aforefaid, as they will be anfwerable for the ill Confequences of their Neglect herein.

Given at our Court at St. James's, the 5th Day of January, 1714, and in the First Year of our Reign.

Soon after this, another Proclamation was publish'd, For difcovering the Author, Printer, and Publishers, of a mahcious and traiterous Libel, entitled, English Advice to the Freeholders of England: And for preventing Riots and Tumults at the enfuing Elections of Members to ferve in Parlia

ment.

GEORGE R.

W molt malicious and traiterous Libel, entitled, Eng

HEREAS we have receiv'd Information, that a

lifh Advice to the Freeholders of England has lately been printed, and difpers'd throughout our Kingdoms with the ut most Industry; nevertheless, by the Care and Vigilance of our Magiftrates, great Numbers thereof are intercepted in our City of Exon, fome being directed to Sir John Coriton, Sir Nicholas Morice, Jonathan Elford, Efq; Philip Rafbley, Efq; Francis Scobell, Efq; John Williams, Efq; Mr. Granville Piper, Mr. Welshman, Mr. William Cary, Mr. Prousse, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Tonkin, Mr. Cunnock Kendall, refpectively, in our County of Cornwall, others thereof to the Reverend Mr. Shute, the Reverend Mr. Hughes, the Reverend Mr. Collyer, and the Reverend Mr. Bedford, refpectively, in our faid County, and others thereof to the Mayor of our Borough of Weftloe in the faid County, whereby, as well as from the Contents of the faid Libel, we are convinc'd that the fame is a wicked Contrivance, meant not only to fpread Sedition, and to inflame the Minds of our loving Subjects, but alfo by alienating their Affections from us and our Government, to promote the Intereft of the PreTender, and in order thereto, to raise Disturbances in the approaching Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament: We being refolv'd, as far as in us lies, to bring the Authors, and Contrivers of such traiterous Designs to condign Punishment, and to deter all others from the like Attempts for the future, have thought fit, by the Advice of our Privy-Council, to iffue this our Royal Proclamation, hereby promifing a Reward of One Thousand Pounds to any Perfon or Perfons, who fhall difcover the Author or Authors of the faid traiterous Libel to any one of our Principal Secretaries of State, and the Sum of Five Hun

dred

dred Founds to any Perfon or Perfons, who fhall difcover the Printer or Printers thereof, as aforefaid, to the End that fuch Author or Printer may be profecuted according to Law; which respective Rewards our Commiffioners for executing the Office of Treafurer of the Exchequer, are hereby directed to pay accordingly. And we do hereby ftrictly charge and command all our Magiftrates in and throughout our Kingdom of Great Britain, that they do make diligent Search and Enquiry after the faid Author, Printer, or Publishers; and that they do apprehend and feize the said Perfons, and all others whom they fhall find difperfing the faid Libel, and give proper Information thereof fo as the faid Offenders may be dealt with, as the utmost Rigour of Juftice requires.

.

And whereas there is nothing which we fo earnestly defire, as to fecure the Peace and Profperity of our Kingdoms, and to preferve to all our loving Subjects the full Enjoyment of their Rights and Liberties, as well religious as civil, and in a most particular Manner the Freedom of Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament, and being fatisfy'd that the fame hath been of late Years greatly invaded by the Encouragements which have been given to Tumults, Riots, and other indirect Practices in the Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament; and it being most apparent, that fuch evil-minded Persons are now fomenting and carrying on the fame dangerous Practices, we do hereby declare our highest Refentment and Difpleafure against all fuch illegal Proceedings, ftrictly prohibiting the fame, as being most injurious to our Government, and to the fundamental Rights of our People. And we do farther charge and Command all our Sheriffs, Juftices of the Peace, chief Magistrates in our Cities, Boroughs, and Corporations, and all other our Officers and Magistrates throughout our Kingdom of Great Britain, that they do, in their several and respective Stations, take the most effectual Care to fupprefs and prevent all Riots, Tumults, and other Disorders, which shall be raised or made by any Perfon or Persons whatsoever, at or in the approaching Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament, and that they do put the Laws in Execution against all Offenders in that Behalf. And we do further require and command all and every our Magiftrates aforefaid, that they do from Time to Time transmit to one of our Principal Secretaries of State due and full Informations of all fuch Perfons who shall be found offending, as aforefaid, or in any Degree aiding or

aberting

abetting therein; it being our Royal Refolution to punish the fame according to the utmoft Severity of Law,

Given at our Court at St James's the Eleventh Day of
January, 1714, in the first Year of our Reign.

On the 15th of January, the King in Council fign'd the following Proclamation for. calling a new Parlia

ment.

GEORGE R.

