WEe doe not doubt but that all our Subiects ( embracing the true Religion professed in this Church of England , & by Law established within this Realme ) are throughly perswaded of our constant resolution for the maintenance & defence of the same ; Not onely because we found it here so many yeeres setled , and blessed of God in the long peace and prosperity of our people , wherewith it hath bene accompanyed since the first setting the same free from the Romish seruitude , But also and chiefly , because our owne knowledge and vnderstanding ( illuminated by the Spirit of God ) doeth assure vs that the same is agreeable to his Diuine word , and to the doctrine of the Primitiue Church . Of which our purpose and determination , besides all other our former proceedings ( since our entry into this kingdome ) we haue giuen a new and certaine demonstration by our consent to such two Acts , as haue bene passed in this Session of our Parliament , both tending to preuent the dangers , & diminish the number of those , who adhering to the profession of the Church of Rome , are blindly led ( together with the superstition of their Religion ) both into some points of doctrine , which cannot consist with the loyalty of Subiects towards their Prince , and oft times into direct actions of Conspiracies and Coniurations against the State wherein they liue , as hath most notoriously appeared by the late most horrible and almost incredible Coniuration , to blow vp vs , our Children , and all the three Estates in Parliament assembled . All which notwithstanding , and although by these late Treasons aboue mentioned , contriued and pursued ( as they haue bene ) with the priuitie and warrant of so many of the principall Priests of that profession , and grounded vpon points of doctrine , ( in that Church held and mainteined ) there is sufficient cause ( if there had neuer bene any other enterprise vpon the same ground ) to iustifie the proceedings of vs and our said Parliament , in the making and execution of these last , and all other former Statutes , tending to the same end : Neuerthelesse , seeing the Soueraigne care appertaineth to vs , who haue the Soueraigne power of Iustice in our hand , & the surpreme dispensation of clemencie , and moderation of the seueritie of our Lawes is likewise as proper to vs to vse , whensoeuer we shall finde it reasonable , the same deseruing to be no lesse allowed in vs ( being in our Dominions Gods Lieutenant ) then it is praised in him , among whose highest Titles it is , That his Mercy is aboue all his works : Although both Natures iust offence might be excused , if We suffered our selfe to be transported with such passions , as so vile and barbarous prouocations do excite in humane sence , And our prouidence would be also commended , if We did with all violence indeuour to extirpate out of our Realme , not onely such as were guilty of the Attempt , but all others that gaue any cause to bee suspected of bearing fauour to it , or of whom there is any iust occasion to conceiue that they may be corrupted with the like poyson : Yet cannot any prouocation or other respect , extinguish in vs so vtterly the exercise of that clemencie , whereunto Nature hath so farre inclined vs , as Wee can be withholden from renewing some course of lenitie againe in some particulars , so farre foorth as it may be without the perill of our Religious and loyall people , that concurre with vs in the profession of the Gospell .

And therefore to the end wee might not haue any further subiect ministred vnto vs , whereby wee must be prouoked to execute Iustice vpon those , who ( being called Religious persons , and professed in diuers orders of their Church , as Priests , Iesuites , Seminaries , and such like ) haue not only declared themselues to be the stirrers vp of Our people to disobedience , But when wee were pleased formerly out of our meere Grace to signifie our Royall Pleasure for their departure out of this Realme vnpunished , haue few or none of them taken hold of our Gracious fauour , but wilfully , and ( as it were ) in scorne of the Penalties which our iust Lawes could impose , haue still continued their former practises , and contempt in their returnes : As we doe purpose to send away out of our Realme euen those of that condition , whose liues are in our hands to take euery houre , if wee were so disposed , ( excepting onely those that are guiltie of that horrible Treason ; ) So we haue once againe resolued , and for the last warning doe denounce it by these Presents , ( according to the tenor of our Lawes , and our former Proclamations ) That they shall all of them , that is to say , Iesuites , Seminaries , Fryars , or any other Priest whatsoeuer , Regular or Secular , being made by Authoritie of the Church of Rome , depart out of this Realme of England and Wales before the first day of August next ensuing , vpon paine to incurre the vttermost danger of our said Lawes . And for their better meanes to depart according to this our Pleasure , wee doe hereby signifie to them , That if at any time before the sayd first day of August , they or any of them , excepting Gerrard or Greenwell , shall resort to any Port Towne of our Realme , and there declare himselfe to the Magistrate of the sayd Towne , or other Officers of our Port , that he is a Priest of any sort whatsoeuer , and that he is there to take shipping for his passage , they shall suffer him or them quietly to depart , and shall see them shipped and sent away , and giue them therein furtherance for their departure .

And because there may be some Priests in holde in diuers parts of our Realme , not yet knowen to vs , We doe will and command all Sheriffes , Bayliffes , and Keepers of prisons , within twenty dayes after the publishing of this Proclamation , to aduertise our Priuie Counsell , or some of them , of the names of all such Priests , Iesuites , Seminaries , or of any other sort that are in their custodie , and by whome , and for what cause they were committed , to the end that thereupon wee may giue order for their transportation .

And now least happily this vnexpected course of our so oft reiterated clemencie after such an example , should either serue to encourage the Priests themselues to affront our Iustice , or discourage those good and deere Subiects of ours , whose danger and destruction we know shal neuer be seuered from our owne , whensoeuer any such Proiects shall be in motion ; We doe hereby protest , that this is done with no other purpose but to auoid the effusion of blood , and by banishing them presently out of our Dominions , to remoue all cause of such seueritie , as we shall otherwise be constrained to vse towards the other sort of our people , as long as those Seducers shall haue opportunitie to betray their consciences , and corrupt their loyaltie , towards whom our Affections doe so vary with the Obiect , as wee confesse , that we desire still to make it appeare in the whole course of our Gouernment , that wee are farre from accompting all those Subiects disloyall that are that way affected , and that we doe distinguish of such as be caried onely with blinde Zeale , and such as sinne out of presumption , and vnder pretext of zeale make it their onely occupation to perswade disobedience , and to practise the ruine of this Church and Common-wealth . And therefore as after times must giue vs tryall of all mens behauiour , so must all men expect that their owne deserts must be the only measure of their fortunes at our hands , either one way or other .