Notice of arrest

The Notice of arrest is a written warrant discovered by the Pevensie children when they first visit Tumnus's cave after entering Narnia together. It is nailed through the carpet to the floor, a deliberate act of official desecration that transforms a private home into a crime scene. The document is signed by Fenris Ulf, Captain of the Secret Police, and ends with the compulsory slogan "LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!" — a detail that underscores the regime's demand for public loyalty even in its bureaucratic instruments.

Contents and Charges

The notice formally declares that "the former occupant of these premises, the Faun Tumnus, is under arrest and awaiting his trial on a charge of High Treason against her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, etc." The charges include "comforting her said Majesty's enemies, harbouring spies and fraternising with Humans." The language is legalistic and grandiose, listing the Witch's full imperial titles to assert her absolute authority. The specific accusation of "fraternising with Humans" directly references Tumnus's act of befriending Lucy and helping her return home, making the notice a precise instrument of political persecution.

Narrative Significance

The notice serves as the children's first concrete evidence of the White Witch's tyranny and the danger Tumnus faces. It transforms their adventure from curiosity into a moral crisis: Lucy immediately understands that she is the cause of Tumnus's arrest, and the document galvanizes the group to attempt a rescue. The notice also introduces Fenris Ulf as a named antagonist and establishes the Secret Police as an active force of surveillance and enforcement in Narnia. Its placement — nailed to the floor of a ransacked cave — visually communicates the regime's brutality and the complete vulnerability of its subjects.