WHereas by Our Lawes, all Popish Recusants Con­uict ought to remaine Confined to their dwellings, or places of a­bode, or within fiue miles thereof, vnlesse in cases necessary, vpon special Licences obtained, according to the same Lawes; And where Our louing Subiects, the Lords and Commons in Parliament did, amongst other things, humbly petition Vs, That for the better securing of Our State against the ill affections of Iesuited Papists, these Lawes might be put in due execution:

Wee, conceiuing that these Lawes will be executed with better successe, if Wee shall publish Our resolution herein, and by some fitting Cautions preuent those euasions, which haue been heretofore practised for the deluding of those Lawes, and propound Rewards to those, who shall discouer the offenders, Haue thought fit by this Our Royall Proclamation to declare, and doe hereby declare Our will and pleasure concerning the premisses, in manner follow­ing.

First therefore, Wee doe hereby publish Our full resolution to bee, and doe hereby straitly charge and command, that those Lawes, concerning the confining of Popish Recusants, bee from hencefoorth duely obserued, and that the offenders against the same shall incurre and re­ceiue those penalties and punishments which their high contempts deserue, and which by Our Lawes ought to be inflicted vpon them.

And further, Wee doe hereby straitly charge and command all persons whatsoeuer, which by the sayd Lawes haue power to grant Licences, in cases necessary, to dispence with the Con­finement of Popish Recusants conuict, for a time, that they take speciall care, that they grant no Licences, but in such cases where they shall finde good probability of trueth in the suggesti­ons made for the obtaining thereof, and then but for such time onely, as in their iudgements is conuenient for the dispatch of those occasions and businesses which are suggested to mooue the granting of those Licences.

And We doe further straitly charge and command, That no Popish Recusant conuict doe pre­sume to make any feigned or vntrue suggestion, for the obtaining of such Licence; or if he, or shee shall haue cause to trauaile from the place of their Confinement, that they doe not suggest their businesses to be of other nature, then in trueth they be, or to require longer time of dispatch then is requisite, that so they may returne againe to their places of Confinement, without any vnnecessarie delay; and that during the time permitted vnto them by their Licences, they take heede that they abuse not the Libertie granted vnto them for other purposes, then were truely intended vnto them. And if any shall aduenture to offend herein, Wee doe hereby giue them knowledge, that they must expect that punishment, which by Our Lawes, or by Our Preroga­tiue Royall, can iustly be inflicted vpon the offenders for so high a contempt.

And lastly, lest the hope of impunitie may giue encouragement to any to offend, Wee doe hereby promise, which Wee will constantly performe, That whosoeuer shall discouer any offen­ces, or offenders against Our sayd Lawes, or against this Our Royall Proclamation, vnto Our Attourney Generall, for the time being, whom Wee haue commanded to take knowledge of all such Informations, and to proceed against the offenders according to the due course of Our Lawes, that such persons who shall make such discouerie, and prooue the same, whereby any offenders may receiue their deserued punishment, shall be rewarded with a full fourth part of the Forfeitures, which shall, or may come or accrew vnto Vs vpon the Conuiction of the offen­ders, or other Iudgement or Sentence legally had against them, to intitle Vs thereunto, as of Our free Gift.

Giuen at White-Hall, the eleuenth day of Ianuary, in the first yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.