By the King. A proclamation. James R. James the Seventh, by the grace of God, of Scotland, England, France and Ireland King, defender of the faith, &c. To our lion king at arms, and his brethren, heralds, macers, and pursevants, greeting; Whereas the wicked and unjust designs of our enemies do at last appear in their natural colours, ...

DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE English royal blazon surmounted by a crown and flanked by the English lion and Tudor rose on one side and the Scottish unicorn and thistle on the other By The KING . A PROCLAMATION . JAMES R. JAMES The Seventh , by the Grace of God , of Scotland , England , France and Ireland KING , Defender of the Faith , &c. To Our Lion King at Arms , and his Brethren , Heralds , Macers , and Pursevants , Greeting ;

WHEREAS the wicked and unjust designs of Our Enemies do at last appear in their natural colours , and their pretended reformation of Abuses has ended in the Usurpation of Our Regal Right in Our Kingdom of England , and that the same wicked design is still carrying on to enslave the people of Our Ancient Kingdom of Scotland , upon the same plausible and false pretences . Which , if it were ever so unfortunate as to consent to , must needs end in Bloodshed and War . We therefore having a constant care of Our peoples concerns , as becomes their King , and an Affectionate Father of His Countrey , do think fit to let you know , That as it was never Our design to suffer any to be persecuted on the account of their Religion , so We never resolved to impose Our own on any man , especially by the ways of force , a thing perfectly contrary to Our Nature . And where-ever any thing of discountenancing Our Opposers in the matters of Religion appeared in Our proceedings , Our displeasure was at the opposing of Liberty of Conscience in general , and not Our Own Religion in particular . Nor did ever that go farther than the taking from such Opposers what was Our Own ; the which We might have done at all times , without giving any reason for it .

No man can think ( notwithstanding the impudent assertions of Our Enemies ) that ever We were so unwise as to pretend to bring two numerous Kingdoms of Protestants to become Catholicks by the force of a few of that Religion , altogether unable for such a design had they been willing , and more unwilling had they been able . And that We never intended to use forreign Force , is now evident to all mankind , since even the Prince of Orange and his Adherents , who so impudently asserted it , have so notoriously failed in the Proof thereof . But We could not be so impious , nor have so little charity for Our people , as knowing Our Own Religion to be the best , not to wish and invite them to be of it by all the ways of softness and paternal concern ; resolving by Our Example to lead , and not by force to drive Our people to their happiness

Upon which Design We granted a Liberty of Conscience in matters of meer Religion ; reserving to the National Religion , established by Law , it s full right to all it was in possession of ; except the power of hurting others who differ'd from them in perswasion . And to shew the sincerity of Our intentions therein , We were , and are still willing to confirm the same in Parliament . This Liberty of Conscience was thought reasonable by that Our Kingdom then , and We are confident is so still

It is most easy to see in the Annals of former times the event Usurpations and other Encroachments upon the Royal Right have had in that and Our other Kingdoms , and wish Our people now to be wise at the expence of such who have suffered for the like attempts ; and even in Our Reign , Our Parliament of that Our Kingdom has declared that all such designs have ever ended in the utter ruine of the Author .

We hope they will take care to prevent falling into such dangers , and remember that We are their King , to whom they owe their Allegiance by Divine Precept , as well as by Our Inherent Right ; a Property belonging to Us , which they never can incroach upon without committing a grievous Sin against Almighty God , as well as High Treason against Us ; and the Parliaments of that Our Kingdom still have owned Our Crown to depend upon God alone , to whom We are answerable for the Administration of Our Regal Power .

The Usurpers of Our Right in Our Kingdom of England pretended to reform Abuses , but the event has been the committing the worst of Crimes , under the pretence of rectifying imaginary Faults , usurping Our Power , which they pretended to free from evil Councel , raising Divisions betwixt Us and Our people , which they pretended to heal , overturning that Law they pretended to defend ; and destroying the being of Parliaments by an illegal multitude , turn Parliament by their Own Authority . Property , the just Right of King as well as People , they have invaded in Us the Head , and have manifestly encroach'd upon the Liberty of the Subject . And even most things which they cry'd so loud against Us for demanding , ( though all the World is convinc'd We never desired , nor would have had them but by consent of a Legal Parliament ) they have now done by their illegal Power ; and thus deforming the Face of that Kingdom , have entail'd upon themselves a Ruine many of them never can prevent .

