WHereas that great and commendable Worke of making Al­lome, of the Natiue Mynes of this Our Kingdome, not many yeeres since discouered within Our County of Yorke, is by the dis­bursements and expence of sundry great summes of money, made by Our most deare and Royall Father, King Iames, of blessed me­mory, brought to such perfection, as there is now no doubt or que­stion, but sufficient quantities of good, well roached, & merchantable Allome may be made, aswell for supply of Our owne Domini­ons, of so necessary and vsefull a Commoditie, as also for forreine vent and sale of great quantities thereof into other neighbour Kingdomes; which being a Worke of so great ho­nour to this Kingdome, and of such vse and consequence, for the publique seruice, and good of this Common-wealth, wherby many families of Our louing Subiects are kept and main­tayned in worke, much treasure saued within the Land, which was heretofore yeerely expor­ted, for furnishing of Allome from forreine parts, and some increase also brought to Our annuall Reuenues, towards the sayd excessiue charge and expence, which Our sayd deare Father was put vnto about it: Wee haue thought fit (with the aduice of Our Priuy Coun­cell) by all honourable and lawfull meanes, to vphold and maintaine the same; which can by no meanes be done, vnlesse the Importation of Allome from forreine parts, and the vse thereof here, when it shall bee brought in, bee carefully restrained, and the many sleights, frauds, and deuices, heretofore vsed therein, be met withall and preuented.

Wee therefore doe by this Our Proclamation straitly charge and command, That no forreine Allome be hereafter imported, or brought into, or bought, sold, vttered, or spent with­in this Our Realme, or any other Our Dominions, and that no English Allome, that hath been, or shall be once exported, or shipped in any Boate or Vessel to be transported, shal at any [Page] time after be bought, sold, vttered or spent within this Our Realme of England: And that no person or persons whatsoeuer, either Our owne naturall borne Subiects, or Denizens, or Strangers, Merchants, Mariners, Artificers, or others, nor any of them, doe attempt hereafter to import, buy, sell, or vent, or cause to be imported, bought, sold, or vented any such forreine or English Allome so prohibited, vpon paine of forfeiture of all such Allome so im­ported, bought, solde, or vented, to bee seized to Our vse, and vpon such further penalties and punishments, as Wee, or Our Priuie Councell, or Our Treasurer of England, for the time being, shall thinke fit to inflict vpon euery such offender.

And for the better finding out, and discouery of the sayd offenders, Wee doe hereby re­quire and command, That Our sayd Treasurer, Chancellour, and Barons of the Exche­quer for the time being, shall, and doe award, such, and so many Commissions, of such and the like tenour and effect, as in the time of Our sayd deare Father, were accustomed, or might bee awarded, or otherwise, as they shall thinke fit, for examining and finding out of all offences and offenders against this Our Proclamation; To the end, That aswell the Im­porters of al such Allome prohibited, as the Buyers, Sellers, Spenders, and Receiuers ther­of, may receiue condigne punishment for the same.

And whereas Wee vnderstand, That diuers great quantities of such prohibited Allome haue vsed to bee imported into this Realme, vnder the name or names of sundry poore Ma­riners, and others, men of little or no value; Wee will and command, That not onely the said Mariners, or others, who shall so import, or colour the Importation of such prohibited Al­lome, shall bee punished, as their misdemeanours therein shall deserue; But also, That the Shippe, Boate, or Vessell wherein any such Allome shall bee imported, or out of which any such Allome shall be vnshipped, or layd on land, contrary to this Our Proclamation, shall bee arrested and stayed by the officers of euery Port, respectiuely, vntill the Master, or Owner thereof, shall cause the full value of the Allome so imported, vnshipped, or layd on land, to bee duely payd, and answered to the hands of Our Agent, or Agents for Our sayd Allome Workes for the time being, to Our vse, or to such others, as they shall appoint in that behalfe.

And Wee doe further straitly charge and command, All and singuler such person or per­sons, as shall hereafter seize any Allome, by this Proclamation prohibited to be imported, bought, sold, vsed or disposed of, That they doe forthwith deliuer the same to Our sayd A­gent, or Agents in London: And for the better encouragement of such as shall finde out, and discouer the offenders and offences, to bee committed against the tenour and true meaning of this Our Proclamation, Our will and pleasure is, That Our Agent or Agents, shall allow to him or them, who shal discouer and seize any such prohibited Allome, the full summe of nine shillings for euery hundred weight, & after the rate for euery lesser or greater quātity, that shal bee so seized and brought vnto the said Agents, or one of them; And for all such Allome as shal bee shifted away, and not seized, for which offence the full value thereof is to bee forfeited to Our vse, and payd to the hands of Our sayd Agent or Agents, as aforesayd, The one moity thereof shall bee to the discouerer, who shall prosecute and recouer the same, and the other moity to remaine to Our sayd Agent or Agents, to bee disposed of, as in their Letters Pa­tents of Agencie is ordered and appointed.

[Page] And Wee doe further charge and command, All and singuler the Officers of Our Cu­stomes within all and euery the Ports and Hauens of Our said Dominions, and the Creekes and members thereof, That they, and euery of them, doe not onely forbeare to take any En­try or Entries, or giue any Bill or Warrant for vnlading or landing of any Allome prohibi­ted as aforesayd, but doe also cause Seizure and stay to bee made thereof to Our vse, vpon paine of forfeiture of his or their Offices respectiuely, and vndergoing Our heauy displea­sure, and such other punishments, as their neglects and contempts herein shall be found to demerit.

And for the better execution of the premisses, Wee doe straitly charge and command all Maiors, Shiriffes, Iustices of Peace, Constables, headboroughs, Tything-men, and all o­ther Our Officers and Ministers, aswell of Our Admiralty, as otherwise, and all other Our louing Subiects, to whom it shall or may appertaine, That they, and euery of them, at all times hereafter, and from time to time, bee ayding and assisting to Our sayd Agent and Agents, and their deputies, and to such Our Commissioners, as shall be from time to time appointed for, or about this Our Seruice; And also to be, from time to time, likewise ayding & assisting to all Our Customers, Searchers, Waiters, and all other person or persons thereunto deputed by Our said Agent or Agents, in, or for the seizing, searching for, or carying away of all such prohibited Allome, imported or landed, or hereafter to bee imported, landed, bought, sold, vented, or disposed, contrary to this Our Royall prohibition and commande­ment: And if any person or persons shall bee found openly to oppose, or priuately to ani­mate, or encourage others to contradict or withstand the due execution of this Our Seruice, That then Our sayd Treasurer of England, or Chancellour of Our Exchequer, for the time being, shall cause such person and persons to bee sent for by a Messenger, and brought before Our Priuy Councell, or themselues, or the one of them, to receiue such condigne punishment therein, as shall be thought meete to be inflicted vpon him or them, for his or their wilfull con­tempt and disobedience in this behalfe.

Giuen at Our Court at White-Hall, the thirteenth day of April, in the first yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.