THE French King's DECLARATION OF A WAR AGAINST ENGLAND Published in the manner expressed therein at Paris 27 Jan. 1666. Translated out of French and Published by Authority LONDON Printed by Tho. Newcomb living over against Baynard's Castle in Thames-street 1666. By the KING WHereas His Majesty being informed that some misunderstanding was like to arise between England and Holland did give order to His Ordinary Ambassadors to perform in His Name all good Offices necessary for the Stifling those Differences in the Birth and being troubled to see things grow worse and worse so as to come to open Acts of Hostility between them did dispatch Extraordinary Ambassadors to the King of Great Britain to endeavour to stop the further growth and by some Agreement to compose those Differences but His Mediation not having had that effect He promised Himself in it the State's General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries have with Earnestness continued their Instances with His Majesty That He would execute the Treaty of League Defensive which He concluded with them the 27 of April 1662. And His Majesty finding Himself obliged to make good His Royal Word and the Engagements He entered into by a Solemn Treaty at a time when England and Holland were in good correspondence without any appearance of rupture His Majesty hath declared and by these presents signed with His Hand doth declare That Men determined and resolved to succour the States of the United Provinces of the Low Countries in consequence of the said Treaty of League Defensive and to join all His Power to that of the State's General in act against the English as well by Sea as Land And to this end doth most straightly charge and require all His Subjects Vassals and Servants to fall upon the English prohibiting them for the future to have any Communication Commerce or Intelligence with them upon pain of Deaths And to this end His Majesty hath revoked and from henceforth doth revoke All Licences Passes Letters of Protection and of Safeguard which may have been granted by Himself His Lieutenant Generals or other Officers contrary to these presents declaring them void and of no effect and commanding that no regard or consideration be had of them by any person or persons whatsoever And His Majesty's will and pleasure is That the Duke de Beaufort Peer of France Great Master Head and Surintendant General of the Navigation and Commerce of this Kingdom the Mareschals of France the Governors and Lieutenant's General for His Majesty in His Provinces and Armies Mareschals of Camp Colonels Masters of Camp Captains Heads and Conductors of His Soldiers as well of Horse as of Foot French as Strangers and all other His Officers whom it may concern do cause the Contents of these presents to be put in execution within each of their Powers and Jurisdictions respectively For such is His Majesty's pleasure Expecting that these presents be published in all His Towns aswell Maritime as others and in all the Ports Havens and such other places of His Kingdom as may be necessary to the end none may pretend cause of Ignorance and that to Copies hereof duly Collationed Credit be given as to the Original Signed LOVIS and below Le Tellier These are to Charge and Require Canto the King's Sworn Crier to publish the above Proclamation and it to Post up and Affix in the usual places of this City and Suburbs of Paris At Paris the 6th of Jan. 1666. Signed Daubray REad and Published with sound of Trumpet and open Proclamation in all the Carrefours of this City and Suburbs of Paris Posted and Affixed where necessary by me underwritten Charles Canto the King's Sworn Crier of the said City Provosté and Visconté of Paris In the making of which Proclamation I was accompanied by Five Trumpeters to wit Jeremy Tronsson Stephen du Bos His Majesty's Sworn Trumpeters in the said places and Three other Trumpeters The 27th of day January 1666. Signed Canto After the Publication of the said Declaration in the manner above expressed the Lord Hollis having taken his leave of that Court and so being divested of his Character thought fit to represent to Monsieur de Lionne one of the Secretaries of State the exorbitancy thereof and how offensive it would look to all the World to expose the Estates and Persons of His Majesty of Great Britain's Subjects to the last violences if it were literally executed and how contrary it was to the Treaties subsisting between the two Nations not to allow a competent time for persons to withdraw themselves from the rigorous execution of it His Majesty of France was pleased to issue this following Declaration allowing three month's time for all English to withdraw their Persons and Estates from His Territories By the King HIs Majesty having been given to understand that the English which are now in the Kingdom do apprehend they may be molested in their persons and disturbed in the enjoyment of their Estates in consequence of the Ordinance of the 26 of January last in which His Majesty declared He would join all His Force to that of the Estates General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries to act against the English as well by Sea as by Land charging and requiring all His Subjects to fall upon them and not to have from thenceforth any Commerce or Communication with them And although there be not any ground for such apprehension seeing the said Ordinance cannot be understood but against the English that shall hereafter be met at Sea by His Majesty's Ships or that shall appear on the Coasts of the Kingdom to Land and enter there in Arms or otherwise and not against private persons that are settled in the Kingdom or that are come hither upon the Faith of that good Correspondence which hath hitherto been between this Crown and that of England Yet His Majesty desirous more particularly to explain His meaning therein hath ordered and doth order That such English as being not Naturalised have settled themselves in the Kingdom or are at present here do quit it within three months to be accounted from the date of these presents during which time they may safely sell or transport their Merchandise and other Goods His Majesty in the mean time strictly commanding all His Subjects not to molest the said private Englishmen in their Persons or Goods for any cause or occasion or under any pretext whatsoever except by the ordinary ways of Justice and so as they might have done before the publication of the said Ordinance of 26 January last And His Majesty's will and pleasure is That all His Governors and His Lieutenant Governors of His Provinces Intendants there particular Governors of His Towns and places Bailiffs Seneschals Provosts Judges and their Lieutenants and all other His Officers and Subjects whom it may concern do take care respectively for the exact observation of these presents which His Majesty commands to be published and set up in all the Towns Boroughs and other places of His Kingdom where requisite to the end none may pretend cause of ignorance Given at St.  in Lay the first of February 1666. Signed LOVIS and below Le Tellier These are to require Canto the Kings swarn Cryer to publish the above Ordinance and to cause it to be affixed in the usual places of this City and Suburbs of Paris At Paris the first of February 1666. Signed Daubray REad and published with sound of Trumpet and open cry in all the Carrefours of this City and Suburbs of Paris and affixed where requisite by me underwritten Charles Canto the Kings sworn Crier in the said City Provosté and Visconté of Paris In making which Proclamation I was accompanied with three Trumpeters viz. Jeremy Tronsson Stephen du Bos His Majesty's sworn Trumpeters in the said places and with one other Trumpeter The third day of February 1666. Signed Canto FINIS