[Suppressing the Rebellion in Virginia.]

BY THE KING.

A PROCLAMATION

For the Suppressing a Rebellion lately raised within the Plantation of Virginia.

Charles R.

Whereas Nathaniel Bacon[1] the Younger, of the Plantation of Virginia, and others his Adherents and Complices (being Persons of mean and desperate Fortunes) have lately in a Traiterous and Rebellious manner levyed War within the said Plantation, against the Kings most Excellent Majesty, and more particularly being Assembled in a Warlike manner to the number of about Five Hundred Persons, did in the Moneth of June last past, Inviron and Besiege the Governor and Assembly of the said Plantation (then met together about the Publique affairs of the same Plantation) and did by Menaces and Threats of present Death compel the said Governor and Assembly to pass divers pretended Acts: To the end therefore that the said Nathaniel Bacon and his Complices may suffer such punishment as for their Treason and Rebellion they have justly deserved; His Majesty doth (by this His Royal Proclamation) Publish and Declare, That the said Nathaniel Bacon, and all and every such Persons and Person, being His Majesties Subjects within the said Plantation, as have taken Arms under, willingly joyned with, or assisted, or shall hereafter take Arms under, willingly joyn with, or assist the said Nathaniel Bacon, in raising or carrying on the War (by him as aforesaid levyed) are and shall be guilty of the crime of High Treason. And His Majesty doth hereby strictly Charge and Command all His Loving Subjects, That they do use their utmost endeavour to Apprehend and Secure the Persons of the said Nathaniel Bacon, and of all and every the said Complices, in order to the bringing of them to their Legal Tryal. And for the better encouragement of His Majesties said Loving Subjects to Apprehend and bring to Justice the said Nathaniel Bacon (who hath been chief Contriver and Ring-leader of the said Rebellion) His Majesty doth hereby Declare, That such Person or Persons as shall Apprehend the said Nathaniel Bacon, and him shall bring before His Majesties Governor, Deputy Governor, or other Commander in Chief of His Majesties Forces within the said Plantation, shall have as a Reward from His Majesties Royal Bounty, the sum of Three Hundred Pounds Sterling, to be paid in Money by the Lieutenant Governor. And because it may be probable that many of the Adherents and Complices of the said Nathaniel Bacon may have been seduced by him into this said Rebellion, by specious, though false pretences; His Majesty out of His Royal Pity and Compassion to his seduced Subjects, doth hereby Declare, That if any of His Subjects who have or shall have ingaged with, or adhered to the said Nathaniel Bacon in the said Rebellion, shall within the space of Twenty days after the publishing of this His Royal Proclamation, submit himself to His Majesties Government, and before the Governor, Deputy Governor, or other Commander in Chief of His Majesties Forces within the said Plantation, take the Oath of Obedience mentioned in the Act of Parliament made in England in the Third year of the Reign of His Majesties Royal Grandfather, and give such Security for his future good behaviour, as the said Governor, Deputy Governor, or Commander in Chief shall approve of, That then such Person so submitting, taking such Oath, and giving such Security, is hereby pardoned and forgiven the Rebellion and Treason by him committed, and shall be free from all punishments and forfeitures for or by reason of the same. And His Majesty doth hereby further Declare, That if any of His Subjects who have engaged, or shall engage with, or have adhered, or shall adhere to the said Nathaniel Bacon in the said Rebellion, shall not accept of this His Majesties gracious offer of Pardon, but shall after the said Twenty days expired, persist and continue in the said Rebellion, That then such of the Servants or Slaves of such persons so persisting and continuing such Rebellion, as shall render themselves to, and take up Arms under His Majesties Governor, Deputy Governor, or other Commander in Chief of His Majesties Forces within the said Plantation, shall have their Liberty, and be for ever Discharged and Free from the Service of the said Offenders. And to the intent His Majesties Loving Subjects within the said Plantation may understand how desirous and careful His Majesty is to remove from them all just Grievances, His Majesty doth hereby make known to all His said Subjects, That he hath not only alrady given particular Instructions to His Governor, to reduce the Salaries of the Members of the Assembly to such moderate rates as may render them less burthensom to the Countrey, but hath also appointed and sent into the said Plantation, Herbert Jeffreys Esq; Sir John Berry Knight, and Francis Morison Esq; His Majesties Commissioners, to inquire into, and report to His Majesty all such other Grievances as His Majesties subjects within the said Plantation do at present lye under, to the end that such relief and redress may be made therein, as shall be agreeable to His Majesties Royal Wisdom and Compassion. And although the pretended Acts or Laws made in the said Assembly of June last (being in manner aforesaid obtained) are in themselves null and void, yet to the intent no Person may pretend ignorance, His Majesty hath thought fit hereby to Declare and Publish His Royal Pleasure to be, That all and every Acts and Act, made or pretended to be made by the said Governor and Assembly in the late Grand Assembly held at James City in the Moneth of June last past, shall be taken and held as null and void, and shall not for the future be observed or put in execution.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall this Seven and Twentieth day of October, 1676. In the Eight and twentieth year of Our Reign.

God Save The King.

London, Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1676.

2 pp. folio. Two copies in P. R. O.

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