That whosoever shall henceforward be guilty of the premisses, or of either of them, shall be esteemed by Us, as an Enemy to the publike Peace, a Person disaffected to Us, and to the Religion and Laws of the Kingdom, and guilty of high-Treason, and shall accordingly recieve their condigne punishment, of which We give them timely notice, that they may proceed accordingly at their perills. And we do hereby require Our high-Sheriffs, Commissioners of Array, Justices of the Peace, and all other Our Officers and loving Subjects to resist, oppose, and apprehend all such persons as shall pre­sume to make any Levies in those Our Counties, under what pretence soever, Without Au­thority derived from Us under Our hand. And we likewise will and Require them and every of them to be Assistant to all such as shall either Command the Train-bands of those Our Counties, or make any Levies in the same by virtue of Commission under Our great Seale or Signe Mannuall. And Our Pleasure is, That this Our Counties of Stafford and Derby.

Given at Our Court at Oxford, this five and twentieth day of March, in the Eighteenth yeer of Our Reign. 1642.

God save the Kin [...]