THe Kings most Excellent Maiestie ( hauing alwayes before his eyes a serious consideration of that great and weightie Charge which is committed to him for the gouernement of so many famous Countreys and people , ouer whome the KING of Kings hath made him Supreme Head and Ruler , and doeth expect at his hands ( out of duetie to his Diuine Maiestie ) the same Care and feeling of all things concerning his Subiects , which the naturall head ( by instinct of Nature ) hath of the least member of the naturall body ) is pleased now , aswell out of his long experience of Regall Authoritie , exercised in another great and ancient Kingdome , before his comming to the Crowne of England , as out of the Rules of his owne Iustice and moderate disposition in all things , to seeke to be enformed particularly and fully , Whether the courses that haue bene taken , or may hereafter for enquirie or recouerie of his Maiesties rightfull Titles ( cast vpon him by Law ) may not more disturbe and endomage his good and louing Subiects , then stands with the iust measure of his owne desires ; who esteemeth his greatest riches to be included in the treasurie of his Subiects hearts . In which respect , Although his Maiestie is not ignorant , that by the rule of Law no time can preiudice the Rights of the Kings of this Realme , but that contrarywise , the continuance of time is said in Law rather to increase , and aggrauate the wrong , then to extenuate or purge the same ; And that in many cases betweene Subiect and Subiect ( by common experience ) ancient possessions are euicted and ouerthrowen by Titles more ancient : Yet such is his highnes Princely disposition , as he is willing to make them find , both the effects of his Bountie and Grace , and the due measure of his Integritie and Conscience . And therefore being enformed by his Maiesties Commissioners and Officers , ( employed aswell ordinarily , as extraordinarily , in the care of his Reuenues ) That the possessions of his Subiects , haue , and doe dayly fall within the danger of Law ( aswell concerning their Landes of Inheritance , as their Leases from his Maiestie or his Progenitors for liues or yeeres ) by many wayes and meanes ; Not onely vpon points of defect in Forme , but euen in points of Substance most iust and weightie ; As in respect of exchanges with the Crowne , not duely conueyed or executed on the Subiects part ; Of the falsitie of Considerations materiall , vpon which the Letters Patents haue bene obteined ; Of the falsitie of Suggestions , whereby the King hath beene deceiued , and sometimes ancient Crowne Lands haue bene caried away , as if they had bene but new Augmentations of Reuenues by Attainder , or the like ; Of Intayles made to the Kings of this Realme , or descended to them from their Ancesters , whereby it appeareth , that the King hath not bene truely enformed of his estate , when he made his grant , hauing no intention of disinherison of his Issue in Tayle , against the Lawe ; Of referring to other Letters Patents , where many times there are none such , as by the recitall are supposed ; Of insufficient sauing , or prouiding for that estate or benefite , which is intended to the King vpon the Letters Patents , by way of exception , Reseruation , or otherwise ; Of want of proper and apt words , such as the Law doeth require , euen in a case betweene Subiect and Subiect ; Of passing their Grants vnder a wrong Seale , contrary to the grounds of Law , or expresse Actes of Parliament ; Of want of Offices , or insufficiencie of Offices , whereby the Kings Title not rightly appearing , his Grants could not but passe in darkenesse ; And many other the like defects in matter and substance , besides the defects , errours , omissions , and misprisions in writing and in forme , which are no lesse dangerous in strictnesse of Law : And his Maiestie being further enformed , That the possessions of his louing Subiects may also be impeached and brought in question vpon other Titles not hauing any dependance vpon defectiue Letters Patents , but vpon other points of diuerse natures , and yet all warranted by the Lawes of this Land ; As vpon Escheats by Attaindors or otherwise , vpon Title accrued by Dissolution , Surrender , Suppression , or relinquishing of Monasteries , encrochements vpon his Maiesties Wastes and high Wayes , which is a meere vsurpation and intrusion vpon his Maiesties possession , not coloured by any pretence of Title ; Vpon occupation of drowned lande by time recouered from the Sea , which by his Maiesties Prerogatiue belongeth to the Crowne ; Vpon Tythes detained , which lie out of all Parishes ; vpon Alienations in Mortmaine , purchases by Aliens , and the like ; And lastly vpon condition broken for non payment of Rent at the dayes appointed , and other the like Actes not performed : His Maiestie conceiueth it to be a worke worthy of himselfe to settle ( as much as in him is ) at once , a peace and quietnesse in the possessions of his Subiects .