T having pleas'd Almighty God, by most remarkable Steps of his Providence, to bring us in Safety to the Crown of this Kingdom, notwithstanding the Designs of evil Men, who fhew'd themselves difaffected to our Succeffion, and who have fince, with the utmost Degree of Malice, mifrepresented our firm Resolution, and uniform Endeavours, to preserve and defend our most excellent Conftitution both in Church and State, and attempted by many falfe Suggestions to render us fufpected to our People; we cannot omit, on this Occafion of first fummoning our Parliament of Great Britain (in Justice to ourselves, and that the Mifcarriages of others may not be imputed to us, at a Time when falfe Impreffions may do the greatest and irrecoverable Hurt before they can be clear'd up) to fignify to our whole Kingdom, that we were very much concern'd, on our Acceffion to the Crown, to find the publick Affairs of our Kingdoms under the greatest Difficulties, as well in refpect of our Trade, and the Interruption of our Navigation, as of the great Debts of the Nation, which we were furpriz'd to observe, had been very much increas'd fince the Conclufion of the laft War: We do not therefore doubt, that if the enfuing Elections fhall be made by our loving Subjects with that Safety and Freedom which by Law they are entitled to, and we are firmly refolv'd to maintain to them, they will fend up to Parliament the fittest Perfons to redress the prefent Disorders, and to provide for the Peace and Happiness of our Kingdoms, and the Eafe of our People for the future, and therein will have a particular Regard to fuch as fhew'd a Firmness to the Proteftant Succeffion, when it was most in Danger: We have therefore found it neceffary, as well for the Caufes aforefaid, as for other weighty Confiderations concerning us and our Kingdoms, to call a new Parliament, and we do accordingly declare, that with the Advice of our Privy Council, we have this Day given Order to our Chancellor of Great Britain, to

iffue out Writs in due Form for the calling a new Parliament, which Writs are to bear Tefte on Monday, the Seventeenth Day of this Inftant January, and to be returnable on Thursday the Seventeenth Day of March next following.

Given at the Court at St. James's the Fifteenth Day of January, 1714, in the first Year of our Reign.

The fame Day the King fign'd the following Proclamation, declaring his Majesty's Pleasure for continuing Officers in Great Britain and Ireland.

GEORGE R.

W

Hereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Sixth Year of the late Queen Anne, our most dear Sifter, entitled, An Act for the Security of her Majesty's Perfon and Government, and of the Succeffion to the Crown of Great Britain in the Proteftant Line, it was enacted, amongst other Things, that no Office, Place, or Employment, Civil or Military, within the Kingdoms of Great Britain or Ireland, Dominion of Wales, Town of Berwick upon Tweed, Ifles of Ferfey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, fhould become void by Reafon of the Demife of her faid late Majefty, her Heirs, or Succeffors, Kings or Queens of this Realm, but that every Person and Persons, in any of the Offices, Places, and Employments aforefaid, fhould continue in their refpective Offices, Places, and Employments for the Space of fix Months next after fuch Death or Demife, unless fooner remov'd and discharg'd by the next Succeffor, to whom the Imperial Crown of this Realm was limited and appointed to go, remain, and defcend: And in Regard that that Time hath been found not to be fufficient for refettling all the faid Offices, we, for the preventing the Inconveniences that may happen by the fame becoming void, in our princely Wifdom and Care of the State, (referving to our Judgment hereafter the Reformation and Redrefs of any Abufes in Mifgovernment, upon due Knowledge and Examination thereof) are pleas'd, and do hereby order, fignify, grant, and declare, that all Perfons that, at the Time of the Decease of her faid late Majefty were duly and lawfully poffefs'd of, or invefted in any Office, Place, or Employment, Civil or Military, within the Kingdoms of Great Britain or Ireland, Dominion of Wales, Town of Berwick upon Tweed, Iles of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, and which

have not fince been remov'd from fuch the Offices, Places, or Employments, fhall be, and fhall hold themfelves continu'd in, and fhall hold and execute the faid Offices, Places, or Employments, as formerly they held, enjoy'd, and executed the fame, for the Space of three Months from the Date hereof, unless fooner remov❜d and discharg'd by us: And in the mean Time, for the Prefervation of the Peace, and neceffary Proceedings to Matters by Juftice, and for the Safety and Service of the State, we do hereby ftrictly command all the faid Perfons, of whatsoever Degree or Condition, that they do not fail every one feverally, according to his Place, Office, or Charge, to proceed in the Performance and Execution of all Duties thereunto belonging, as formerly appertain'd unto them, and every of them, while the faid late Queen was living : And further, we do hereby will and command all and fingular our loving Subjects, of what Estate or Degree they or any of them be, to be aiding, helping, and affifting, at the Commandment of the faid Officers in the Performance and Execution of the faid Offices and Places, as they tender our Displeasure, and will anfwer the contrary at their utmost Perils.

Given at our Court at St. James's, the Fifteenth Day of
January, 1714, in the first Year of our Reign.

At the fame Time alfo his Majefty was pleas'd to fign another Proclamation, for the difcovering and apprehending of the Persons who barbarously wounded and maimed John Mac-Allen, an Officer of Excife in Scotland, for refufing to drink fome Jacobite or Tory Healths; which was as follows:

GEORGE R.

We

Hereas we have receiv'd Information, that upon the 30th Day of November laft, between the Hours of 12 and 1 in the Morning, at Crief in Perthshire, in that Part of our Kingdom of Great Britain, call'd Scotland, feveral Perfons in Highland Habits, with their Faces dif colour'd, and arm'd with Sword, Durk, and Pistol, broke into the Lodgings of John Mac-Allen, one of our Officers of Excife, and barbaroufly and inhumanly beat, bruis'd, and wounded the faid John Mac-Allen in feveral Parts of his Body, and cut off great Part of his Right Ear, we, out of our Royal Inclination to Juftice, and to the Intent that fuch Offences may be discover'd and punish'd, whereby all others may be deterr'd from committing the