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.
Given at Our Court at Kensington the Twenty ninth Day of January,
1699. In the Eleventh Year of Our Reign.