FOrasmuch as the many iniuries and indignities, obtruded vpon the Kings most excellent Maiestie, and his most deare and onely sister, and her children, and His royall father, of euer blessed memory, deceased, by the King of Spaine, vnder colour of treaties and alliances; the many vio­lences offered by him, to diuers of His Maiesties Subiects, in taking, slaying, and ransoming diuers of them in a hostile manner, whilest they intended onely their Marchandise at Sea; The king of Spaines restlesse ambition to aspire to an vniuersall Monarchie, discouered to the whole world, to the disquieting of that peace, which other Princes, and States his neighbours, would gladly rest in and inioy; Haue, out of an vna­uoidable necessitie, drawne His most excellent Maiestie, to take vp Armes against the said King, for the defence of Himselfe, His Dominions, and Subiects, and of other Princes and States, His Confederates and Allies, there being none other safe meanes for the obtaining of an assured Peace to Himselfe, and His Subiects, and to His Confederates, and Allies, which His Highnesse shall be euer most ready to imbrace, when with safety, and honour it may be had: His maiestie in His Princely wisedome and prouidence, foreseeing, that, whilest the said King of Spaine continueth in these termes and courses of Hostilitie, it is neither agreeable with the rules of policie, or Law of nations, to permit the said King, or his subiects, to be furni­shed and supplied with Corne, Victuals, Armes, or prouision for his Shipping, Nauie, or Armes, if the same can be preuented. For although these violent hostilities of the said King of Spaine, to the trouble of a great part of the Christian Dominions, are mightily maintained by the abun­dance of his treasure from the Indies, wherein he trusteth, and with the opinion whereof he is puffed vp: Yet it is manifest, that to maintaine his Armes, and renew his Shipping, his moneys, in their proper nature, would not suffice, if he were not continually supplied with Corne, & other Victuals, and furnished with Munition, and materials for Armes, and Shipping from forreigne countreis, whereof, neither his Indies, nor Spaine, nor any other part of his owne Dominions are able to serue; but the same are knowen to bee brought into Spaine, Portugall, Burgundie, and other his countreys, from other forreigne parts, not in his owne subiection, and that especially, from the Hans-townes, and Merchants of the North East Countreys, who for the desire of gaine, are con­tented to furnish the said King, though to their owne extreame hazzard, and preiudice of their neighbours, with all things requisite, to maintaine his vniust Warres: For this cause, His Maiesty being, amongst other Princes and States, herein principally interessed, for the defence of Himselfe, His Countreys, and Subiects, against the said King of Spaines great preparations of his Nauies, and Armies by Sea, and by Land; and His Maiesty being perswaded, that if such his prouisions for hostility, to be brought vnto him by Sea from forreigne parts, might be stayed, or interrupted, vntill the said King might bee disposed to liue in peace, His Maiestie might the sooner forbeare to continue His charge, in maintaining His forces, both by Sea and Land, which Hee is now constrained yeerely to renew, onely for the iust defence of himselfe, and His Domini­ons, and of His Confederats, and Allyes:

Doth by these presents, by the aduice of His Priuie Counsel, notifie to all maner of persons of all conditions, that shal send or cary into Spaine, Portugal, Burgundy, or any other the said King of Spaines Countreys or Dominions, any maner of Graine or other Victuals, or any manner of Prouisions, to serue to build, furnish or Arme any Ships of Warre, or any kind of Munition for the Warre, or Materials for the same, being not of the nature of meere Merchandize, that, as it is lawfull for His Maiestie, being a Monarch and Prince Souereigne, and as other Kings in like cases haue alwayes vsed to doe, Hee will not onely authorize His owne Admirals, and Captaines of His owne Ships of Warre, seruing on the Seas, but will also allow and approoue all other His Subiects, to Arme their Ships at their will, and with them to impeach and arrest all Ships, that shall Saile, either out of the East parts, or out of the Low-Countreys, or from any other Parts, with intention to passe to Spaine, Portugal, Burgundy, or any other the King of Spaines Coun­treys or Dominions, or to any the said King of Spaines Ships, being on the Seas, hauing on Board any such Graine, Victuall, or prouisions of Warre, or Furniture for shipping, or Ma­terials for the same, and the same to bring into the next good Port, there to bee ordered, as Goods duely forfeited for the benefit of His Maiestie, where His Maiesties Shippes shall arrest the same, and to the benefit of such others, as being not in his Maiesties Wages, shall by their trauaile and aduenture haue stayed and arrested such Ships and Goods prohibited: Prouided, that all others, besides the Captaines of His Maiesties owne Ships, that shall be disposed to Arme their Ships for this purpose, shall first notifie their intent to the Lord high Admirall of England, making declaration of their condition, of their maner of shipping, of the Furniture there­of, of the number of men requisite to serue therein, with their quantities of Victuall and Muniti­on, and of all other things requisite to bee certified to the Lord Admirall, which being by him al­lowed, thereupon the Owners of the said Ships, and the Captaines and Conductors thereof, to bee bound, to His Maiesties vse, in good summes of money for themselues, and, as cause shall require, to the Lord Admirall, with sufficient Sureties, that they doe their best endeuour, with­out fraud, for gaine or composition, to arrest such Ships, hauing, as is abouesayd, Graine, Victu­all, Armes, Munition, or Furniture for shipping, or any Materials for the same, intended to bee caried to any of the sayd King of Spaines Dominions, or Countreys, as aforesaid, and like­wise to bee bound, as is aforesayd, that with the sayd Ships, no harme shall bee wittingly done to any person on the Seas, being in friendship with his Maiestie, and that shall not bee priuie to the cariage of any such Graine, Victuall, Prouision, Furniture or Materials, into any the sayd King of Spaines Dominions, or towards any of his Countreys, or to any the King of Spaines Ships being on the Seas: And in case any shall be found to haue committed any such offence, whereby their Bonds shall bee forfeited, the parties damnified shall be fully recompen­ced for all their Losses and Dammages, with the summes of money forfeited, and otherwise, as there shall bee cause, and the offendors also seuerely punished, according to their offences, by due course of Law.

Giuen at Our Honour of Hampton Court, the 31. of December, in the first yeere of Our Reigne.

God saue the King.