WHereas Wee haue beene informed that sundry of Our Subiects, Masters and Owners of Ships, respecting more their priuate gaine and aduantage, then the publike good and safety of Vs and Our Do­minions, doe daily sell, or otherwise dispose to Strangers and Forrei­ners their Ships and other Vessels, to the great disseruice of Vs and the State, in weakening the Nauigation of this Kingdome; We ta­king the same into Our Princely consideration and foreseeing the ma­ny inconueniences which will ensue, if the same be not preuented, or the offenders (if any such shall hereafter be found) be not seuerely pu­nished, by the aduice of Our Priuy Counsell doe hereby straitly charge and command, that none of Our Subiects, or others, liuing within Our obeisance, of what degree, quality, or condition soeuer, doe at any time hereafter presume, directly or indirectly, to sell or alien, or by any waies or meanes, to dispose of any Ship or other Vessell, of what bur­then soeuer the same shall be, and either made or built within Our Dominions or without, be­ing fit, or which may be made fit to saile vpon the Seas, to any manner of person either borne or resident out of Our Dominions, vpon paine of Our high displeasure, and of the seuerest penal­ties and punishments, which by the Lawes and Statutes of this Our Realme, or by Our Pre­rogatiue Royall can be inflicted vpon them.

And Our further will and pleasure is, that if any of Our Subiects, either naturall borne, or made Denizens, knowing any such offence to be committed, shall not with all conuenient speede reueale the same, to the body of Our Priuy Counsell, that euery such person so concealing his knowledge, of or in the Premisses, shall for such his offence, be proceeded against, and punished as the principall offendors. And further because We vnderstand too well, what great destruction hath of late yeeres beene made of Timber fit for Shipping, and how little care and prouidence hath beene vsed to preserue the same according to Our Lawes: Wee doe further strictly charge and commaund, that all and euery Our louing Subiects in their seuerall places, doe preserue all such Timber as shall be fit for Shipping with their best indeauours, as they tender Our fauour, and the danger of Our Lawes, and would auoyd the contrary at their vttermost perils.

Giuen at Our Court at Nonsuch, the twelfth day of Iuly, in the fift yeere of Our Reigne, of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland.

God saue the King.