we would be pleased to put in due execution hereafter without any longer conveniency the good and wholesome laws of this realm made against them, the most part whereof were made before our entry into this kingdom, 5 and so were we at our coronation sworn to the maintenance of them: we have just reason according to their humble desire, to be more careful than heretofore we have been in seeing our said laws put in due execution. For since in this case, our conscience, in regard to reliTo gion; our honour, in regard there is nothing craved, but the execution of our laws; our safety, and not only of us but of all our posterity, in regard to the papists' bloody doctrine, that make martyrs and saints of such as kill their own kings, the anointed of God; so as we now see 15 to our horror their detestable doctrine, so oft put in practice, and so that butcherly theoric and practic so linked together, that a sinful or wicked man can by no means so well redeem his soul from eternal damnation, as by murdering a king that is either an heretic by their interpretation, or a fautor of heretics: these three motives we say, so justly grounded upon conscience, honour, and safety, together that the motion hereof hath moved from our people, cannot but stir up that princely and provident care in us, which every religious, just,

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25 which had been increased by the two popish conspiracies of the reign (No. CXVIII. and Wilk. Conc. vol. iv. p. 424), was exasperated and made ungovernable by the murder of king Henry IV. of France. • The murder was committed by Ravaillac on the 3rd of May, and gave occasion to the petition from the two houses of parliament, which is 30 noticed in this proclamation. The law itself was already sufficiently stringent against the Romanists; but the king was not like-minded; and the parliament, having sat from the commencement of the reign, was dissolved at the close of the year without any feeling of regret on the part of the sovereign, who complained that they had not only 35 encroached upon his privileges, but had " perilled his health and wounded his reputation." Collier, vol. ii. p. 694. Neal, Purit. vol. i. p. 442. Kennet, vol. ii. p. 643. Hallam, vol. i. pp. 356. 440.

and wise king ought to have upon such respects and considerations.

And therefore being informed, that at this time especially, there is a greater resort made of recusants to this our city of London, than hath been at any time hereto- 5 fore, notwithstanding that by the laws of our realm they ought all to be confined, and remain within five miles of their dwelling-places; it is our express will and pleasure to discharge, like as by these presents we do discharge, all by-past licenses granted unto them for their repairing 10 hither. And although this time of parliament, and the creation of our eldest sona be so unfit and dangerous a time for their abode here, as hereupon our parliament hath humbly moved us, that they might all be sent home and discharged this city, before the creation of our said 15 dearest son; yet have we thought good to retain so much of our accustomable clemency, weighing so little any of their malicious plots, or the hazard thereof during that time in comparison of our said clemency, as in consideration of such important business as they may have con- 20 cerning their particular estates in the next term, we are contented to give them time until the last day of June, which is after the end of the next term; betwixt and which time, they are to repair again to their own dwelling-houses and places of confining, according to the law, 25 not presuming at any time hereafter, to repair to this our city and chamber of London, or to our court, or to the court of our dearest wife the queen, or of the prince our dear son wheresoever, or within ten miles of London, without special license had thereunto, under pain of the 30 severe execution of our laws upon the contravenors, and of highest contempt against our authority joined thereunto.

a the creation of our eldest son] Prince Henry was created Prince of Wales two days after the date of this proclamation in the 16th year of 35 his age. Camden in Kennet, vol. ii. p. 643.

And we are likewise pleased upon the said humble petition of our said loving subjects assembled in parliament, straitly to charge and command our justices of peace in all parts of this our realm, that according to 5 our laws in that behalf, they do take from all popish recusants convicted, all such armour, gunpowder, and ammunition of any kind, as any of them hath either in their own hands, or in the hands of any other for them, and see the same safely kept, and disposed according to 10 the law; leaving them for their necessary defence of their house and persons, so much as by the laws is prescribed: wherein as our said justices have been hitherto too remiss, so if we shall find this our express commandment neglected, or not diligently executed, as is fit, and 15 as the importance thereof doth require, we will make them know by severe punishment, what it is to be careless of our royal commandments in cases of this nature.

