By his Excellency the Right Honourable JOHN Earl of DUNMORE,
his Majesty's Lieutenant and Governor General of the
Colony and Dominion of Virginia and Vice Admiral of the same.

A PROCLAMATION.

Virginia, to wit.

Whereas his Majesty did, at the Request of the Assembly of this Colony, permit the Western Boundary thereof to be extended as the same has been run and ascertained by Colonel Donelson, and other Surveyors, deputed for the purpose; and whereas his Majesty hath for the greater Convenience of, and the preventing of Litigation and Disputes among, such Persons as shall be inclined to settle upon any of his vacant Lands, ordered that all that Tract of Land included within the aforesaid Boundary, and all other vacant Lands within this Colony, be surveyed in Districts, and laid out in Lots of from one Hundred to one Thousand Acres, and as fast as the said Surveys shall be compleated by the Surveyors, duly authorized, and the Surveys thereof returned, that the Lands, so surveyed and allotted, be put up to public Sale, at such Time and Place as shall be appointed by public Notice; and that hihest Bidder for such Lots and Parcels of Land, at such Sales, be the Purchaser thereof, , and be entitled to a Grant in Fee Simple of the Land so purchased as aforesaid, by Letters Patent under the great Seal of the Colony, subject to no Conditions or Reservations whatever, other than the Payment of the annual Quit-Rent of one half Penny Sterling per Acre, and also of all Mines of Gold, Silver, and precious Stones: And whereas Advice has been recieved, that one Richard Henderson, and other disorderly Persons, his Associates, under Pretence of a Purchase made from the Indians, contrary to the aforesaid Orders and Regulations of his Majesty, do set up a Claim to the Lands of the Crown within the Limits of this Colony; I have thought fit, therefore, to issue this my Proclamation, strictly charging all Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs, and other Officers, civil and military, to use their utmost Endeavours to prevent the unwarrantable and illegal Designs of the said Henderson and his Abettors; and if the said Henderson, or others concerned with him, shall take Possession of, or occupy any Lands within the Limits of his Majesty's Government of Virginia, merely under any Purchase, or pretended Purchase, made from Indians, without any other Title, that he or they be required, in his Majesty's Name, forthwith to depart, and relinquish the Possession so unjustly obtained; and in Case of Refusal and of violent detaining such Possession, that he or they be immediately fined and imprisoned in the Manner the Laws in such Cases direct.

GIVEN under my Hand, and the Seal of the Colony, this 21st Day of March, in the 15th Year of his Majesty's Reign.

DUNMORE.

GOD save the KING.

By his Excellency the Right Honourable JOHN Earl of DUNMORE,
his Majesty's Lieutenant and Governor General of the
Colony and Dominion of Virginia and Vice Admiral of the same.

A PROCLAMATION.

As I have ever entertained Hopes, that an Accommodation might have taken Place between GREAT-BRITAIN and this Colony, without being compelled by my Duty to this most disagreeable but now absolutely necessary Step, rendered so by a Body of armed Men unlawfully assembled, firing on His MAJESTY'S Tenders, and the formation of an Army, and that Army now on their March to attack his MAJESTY'S Troops and destroy the well disposed subjects of the Colony. To defeat such treasonable Purposes, and that all such Traitors, and their Abettors, may be brought to Justice, and that the Peace, and good Order of this Colony may be again restored, which the ordinary Course of the Civil Law is unable to effect; I have thought fit to issue this my Proclamation, hereby declaring, that until the aforesaid good Purpose can be obtained, I do in Virtue of the Power and Authority to ME given, by His MAJESTY, determine to execute Martial Law, and cause the same to be executed throughout this Colony: and to ****** the Peace and good Order may the sooner be restored, I do require every Person capable of bearing Arms, to resort to His MAJESTY'S STANDARD, or be looked upon as Traitors to His MAJESTY'S Crown and Government, and thereby become liable to the Penalty the Law inflicts upon such Offenses; such as forfeiture of Life, confiscation of Lands, &. &. And I do hereby further declare all indented [sic] Servants, Negroes, or others, (appertaining to Rebels,) free that are able and willing to bear Arms, they joining His MAJESTY'S Troops as soon as may be, foe the more speedily reducing this Colony to a proper Sense of their Duty, to His MAJESTY'S Crown and Dignity. I do further order, and require, all His MAJESTY'S Liege Subjects, to retain their Quitrents, or any other Taxes due or that may become due, in their own Custody, till such a Time as Peace may be again restored to this at present most unhappy Country, or demanded of them for their former salutary Purposes, by Officers properly ***** to receive the same.

GIVEN under my Hand on board the Ship WILLIAM by Norfolk, the 7th Day of November in the SIXTEENTH Year of His MAJESTY'S Reign.

DUNMORE

(GOD save the KING.)