George III, King of England

By the King, A Proclamation, for suppressing Rebellion and Sedition. ... Whereas many of Our Subjects in divers Parts of our Colonies and Plantations in North America, misled by dangerous and ill-designing Men, and forgetting the Allegiance which they owe to the Power that has protected and sustained them, after various disorderly Acts committed in Disturbance of the Publick Peace, to the Obstruction of lawful Commerce, and to the Oppression of Our loyal Subjects carrying on the same, have at length proceeded to an open and avowed Rebellion, by arraying themselves in hostile Manner to withstand the Execution of the Law, and traitorously preparing, ordering, and levying War against Us ... We do accordingly strictly charge and command all Our Officers as well Civil and Military, and all other Our obedient and loyal Subjects, to use their utmost Endeavours to withstand and suppress such Rebellion. ... London: Printed by Charles Eyre and William Strahan, Printers to the King's most Excellent Majesty, 1775

Broadside (14 3/4 x 10 in.; 375 x 256 mm) on paper (watermarked English arms | gr). Woodcut royal arms, woodcut initial-frame; a few small pinholes to upper margin, one affecting woodcut arms. Half blue morocco folding-case gilt.

James S. Copley Library (sale, Sotheby's New York, 14 April 2010, lot 64). Acquisition: William Reese

BL/American War of Independence 66; Evans 14077 note; Streeter 2:767; cf. Don Cook, The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies 1760-1785 (1996)

First printing of the Proclamation that "put England and the colonies into an official state of war"(Cook). "Regarded as officially marking the beginning of the War of independence, this Proclamation was issued in London on 23 August 1775. ... Excluding all hopes of reconciliation, this Proclamation marked the recognition by the British Ministry that any negotiations would have to be accompanied by the use of force" (BL). The proximate cause for King George's Proclamation was the Battle of Bunker Hill, but it also effectively served as the official British response to the Olive Branch Petition, which the King refused to receive. 

Rare: this is one of just two copies to be offered at auction in the last thirty years.