And because that priests and Jesuits do more abundantly swarm as well throughout our whole kingdom, as 20 within our city of London, than ever they did heretofore, not only coming daily home in flocks, to the high contempt of our authority and laws, but even a number of those particular persons amongst them, who after they have been kept in prisons and convicted by our laws, 25 yet were, out of our clemency, put forth of the country again upon condition not to return, have notwithstanding presumed to return again into this country, in high contempt of our great clemency and favour extended towards them, thereby as it were, seeking and begging 30 at our hands their own just punishment; we have therefore thought good, for staying the like abuses and inconveniences in time to come, to give from henceforth free passage and course to all such laws as are now in force, and ought to be put in execution against such offenders. 35 And yet being ever willing to mix some part of our clemency with the rigour of the law, notwithstanding

that in the first year, and afterwards in the fourth year of our reign, we did by two several gracious proclamations give a certain day to all priests and Jesuits, for transporting themselves out of our dominions between and the said day, at that time intimating all rigour unto 5 them, that should thereafter return within our kingdom; yet are we content notwithstanding their contempt of this former grace twice before offered unto them, yet to renew the same now again this third time and do therefore by these presents declare and publish, that it 10 shall be lawful for all manner of Jesuits, seminaries, and other priests whatsoever now in this kingdom, as well those whom we shall vouchsafe to deliver out of prison, as those that are not yet apprehended, freely and safely to depart forth of our realm, so as they make their re- 15 pair unto any of our ports between the day of the date of this proclamation, and the fourth day of July next, for the same purpose there to transport themselves with the first opportunity into any foreign parts; admonishing and assuring all such Jesuits, seminaries, and priests of 20 what sort soever, departing upon this our pleasure signified, as also all other that have been heretofore released by our gracious favour in the same condition, that if any of them shall hereafter return into this our realm again, that their blood shall then be upon their own heads, and 25 upon those that shall send them, seeing that by so doing they shall not only incur the danger of our laws, but also a high and treble contempt of our gracious favour and clemency now extended towards them.

And in general, since no man can pretend ignorance 30 of our laws, that all Jesuits and priests of what order soever, and their senders, may hereby be admonished to beware any further to tempt our mercy, in presuming to repair any more within this our kingdom, in regard of their known peril, and of the care that we are resolved 35 to have for preserving of our good subjects from their

danger of body and soul, since their errand can be no other here, but only for diverting of our good subjects' hearts from their due obedience both to God and us.

And lastly, because the horror and detestation of the 5 powder treason in the minds of our parliament bred amongst other things, that oath of allegiance to be taken by our subjects, so highly impugned by the pope and his followers, as we are enforced by our own pen to take in hand the maintenance of our cause for that oath, which 10 howsoever odious it was to the pope, yet was it only devised as an act of great favour and clemency towards so many of our subjects, who though blinded with the superstition of popery, yet carried a dutiful heart towards our obedience; for hereby was there a separation and 15 distinction made between that sort of papists and the other pernicious sort, that couple together that damnable doctrine and detestable practice before mentioned; therefore in consideration that the said oath serveth to make so true and merciful a distinction between these two 20 sorts of papists, as is already said, we cannot but hold it most convenient for the weal of all our good subjects, and discovery of bad people, that greater care shall be used hereafter in the general ministration of this oath to all our subjects, than hath been heretofore used.

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And therefore it is our express will and pleasure, and accordingly we do hereby straitly charge and command all and singular our bishops, justices of assize, justices of

"An

b by our own pen to take in hand] King James wrote first Apology for the Oath of Allegiance, against the two breves of pope 30 Paulus Quintus and the late letter of cardinal Bellarmine to G. Blackwel the archpriest," and afterwards on reprinting it, a "Premonition to all most mighty Monarchs, Kings, Free Princes, and States of Christendom" on the same subject; in the latter of which he proves at considerable length that the papacy is Antichrist, and states his 35 own personal faith on the principal points at issue between the Churches of England and Rome.