Whereas Nathaniel Bacon[1] the Younger, of the Plantation of Virginia,
and others his Adherents and Complices (being Persons of mean and
desperate Fortunes) have lately in a Traiterous and Rebellious manner
levyed War within the said Plantation, against the Kings most Excellent
Majesty, and more particularly being Assembled in a Warlike manner to
the number of about Five Hundred Persons, did in the Moneth of June
last past, Inviron and Besiege the Governor and Assembly of the said
Plantation (then met together about the Publique affairs of the same
Plantation) and did by Menaces and Threats of present Death compel the
said Governor and Assembly to pass divers pretended Acts: To the end
therefore that the said Nathaniel Bacon and his Complices may suffer
such punishment as for their Treason and Rebellion they have justly
deserved; His Majesty doth (by this His Royal Proclamation) Publish and
Declare, That the said Nathaniel Bacon, and all and every such Persons
and Person, being His Majesties Subjects within the said Plantation,
as have taken Arms under, willingly joyned with, or assisted, or shall
hereafter take Arms under, willingly joyn with, or assist the said
Nathaniel Bacon, in raising or carrying on the War (by him as aforesaid
levyed) are and shall be guilty of the crime of High Treason. And
His Majesty doth hereby strictly Charge and Command all His Loving
Subjects, That they do use their utmost endeavour to Apprehend and
Secure the Persons of the said Nathaniel Bacon, and of all and every
the said Complices, in order to the bringing of them to their Legal
Tryal. And for the better encouragement of His Majesties said Loving
Subjects to Apprehend and bring to Justice the said Nathaniel Bacon
(who hath been chief Contriver and Ring-leader of the said Rebellion)
His Majesty doth hereby Declare, That such Person or Persons as shall
Apprehend the said Nathaniel Bacon, and him shall bring before His
Majesties Governor, Deputy Governor, or other Commander in Chief of His
Majesties Forces within the said Plantation, shall have as a Reward
from His Majesties Royal Bounty, the sum of Three Hundred Pounds
Sterling, to be paid in Money by the Lieutenant Governor. And because
it may be probable that many of the Adherents and Complices of the said
Nathaniel Bacon may have been seduced by him into this said Rebellion,
by specious, though false pretences; His Majesty out of His Royal Pity
and Compassion to his seduced Subjects, doth hereby Declare, That if
any of His Subjects who have or shall have ingaged with, or adhered to
the said Nathaniel Bacon in the said Rebellion, shall within the space
of Twenty days after the publishing of this His Royal Proclamation,
submit himself to His Majesties Government, and before the Governor,
Deputy Governor, or other Commander in Chief of His Majesties Forces
within the said Plantation, take the Oath of Obedience mentioned in the
Act of Parliament made in England in the Third year of the Reign of
His Majesties Royal Grandfather, and give such Security for his future
good behaviour, as the said Governor, Deputy Governor, or Commander
in Chief shall approve of, That then such Person so submitting, taking
such Oath, and giving such Security, is hereby pardoned and forgiven
the Rebellion and Treason by him committed, and shall be free from
all punishments and forfeitures for or by reason of the same. And His
Majesty doth hereby further Declare, That if any of His Subjects who
have engaged, or shall engage with, or have adhered, or shall adhere
to the said Nathaniel Bacon in the said Rebellion, shall not accept of
this His Majesties gracious offer of Pardon, but shall after the said
Twenty days expired, persist and continue in the said Rebellion, That
then such of the Servants or Slaves of such persons so persisting and
continuing such Rebellion, as shall render themselves to, and take up
Arms under His Majesties Governor, Deputy Governor, or other Commander
in Chief of His Majesties Forces within the said Plantation, shall have
their Liberty, and be for ever Discharged and Free from the Service of
the said Offenders. And to the intent His Majesties Loving Subjects
within the said Plantation may understand how desirous and careful
His Majesty is to remove from them all just Grievances, His Majesty
doth hereby make known to all His said Subjects, That he hath not only
alrady given particular Instructions to His Governor, to reduce the
Salaries of the Members of the Assembly to such moderate rates as may
render them less burthensom to the Countrey, but hath also appointed
and sent into the said Plantation, Herbert Jeffreys Esq; Sir John
Berry Knight, and Francis Morison Esq; His Majesties Commissioners, to
inquire into, and report to His Majesty all such other Grievances as
His Majesties subjects within the said Plantation do at present lye
under, to the end that such relief and redress may be made therein, as
shall be agreeable to His Majesties Royal Wisdom and Compassion. And
although the pretended Acts or Laws made in the said Assembly of June
last (being in manner aforesaid obtained) are in themselves null and
void, yet to the intent no Person may pretend ignorance, His Majesty
hath thought fit hereby to Declare and Publish His Royal Pleasure to
be, That all and every Acts and Act, made or pretended to be made by
the said Governor and Assembly in the late Grand Assembly held at James
City in the Moneth of June last past, shall be taken and held as null
and void, and shall not for the future be observed or put in execution.
Given at Our Court at Whitehall this Seven and Twentieth day of
October, 1676. In the Eight and twentieth year of Our Reign.