Whereas Thomas Percy Gentleman, and some other his confederates, person knowen to be so vtterly corrupted with the superstition of the Romish religion ...

❧ By the King.

WHereas Thomas Percy Gentleman, and ſome other his Confederates, perſons knowen to be ſo vtterly corrupted with the ſuperſtition of the Romiſh Religion, as ſeduced with the blindneſſe thereof, and being otherwiſe of lewde life, inſolent diſpoſition, and for the moſt part of deſperate eſtate, haue beene diſcouered to haue contriued the moſt horrible treaſon that euer entred into the hearts of men, againſt our Perſon, our Children, the whole Nobilitie, Clergie, and Commons in Parliament aſſembled, which howſoeuer cloaked with zeale of Superſtitious Religion, aymed indeed at the Subuerſion of the State, and to induce an horrible confuſion of all things, In which they and all others of bankerupt and neceſſitous eſtate, might haue thoſe of better abilitie for a pray to repaire their beggerly Fortunes, and haue proceeded ſo farre ſome of them in their deuiliſh Attempts, as to aſſemble in Troupes in our Counties of Warwicke and Worceſter, where they haue broken vp a Stable, and taken out Horſes of diuers Noblemen and Gentlemen, within our towne of Warwicke, And no doubt but doe proceede further in their purpoſes, ſeeking to raiſe ſome Rebellion in our Realme, and will with many fained and falſe Allegations ſeeke to ſeduce diuers of our Subiects, eſpecially with ſhew of Religion: Although wee are by good experience ſo well perſwaded of the Loyaltie of diuers of our Subiects (though not profeſſing true Religion) that they doe as much abhorre this deteſtable conſpiracie as our Selfe, and will bee ready to doe their beſt endeuours (though with expence of their blood) to ſuppreſſe all Attemptors againſt our ſafetie and the quiet of our State, and to diſcouer whomſoeuer they ſhall ſuſpect to be of Rebellious or Traiterous diſpoſition: Yet haue Wee thought good by this our open Declaration, to giue warning and aduertiſement to all our Subiects whatſoeuer, of that horrible purpoſe of Percies and his complices, and to diſtinguiſh betweene all others, calling themſelues Catholickes, and theſe deteſtable Traitours: And therefore doe denounce and publiſh all the Perſons hereunder named, Adherents to Percy, to bee Traitours knowen, and that all others are in the ſame caſe, who ſhall in any wiſe either receiue, abbette, cheriſh, entertaine, or adhere vnto them, or not doe their beſt endeuours to apprehend and take them.

Wherefore wee will and command all our Lieutenants, Deputy lieutenants, Sheriffes, Iuſtices of Peace, Mayors, Bayliffes, Conſtables, and all other our Officers, Miniſters and louing Subiects, to take knowledge thereof, and to doe their beſt duties herein, as they will anſwere the contrary at their vttermoſt perill: Not doubting, but that they all, without regard of their pretence of Religion, will with one heart and will, employ themſelues for the ſuppreſſing, apprehending, detecting, and diſcouering of all ſorts of perſons any wayes likely to be priuie to a Treaſon ſo hatefull to God and men, and implying in it the vtter ſubuerſion of this Realme, and dignitie thereof.

And where we doe heare that many doe ſpread abroad, that this Conſpiracie was intended onely for matter of Religion, and that forreigne Princes our neighbours are intereſſed therein, which Rumors are diuulged by buſie perſons both to ſcandalize the Amitie wherein we ſtand with all Chriſtian Princes and States, and to giue vnto lewde perſons hope that they ſhall be backed in their enterpriſes by great Potentates: Wee doe declare, that we cannot admitte ſo inhumane a thought, as to conceiue that any Prince, of what Religion ſoeuer, could giue eare to ſo Sauage and Barbarous an imagination: And that by ſuch examinations as hitherto haue been taken, we find them all, and their miniſters cleere from any ſuſpicion of priuitie thereunto; whereof one infallible argument to vs is, that all the Miniſters of forraine Princes, which are now here, made earneſt ſute to vs to be preſent in the place that day. And therefore we doe admoniſh and charge all our Subiects, that they ſhall not ſpeake of any the Princes our neighbours, or their Ambaſſadours, otherwiſe then reuerently, vpon paine of our diſpleaſure, and to bee puniſhed as perſons ſeeking the diſturbance of the Peace, wherein we liue with our ſayd neighbours.

Giuen at our Pallace of Weſtminſter, the ſeuenth day of Nouember, in the third yeere of our reigne of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland. God ſaue the King.