royal blazon or coat of arms 
C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE dieu ET MON DROIT  By the King. 
A PROCLAMATION For the Apprehension of certain Notorious Robbers, and for the Prevention of such Offences hereafter, and for a Reward to the Apprehenders.  
CHARLES R.  
WHereas divers Lewd and Disorderly persons have of late committed sundry great and heinous Robberies, Murders, and Burglaries; the which they are more emboldened to do then heretofore, out of hope to escape the hand of Iustice, and by reason of the carelessness and negligence in the due keeping of Watches and Wards, and of the pursuit of them by Hue and Cry with Horse and Foot, as by Law they ought, and through the carelessness of persons to be aiding to the Constables and others in the pursuit of them, and through the concealment of them and their Horses by Inn-keepers, Ostlers, and others that keep Lodgings to Let, where they harbour them, and set and keep their Horses, for their Riding out to commit such Offences: For which Offences some of them have been, and stand now Indicted, but are not yet taken; and divers not Indicted, but are guilty of the like Crimes, and therefore do conceal and withdraw themselves; and yet nevertheless they are so far from leaving those wicked Courses, that they are now in Action, and Ride up and down the country, to spoil Our good Subjects. And whereas We are informed, that Edward Madox alias Morgan, John Blanchard alias mayor, Lodowick alias Lewis alias Peter Devall, John Mawer alias mar, William Woodington alias Widrington, Humble Ashenhurst alias Needham, Swift Nix alias clerk, John alias William Philipps commonly called Captain Philipps, William Dudley, Howard Coney, John Cassells alias Castles, Laurence clerk, John Martin, Thomas Lambert, John Hewkins alias Ickins, William Moore, William Staveley, 〈◇〉 Tripp, David Lloyd, William Stanesby, Thomas Bradshaw, George Painter, and Henry Lassells, are persons notoriously known to be such as do daily commit such Offences in despite and defiance of the Law, and are some of them Indicted, and all of them are well known to be of one Party and Knot, and commonly do keep Company the one with the other, and with others who already are Convicted of those Offences, and all of them also fly from Iustice, although great endeavour, pains and cost hath been used for their Apprehension. We minding to preserve all Our loving Subjects, both in their Lives and Estates, from all Rapine and Violence, Do hereby Publish and Declare it to be Our Royal Will and Pleasure, and We do hereby command all Our loving Subjects, and Officers of Iustice, that they use all their best Diligence and Endeavour for the Apprehending all and every the Persons above name, and all others who have committed, or shall commit any of the Offences aforesaid, by whatsoever Name or Names, they, or any of them, are, or have been called or known, to the end they may be proceeded against according to Law and Iustice. And We do hereby further declare Our Will and Pleasure to be, That all Iustices of the Peace do take order, and see that due Watches and Wards be constantly kept, by Horse and Foot; and after notice of any such Murder, Robbery or Burglary committed, that Hue and Cry be immediately raised and pursued with diligence, both by Horse and Foot, for the Apprehension of such Offenders: And We do hereby strictly Require and Command, That all Vintners, Keépers of common Ordinaries, Gaming-houses, Inn-keepers, House-keepers, and other persons that keep Lodgings, Chamberlains and Hostlers, and keepers of common Hostleries, and all other persons whatsoever, where any of the persons above name, or any others that have committed, or shall commit any of the Crimes aforesaid, shall come, or be, or whither they or any of them shall Resort, do immediately apprehended, or cause them to be Apprehended, and carried to some Iustice of Peace, to be proceeded against according to Law. And if any Vintner, Keepers of common Ordinaries, Gaming-houses, Keeper of Lodgings, Chamberlains, Hostlers, and Keepers of common Hostleries, shall be careless and negligent therein; Our Will and Pleasure is, that they shall be proceeded against and punished therefore, so far forth as by due course of Law they may. And for the Encouragement of such as shall apprehended the Offenders above name, or any of them, We are graciously pleased, and do hereby declare, That such Person or Persons, who shall at any time before the Four and twentieth day of June now next ensuing, apprehended any of the Persons above name, or cause them or any of them to be Apprehended and brought into Custody, and shall Prosecute the said Persons or any of them to a Conviction for their several Offences, shall within Fifteen days after such Conviction have a Reward of Ten Pounds for every of the said Offenders so Apprehended and Convicted as aforesaid. And all and every Sheriff and Sheriffs of the respective Counties and Sheriffwicks, where such Conviction shall be had, are hereby required upon the Certificate of the judge, or under the Hands of Two or more Iustices of the Peace, before whom such Person or Persons shall be brought and Convicted, to pay unto the Person or Persons who shall apprehended all or any of the Offenders above name, or upon whose Apprehension they, or any of them shall be Convicted, the said Reward of Ten Pounds within the time aforesaid, for each and every of the said Offenders so Apprehended and Convicted as aforesaid, out of the public Moneys received by him in that County where such Person or Persons shall be Convicted, which shall be allowed unto him upon his account in the Exchequer, for the Allowance whereof this Proclamation shall be a sufficient Warrant. And for the better discovery of these and other Offenders in this kind, We are pleased further to Require and Command all, and every Person and Persons who keép Horses at Livery, or Let Horses out to Hire, in any part of the Cities of London or Westminster, burrow of Southwark, or Counties of Middlesex or Surrey, forthwith to give a just account to the Two next Iustices of Peace, of all such Horses as he or they so keép at Livery, or Let out to Hire, and who are the Owners thereof, with the place of his or their usual Abode. For which purpose Our Pleasure is, That the Iustices of Peace of the respective Cities and Counties aforesaid, or some of them, do forthwith meet together, and sand for Hostlers and others concerned, to give an account according to this Our Royal commandment in that behalf. And forasmuch as many Persons keép Horses in their Stables privately for the furnishing of others that commit these great Offences, We therefore have thought fit to Publish and Declare, That if any Person shall Furnish another with Horses who shall commit any of the Offences aforesaid, he or they so Furnishing the same, shall be proceéded against and punished according to the utmost severities of Law. And lastly, We do hereby Charge and Command all Lieutenants, Deputy-Lieutenants, Iustices of the Peace, Mayors, Sheriffs, bailiffs, and other Officers and Persons whatsoever to take notice of this Our Royal Proclamation, and give due Obedience thereunto; and also to be aiding and assisting in all things tending to the execution thereof, as they tender Our Pleasure, and upon pain of being proceéded against as Contemners of Our Royal Authority in a matter of so great concern to the public, according to the strictest rules of Iustice.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Three and Twentieth day of December, in the Twentieth year of Our Reign. 1668.  
GOD SAVE THE KING.   

In the Savoy, Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1668.