C R  
HONI SOIT x MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  BY THE KING. 
¶ A Proclamation of His majesty's Grace, Favour, and Pardon to the Inhabitants of His County of Lincoln, and of His city of Lincoln, and County of the same city.  
WHEREAS We have taken notice, that by the Malice, Industry, and Importunity of several ill-affected and seditious Persons in Our County of Lincoln, and city of Lincoln, and County of the same, very many of Our weak & seduced Subjects of those Our Counties and city, have not only been drawn to exercise the Militia. under colour of pretended Ordinance, without and against Our Consent, (a Crime of a very high nature, if We would strictly inquire thereinto) but have made Contributions of Plate Money, and Horses, towards the Maintenance of the Army now in Rebellion against us; And also have raised and gathered together armed Men in those our Counties and city, and do Muster and Train them without Warrant or authority from us. We do hereby publish and declare, That We are graciously pleased to attribute the said Crimes and Offences of Our said Subjects of those places, to the Power and Faction of their Seducers; Who, We believe, by threats, Menaces, and false Informations compelled and led them into these Actions of undutifulness and disloyalty towards us; And therefore We do hereby offer Our Free and gracious Pardon to all the Inhabitants of our said County of Lincoln, and city of Lincoln, and County of the same, for all offences concerning the premises committed against us, before the publishing of this Our Proclamation, except Sir Edward Ascough, Sir Christopher Wray, Sir Anthony Irby, Knights, Thomas Hatcher, and Thomas Grantham, Esquires, against all which We shall proceed according to the Rules of Law, as against Traitors and stirrers of sedition against us, and whom we do hereby require all Our Officers and Ministers of justice, and all Our loving Subjects to apprehend and keep, or cause to be kept in safe custody till Our pleasure be farther known. Provided, that this Our Grace shall not extend to any Person who after the publishing of this Our Proclamation shall presume by Loane, or Contribution, to assist the said Army of rebels, to assemble and muster themselves in arms without Authority derived from us under Our Hand, to enter into any Oath of Association for opposing us and Our Army or to succour, or entertain any of the Persons excepted in this Our Proclamation, or in Our Declaration of the 12th of August last. But We do declare, That whosoever shall henceforth be guilty of the premises, or of either of them, or shall give obedience to any warrants concerning any Musters, Levies, or Contributions for Levies whatsoever, under any pretence of authority whatsoever, either from the said Sir Edward Ascough, Sir Christopher Wray, Sir Anthony Irby, Thomas Hatcher, Thomas Grantham, or from any other Person or Persons whatsoever, without Our express consent declared under Our great seal or sign manual, shall be esteemed by us as an Enemy to the public Peace, a Person disaffected to us, and to the Religion and laws of the kingdom, and shall accordingly receive condign punishment, of which We give them timely notice, that they may proceed accordingly at their perils. And we do hereby will and require Our high sheriff of Our said County of Lincoln, the sheriffs of Our said city, all 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 levys in that Our County of Lincoln, city of Lincoln, or County of the same 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 Traine-Bands of that Our County of Lincoln, city of Lincoln, or County of the same city, or make any Levies in the same by virtue of Commission under Our Great seal or sign manual. And lastly our express pleasure and Command is, That this Our Proclamation be published and Read in all the Churches and chapels within Our said County of city of Lincoln, city of Lincoln, and County of the same, by the Parsons, Vicars, or Curates of the same.  
¶ Given at Our Court at Oxford, the Twelfth day of January, in the Eighteenth year of Our reign. 
 God save the King.