Traitorous Designs, by King George III

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And We do accordingly strictly charge and command all Our Officers as well Civil as Military, and all other Our obedient and loyal Subjects, to use their utmost Endeavours to withstand and suppress such Rebellion, and to disclose and make known all Treasons and traitorous Conspiracies which they shall know to be against Us, Our Crown and Dignity; and for that Purpose, that they transmit to One of Our Principal Secretaries of State, or other proper Officer, due and full Information of all Persons who shall be found carrying on Correspondence with, or in any Manner or Degree aiding or abetting the Persons now in open Arms and Rebellion against Our Government within any of Our Colonies and Plantations in North America, in order to bring to condign Punishment the Authors, Perpetrators, and Abettors of such traitorous Designs.

Given at Our Court at St. James’s the Twenty-third Day of August, One thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, in the Fifteenth Year of Our Reign.

God save the King.

by King George III 1736-1820

Original spelling.

From ‘British Royal Proclamations Relating to America, 1603-1783’ (1911), edited by Clarence S. Brigham.

Précis

After making his case for informing on pro-American sympathisers, the King went on to lay out the procedure to be followed, by the armed forces or the general public, when denouncing to the State all those who conspired with the rebels, corresponded with them or gave them help in any way, and repeated that their cause was treason.

Questions for Critics

1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?

2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?

3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?

Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.

Sevens

Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.

What did the King want ordinary British subjects to do?

Suggestion

To inform on pro-American sympathisers they knew.

Jigsaws

Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.

Some people supported the rebels. They had friends. George told them to inform on them.

See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.

IIf. IIReport. IIIWho.

Précis

Questions for Critics

Sevens

Jigsaws

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