Royal coat of arms BY THE KING.  
¶ A Proclamation of His majesty's Grace, Favour, and Pardon to the Inhabitants of His Counties of Stafford and Derby.  
WHEREAS We have taken notice, that by the Malice, Industry and Importunity of several ill affected and seditious Persons in Our Counties of Stafford and Derby, very many of Our Weak and seduced Subjects of those Our Counties have not only 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 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 have at last actually themselves taken arms against Us; We do hereby publish and declare, That We are graciously pleased to attribute the Crimes and Offences of Our said Subjects of those Our Counties to the power and faction of their Seducers, who, We believe, by Threats, Menaces, and false informations, compelled and led them into those Actions of undutifulness 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 premises 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 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 whatsoever, to apprehend and 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 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 twelfth of August. But We must and do declare, That whosoever shall henceforward be guilty of the Premises, or of either of them, 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 guilty of High Treason, 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 require Our high-sheriffs, Commissioners of Array, justices of the Peace, and all other Our Officers & loving Subjects to resist, oppose, and apprehend all such persons, as shall presume to make any levys 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 Traine-bands of those Our Counties, or make any levys in the same by virtue of Commission under Our great seal or sign manual. And Our Pleasure is, That this Our Proclamation shall be read in all the Parish Churches and chapels within those Our Counties of Stafford and Derby.  
Given at Our Court at OXFORD, this five and twentieth day of March, in the Eighteenth year of Our reign.  
God Save the KING.   

Printed at Oxford by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the University. 1642.