And as his Maiestie hath heretofore suspended the rigour of a Legall prosecution in these cases , and turned it into a gracious composition , vpon a summary consideration of the title , whereby both the charge of Sute , & the extremity of Euiction mought be auoided : So his Highnesse vnderstanding , that euen that course of fauour doth not answere or attaine ( in some circumstances ) to that measure of grace , which he intendeth to his louing Subiects ; Is pleased , that there be a cessation also of that former proceeding . And therefore , although his Maiestie knowes , that no ordinary forme of Legall proceeding , concludes the interest , nor time extinguisheth the right of Soueraigne Princes , that many Prerogatiues assist him , that the voyce of the Lawes interprets the best to be taken for him , and that he hath all aduantages , sauing a heart that will take no aduantage : And although the present necessity of his estate ( whereof the splendor and greatnesse is so inlarged ) may iustly perswade any lawfull Improuement of the profits of the Crowne ; Yet it hath pleased him , as a pledge of greater fauour intended towards his Subiects , then euer they receiued from his Predecessors , ( setting apart all other considerations of profit to himselfe , or power ouer his good Subiects in this kinde ) by this Proclamation to declare , that he is fully resolued , that all his louing Subiects shall partake of this grace , to haue all the states of their Lands confirmed and made perfect , and to be discharged of all meane profits and Issues whatsoeuer heretofore due or Incurred , notwithstanding any the defects or imperfections before mentioned , or any other whatsoeuer ; So as their estates be not by time expired and determined before , as in case of Intayles already spent and runne out : In which case the deteining of any Land from his Maiestie is so Iniurious , as no priuate man could willingly indure to be so defrauded . For which grace and fauour , as the Subiect shal be no further charged for euer hereafter , then by payment of fiue yeeres Fine at the vttermost , according to the olde Rent , and the same to be Rated onely as it appeareth to be in value by former office , by particuler , or els by oath or affidauit , before some Commissioners without further examination thereof , or any maner of Discouery or declaration of any Imperfection or Inualidity of their titles in any of those things for which they made offer of Composition : So his Maiestie doth not doubt , but his discreete and louing Subiects ( comparing all circumstances together , aswell considerable in his owne Person as theirs ) with due acknowledgement and gratitude will imbrace this Fauour so graciously offered , and not to foreslow the time of acceptation of it , which his Maiestie doth hereby limitte to be before the ende of Michaelmas Terme next , seeing they and their poster tie may thereby be so well secured in their estates and Patrimonies for euer . For the perfect accomplishment of which his Maiesties gracious intention towards his louing Subiects , thus expressed by this declaration , his Highnesse is pleased by his Commission vnder the great Seale of England , to giue full and absolute power and authoritie to certaine selected Commissioners of his Maiesties priuie Counsell and others , to giue Order and Warrant for such Gifts , Graunts , Confirmations , and other Assurances to be made and passed vnder the great Seale of England , or Seale of the Duchie of Lancaster , or by Fines to be leuied , or by all or any other those wayes and meanes as shall be found needefull and requisite for the seuerall Cases , And as by the Counsaile learned of the parties that shall desire such Assurances respectiuely , vpon conference with his Maiesties learned Counsell shall be thought fitte and reasonable . And for their better and more absolute Assurance against all future doubts or questions whatsoeuer , his Maiestie doeth by these presents publish and declare , that he is so willing to Confirme and establish their Estates and Possessions against all Claymes , Titles , and exceptions whatsoeuer , that he is pleased that it be propounded to the next Parliament , That such Gifts , Graunts , Confirmations , and other assurances as shall bee made in performance and execution of this his Princely intention , may be ratified and confirmed against Him , his Heires and Successors for euer , by authoritie of Parliament ; And also to giue his Royall assent thereunto , when they shall be brought to that point : And doth likewise hereby promise to giue to any his louing Subiects ( that shall seeke it ) his Royall Couenant to be inserted into the bookes of their Assurances to the effect aforesayd . And for the ease of Charge to the Subiect in passing such their Assurances ; It hath pleased his Highnesse aswell to giue order that there shall be an abatement of the ordinary Fees payd at the Seales , as also to permit diuers persons to ioyne in one Patent , till their seuerall Purchases doe amount to Forty pounds according to the olde Rent , whereupon the Composition shallbe grounded . And because the sayd Commissioners being most of them of his Maiesties priuie Counsell , ( and therefore ordinarily imployed in the greatest affaires of the Kingdome ) shall not haue so fit meanes at all times to receiue and heare the first motions of his Maiesties Subiects , that shall desire such new Assurances as aforesayd ; His Highnesse hath therefore appoynted his Atturney and Sollicitor generall , to be ready from time to time , to heare and conferre with his Subiects and their Counsell concerning the promisses , that they may be sure to receiue their dispatch with all possible expedition and fauour .