We would have Our people of that Our ancient Kingdom consider these things whilst they have yet the time : and what difference there is betwixt being good and loyal Subjects , and ignominious Traytors , especially when by being the first they may have that real security which can never be other than imaginary in the last , and that but of a short continuance , whilst they entail upon themselves and their posterity War and Bloodshed here , and an after reckoning with that Almighty God who is a Revenger of the oppressed : that God who will try and punish injustice in the People as well as in the King .

Let Our people consider likewise how Our dearest Son the Prince of Wales was called an Impostor by the Usurper and his Adherents . But God Almighty has shewn that the Prince of Orange himself was the Impostor ; who notwithstanding the impudence of his Assertions , durst never enter upon the tryal of that matter . What can you expect from men who can make use of such base means to attain to their unjust ends ? Avoid their Councels to prevent your ruine , for We will not cheaply part with Our Right ; and such as stand by Us shall quickly find that We have a force sufficient to put them beyond the fear of their and Our Enemies .

We do upon all these considerations Require and Command all Our Loving Subjects , on the account of their Duty to God , and to Us their King , to stand to Our Royal Interest , to declare for Us , and to put themselves into a posture of Defence , such as they are able , that they may be ready to come to Our Host upon the first warning given by us , or such as are Commissionated by Us. And We do hereby Require and Command all Our Magistrates of Burroughs as they were in Imployment at Michaelmas last by past , to continue in their Imployments , to keep their respective Towns in due Obedience to Us , and to suppress any Tumults which may be raised by evil and disaffected persons amongst them . And We require all Sheriffs and their Deputies , as they were at Lammas last , to continue in their respective Employments till Our further Order ; and generally all Our Subjects to do their Duty to Us as becomes good Subjects , fearing God , and loving their King

And that Our Subjects may the better know Our Royal Inclinations , We have thought fit again to declare , that We will confirm and maintain the Protestant Religion as Established by Law , and that We will allow a Liberty of Conscience , and Exercise of Religion to all Christians who will live peaceably under Us : Reserving to the National Protestant Religion all she is in possession of , or was in possession of at any time since the Return of Our Royal Brother in the year 1660 : And that all Our Subjects may be convinced of the sincerity of Our Royal Intentions in this , We do declare that We will confirm the same , together with the Property and Liberty of Our Subjects in Parliament , so soon as it is possible for Us to have one free from all constraint . And this being all that Our Subjects can possibly desire for their quiet , We hope will content the Reasonable ; and such as are otherwise , We trust in God , and the Justness of Our Cause , to find means quickly to reduce .

But that such as have been led into Rebellion and other Crimes against Us by Our absence , and the confusion of the times , and are willing to return , may not be involved in the punishment of the obstinate ; We do hereby declare , that We will pardon and remit all Crimes committed against Us , except to such as have voted against Us , Our Authority and Right , or for the Prince of Orange in that late and illegal Convention held at Edenborough on the fourteenth of March or thereabouts , and excepting likewise all such as came from Holland with the Prince of Orange : providing such as are not excepted shall immediately joyn with Us , or such as We shall appoint to receive and conduct them by Our Commission under Our Royal Hand and Signet .

It is Our further Will and Pleasure , that all who have any part of Our Revenue in their hands , make payment thereof only to such as shall be Commissioned by Us to receive the same after the date of these Presents , as they will Answer the contrary at their Perils . We likewise Will and Require that all Our Archbishops , Bishops , and Inferior Clergy continue their Prayers for Us , Our Royal Consort the Queen , the Queen Dowager , and Our dearest Son the Prince of Scotland and Wales , and Royal Family . And that nothing deterr them from that Duty they owe Us , nor from giving good Example to Our people committed to their Charge by their Dutiful and Loyal Deportment .

And We do most solemnly declare , that as We have at all times hitherto shewn the mercifulness of Our Nature to many amongst You , who have answered Our Favour with the basest of Ingratitude ; so We are resolved at this time to punish the Obstinate , so as that Our Justice shall deterr others in after ages from committing such Crimes . Nor can the World blame Us , if after what We have met with , We extirpate such as shall have committed such Crimes , and still persist in them against Us.

Lastly , Our Will and Pleasure is , that these Our Letters seen , you pass to the respective Market-Crosses of all Our Burroughs-Royal , and there at the ordinary hours make Publication of this Our Royal Proclamation , affixing Copies thereof , that so the same may be known to all Our people , that none may pretend Ignorance thereof .

Given under Our Royal Hand and Signet at Our Court in Our Castle of Dublin the First day of April 1689. And in the Fifth Year of Our Reign . By His Majesties Command . MELFORT . GOD SAVE THE KING .