Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Fifth Day of February, 1690/1. In the Second Year of Our Reign.
London, Printed by Charles Bill and Thomas Newcomb, Printers to the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties. 1690.
_1 p. folio. There are two issues, varying slightly in set-up and in the cut of the royal arms. Copies in Adv., B. M., Crawf., Dalk., D. H., Guild., P. C., P. R. O., and T. C. D. Entered on Patent Rolls; entered in Privy Council Register, III William, vol. 2, p. 112. Printed in "London Gazette," February 7, 1691; reproduced in the January number of the "Journal of the Friends Historical Society."_
[For Apprehending Author of Darien Libel.]
Whereas We have been Informed, That a False, Scandalous, and Traiterous Libel, Intituled, An Inquiry into the Causes of the Miscarriage of the Scotch-Colony at Darien, or, An Answer to a Libel, Intituled, A Defence of the Scots Abdicating Darien,[1] has been Printed and Dispersed, the Design of which libel was to Create a Misunderstanding between Our good Subjects of England and Scotland, and to Stir up Sedition and Rebellion, and is Injurious to, and Reflects on the Honour of both Nations: And whereas the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled, have humbly besought Us,[2] to Issue Our Royal Proclamation for Discovering and Apprehending of the Author and Printer of the said Libel; We therefore (with the Advice of Our Privy Council) have thought fit to Issue this Our Royal Proclamation, hereby Requiring and Commanding all Our Loving Subjects whatsoever, to Discover and Apprehend the Author and Printer of the said Libel, to the end they may be dealt withal and proceeded against according to Law. And We do hereby Promise and Declare, That whosoever shall Discover or Apprehend the Author of the said Libel, so as he may be brought to Justice, shall Have and Receive, as a Reward for such Discovery and Apprehending, the Sum of Five hundred Pounds: And that whosoever shall Discover or Apprehend the Printer thereof, so as he may be brought to Justice, shall Have and Receive, as a Reward for such Discovery or Apprehending, the Sum of Two hundred Pounds; Which said respective Sums of Five hundred Pounds and Two hundred Pounds, the Commissioners of Our Treasury are hereby Required and Directed to Pay accordingly. And We do hereby further Promise and Declare, That if any Person (other than the Author himself) who was any ways Privy to, or Instrumental in the Printing and Dispersing the said Libel, shall Discover or Apprehend the Author thereof, the Person making such Discovery, or Apprehending the said Author, shall not only have the said Sum of Five hundred Pounds, as aforesaid, but also Our Gracious Pardon for his Offence. And We do hereby strictly Charge and Command all Our Loving Subjects (as they will answer the contrary at their Perils) that they do not any ways Conceal, but Discover and Apprehend the Author and Printer of the said Libel, to the end they may be Proceeded against with the utmost Severity according to Law.