THE Kings most Excellent Maiesty, considering how much it importeth the honor, safety, and wealth of this Realme, that the nauigation of the same bee carefully continued and maintained, and that there be skilfull Mariners, and Seafaring men at all times in readinesse, to furnish, aswell his Ma­iesties owne Royall Nauy vpon all occasions, as the shipping of his sub­iects, And vnderstanding, that the Mariners and Seafaring men of this Realme, haue of late yeeres in great numbers, without any licence or sufficient warrant, put themselues into the seruice of forraine Princes and States, and of Strangers borne, wherby both his Maiesties Nauy and the Realme in generall, are likely to be depriued of their seruice, when there shall be any needfull vse thereof, if some timely remedy be not proui­ded, to meet with so great an inconuenience; And weighing, that it is a principall part of the allege­ance and duty of a subiect, to attend the seruice of his liege Soueraigne and Country: His Maiesty doth therefore straitly inhibite and forbid, that no Mariner or Seafaring man, Ship-wright, or Ship-Carpenter whatsoeuer, being his Maiesties subiect, doe at any time heereafter without expresse li­cence of his Maiesty, or of the Lord Admirall of England, for the time being, in writing, enter, or at­tempt, or goe about to enter into the seruice of any forreine Prince, or State, nor to be imployed out of this Realme in any seruice whatsoeuer, vnlesse it be in the seruice of his Maiesty, or of some of his Highnesse owne liege Subiects, vpon paine of his Maiesties indignation and displeasure, and the vttermost seuerity of his Maiesties Laws, to the exteuded against them, that contrary to their duty to hid Maiesty, and this their natiue Country, shall so contemptuously withstand this his Royall com­mand, in a matter of such weighty consequence, by withdrawing themselues from that duty and ser­uice, which by the Lawes of God and man, they owe to their Soueraigne and Country, And his Maiesty doth like wise command all his Officers, Ministers, and Subiects whatsoeuer, not onely (as much as in them is) to hinder any such, as shall attempt any thing against his Royall procla­mation; but, from time to time, to make knowne all such offences and offendors, to the Lord Admi­rall, for the time being, that a speedy course may be taken for the seuere punishing of them, to the exam­ple of others.

Giuen at the Court at Windsor, the sixth day of August, in twentieth yeere of his Maiesties Reigne of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the sixe and fiftieth.

God saue the King.