royal blazon or coat of arms C R HONI SOIT x MAL Y PENSE BY THE KING. ΒΆ A Proclamation to give Assurance unto all His majesty's Subjects in the Islands and Continent of America, of His, majesty's royal Care over them, and to preserve them in their due Obedience. CHARLES by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the Faith &c. Whereas We have seen a Paper, called an Ordinance of the pretended Houses of the Lords and Commons in Parliament, ordered to be Printed the second day of this instant November, Whereby Robert Earl of Warwick is made Governor in chief, and Lord High admiral of all those Islands and other Plantations inhabited, Planted, or belonging to any of Our Subjects within the Bounds, and upon the Coasts of America, and a Committee appointed to be assisting unto him in the Government thereof: The intention of which Ordinance cannot reasonably be conceived to be other, then to spread the contagion of this horrid Rebellion, even unto those remoter parts, and that the continuers thereof (foreseeing how little prosperous their wicked designs are likely to prove here in Our realm of England) may provide for themselves a place of Retreat and Security in those Western Countries; The consequences whereof would be the disturbance of that quiet, which chose Our Subjects in America do yet enjoy under Our Government, and instead of Peace, to introduce amongst them the like Oppressions, Bloodshed, Rapine, Disorders and Confusion in Church and State, as they have brought already into some parts of this Our kingdom, and would have gone farther on, if the goodness of Almighty God, giving strength to Our Forces, and success to Our Enterprises, had not given a stop to their malicious and Rebellious attempts. To prevent which inconveniences from those Western parts, out of Our royal care of Our good Subjects there, We have thought good hereby to give timely notice unto them, not only that the said Ordinance was made without Our royal assent, and therefore that it ought not to bind any of Our Subjects, but also that the said Earl of Warwick: hath been justly Proclaimed a Traitor by Us, and that he still persists in his Treason and Rebellion against Us; and therefore We do require and Command all Our Subjects whatsoever, That they do not give obedience to the said Ordinance, nor unto him the said Earl, as their Governor, or admiral, nor to any other by pretence of any Authority from him, or from any of the said Committee, but that they shall endeavour the suppression of all such Rebellious Attempts, as they shall have means and Opportunity to do it. And We do farther declare, That as We have given unto all Our faithful Subjects in general all possible testimonies and assurances of Our care of their welfare and happiness, in preservation of the true Protestant Religion established by the laws, the Liberty of their Persons, the Propriety of their Goods, and the just privileges of Parliaments, which We have done by such Professions before Almighty God, and such Acts of Grace, as have exceeded all the Precedents of former times: So shall Our Subjects in the said Islands, and Continent of America in particular, find the constant fruits and effects of Our gracious Government and Protection, and of those assurances, in as full and ample measure as any other Our Subjects whatsoever. And therefore We do strictly charge and Command all Governors and Magistrates, who exercise any authority under Us in the said Islands and Plantations, That they do not only publish unto Our good People there, these Our gracious intentions towards them, but that they let them feel the benefit thereof, by due administration of Justice amongst them, and by seasonable Provisions of all things needful for their defence and prosperity. And We do in like manner require all Our said Subjects, that they persist in their due Allegiance and Obedience unto Us, whereto they are obliged by all laws Divine and human; and that they receive not any Governors nor Commanders, or obey any Ordinances contrary to, or without Our royal consent, but that they pursue and apprehend them as traitors to Our royal Person and Dignity; and that as they tender their duty to God, the avoiding of Our High Displeasure, and the preservation of their own Peace and happiness. Given at Our Court at Oxford, the Twenty fourth day of November, in the Nineteenth year of Our reign. 1643. God save the King.