THe Kings most Excellent MAIESTIE beeing informed, that great quantities of Armor, Munition, Shot, Powder, & other Habilli­ments of Warre, haue heretofore been, & are stil dayly purloined, stollen, imbezelled, and conueyed away by the Souldiers, and Mariners of his Maiesties Army & Fleete, now returned from the late expedition, to the great losse of His Maiesty, and the infinite preiudice of His Royal seruice: And His Maiestie hauing taken this notorious abuse into mature consi­deration, and being fully resolued seuerely to punish all such Souldiers, Mariners, and other person and persons, who shall offend herein, Hath therefore though fit, with the Aduice of his Priuie Counsell, for repres­sing and preuenting the like attempts hereafter, to publish and declare His Royall Commande­ment concerning the same; And hereby doeth strictly prohibite, charge and command, all and euery Souldiers, Mariners, and all other persons whatsoeuer, that they, nor any of them doe presume, attempt, or goe about to Steale, Purloyne, Imbezell, Sell, Buy or Receiue any such Armes, Munition, Shot, Powder, or Habilliments of Warre, vpon paine of such seuere and condigue punishment for their offences, as by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme, or by His Maiesties Prerogatiue Royall, can or may be inflicted vpon the persons offending, either in the Stealing, Purloyning, Selling, or otherwise in the Buying, Receiuing or Concealing of the same. And because His Maiestie hath bin also informed, that many such Armes, Munition, Shot, Powder, and other Habilliments of Warre, haue, since the arriuall of his Maiesties Fleete, been Purloyned and Sold in the Parts neere about Plimmouth, His Maiestie doth hereby strictly charge and command all person and persons whatsoeuer, of what estate, condition or degree soe­uer they bee, to whom any the said Armes, Munition, Shot, Powder, or other Habilliments of Warre haue been Sold, or in whose Custodie the same or any of them are, that they and euery of them doe foorthwith bring, and deliuer, or cause to bee brought and deliuered the same, to the Maior of the said Towne of Plimmouth, or to the Maiors, Bayliffes, Constables, or thiefe Magi­strate or Officer of the Townes, Villages, or other places more remote from thence, to be by him or them safely kept for His Maiesties vse, and to certifie the same to the Office of the Ordnance, that vpon notice thereof, the same may be disposed of for His Maiesties Seruice; and this to bee obserued by all and euery person and persons, whom it may any wayes concerne, vpon paine of being proceeded against by the strictest course of Law which this fact shall deserue, for an example to others to auoid the like offences. And for the better execution of His Maiesties honourable, iust and necessary Commands herein, His Maiesty strictly chargeth and commandeth all Maiors, Sherifs, Iustices of Peace, Bayliffes, Headboroughs, and other Officers, and all other His Ma­iesties good and louing Subiects, to take care to preuent and represse all such offences, as afore­sayd, and to giue their assistance in the due execution of His Maiesties Command, concerning the premisses, as they tender their duety and Allegeance to His Maiesty, and will answere the contra­ry at their vtmost perils.

Giuen at Our Court at Whitehall, the eighth day of December, in the third yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland.

God saue the King.