ALthough by Our former Proclamations Wee haue declared the most necessarie and important vse of Gunpouder, as well for supply of Our owne Nauy Royall and the shipping of Our louing Subiects, as otherwise for the defence, strength and safetie of Our people and King­doms, and how great a blessing it is of Almighty God to this Realme, that it naturally yeeldeth sufficient Mines of Saltpeter for making of Gunpowder, without any necessity to depend vpon the dangerous, chargeable and casuall supplies from Forreigne parts: Yet notwith­standing, Wee are informed, that diuers of our Subiects of this Realme haue beene so farre from the apprehension of the care We haue & take of the Kingdoms safety, That they haue of late times sundry Wayes much more impaired and destroyed the growth and Mines of Saltpeter, then for­merly: But howeuer, as We in Our Princely care, will not omit any prouidence against what in­conueniences may ensue, so must We not endure the contempts of such as be disobedient Subiects, but (by reuiuing aswell that Proclamation, of the sixe and twentieth day of December, one thousand sixe hundred twenty foure, published by Our late deare father, concerning Saltpeter, as that which sithence was published in the first yeere of Our Reigne) Let all sorts of Delin­quents know that Wee intend strictly to proceed against them according to the seuerall branches thereof, for all offences contrarie to the Tenor of the same, since the promulgation thereof, with­out respect of any person: sauing that Wee thinke fit to declare that Wee will not haue any sa­cred ground be Stirred, Digged, or Opened, by authority of any Commission granted or to be granted for this seruice. And the better to meet with all offendours in this behalfe, We haue lately Granted Our Speciall Commission to diuers of the Lords and others of Our Priuie Councill, to whom we haue committed the trust and care of that important seruice; Giuing [Page]them full power and authority, aswell to assist Our Saltpeter-Makers, and their Deputies, in their lawfull proceedings in that imployment for such Our especiall seruice, as also vpon com­plaint made vnto them, or some of them, and due proofe thereof made, to giue speedy reformation to all impediments and mischiefes concerning the same.

And to take away all pretence of ignorance of Our Royall pleasure in this behalfe, We by the aduice of the Lords and others of Our Priuie Council, doe againe publish and declare, and hereby strictly charge and command all Our Subiects of whatsoeuer estate, degree, or condition, That no person or persons whatsoeuer within this Our Kingdome of England, or Dominion of Wales, doe from hencefoorth paue with stone, or bricke, or Floore with board any Doue-house, or Doue-coate, or any such ware-house, or out-houses, as are allowed by Our Commission, to be wrought for Salt-peter, or any Cellar, or Vault, (excepting onely in that part of the Cellar or Vault where the Beere lyeth, and excepting such Cellars and Vaults onely, wherein Noblemen and Gentlemen of reuenue and qualitie, doe lay or draw their wine, beere, or cyder, or other drinke for the prouision of their houshold) or doe lay the same with lime, sand, grauell, or other thing, whereby the growth and encrease of the Mine of Saltpeter may be hindred or impaired, but shall suffer the floore or ground of the places aforesaid, to lie open with good and mellow earth, apt to breed increase of the said Mine, and Saltpeter, and so continue the same.

And that no Inkeepers or others, that keepe Stables for trauailers and passengers, doe vse any deceitfull meanes or deuices, whereby to destroy or hinder the growth of Salt-peter in those stables, and that no stables at all (other then the stables of the Lords Spirituall, and Temporall, and of Gentlemen of qualitie) bee found pitched, paued, or grauelled, where the horse feet vse to stand, but plancked onely, nor be paued, pitched, or grauelled before the planckes next the maungers, but that both places be kept and maintained with good and mellow earth, fit and apt to breed and encrease the Mine of Saltpeter, and be layed with nothing which may hin­der or hurt the same. And likewise that all & euery such person and persons, as hauing hereto­fore since the last Proclamation had any Doue-house, Doue-coat, Stable, Cellar, Vault, Ware­house, or other Out-houses, (which were then good Nurceries for the breed of the Mine of Salt-peter) haue sithence carried out the good mould from thence, and filled the place againe with lyme, grauell, sand, rubbish or other like stuffe; or paued, boarded, or plancked the same, whereby the Grouth of the Mine of Saltpeter there hath beene decayed or destroyed, shall and do within two monethes next comming, take vp the said pauements, boards, or plankes againe, and carry out the said grauell, lyme, and other stuffe from thence, and fill the place againe with good and mellow earth, fit for the encrease of Saltpeter three foot deepe at the least, and so con­tinue and keepe the same for the breed of Saltpeter Mine.

And for as much as Wee are further aduertised, that it is growne of late to a frequent practice, to erect Douehouses, or to floore them three or foure foot from the ground, whereby the quantity of the Mine of Saltpeter, which was vsually wont to grow in the Floore of Doue­houses, is almost wholly decayed to the great preiudice of Our said seruice, and which in time will bee a meanes to ouerthrow this worke: Our Will and pleasure is, and We doe hereby straitly charge and command that such Douehouses be forthwith by the present Owners or Occupiers thereof altered and amended, by demolishing and pulling vp those Floores and false bottomes, and by laying those Douehouses open and free to the bare earth or ground, whereby the Myne of Saltpeter may grow and encrease, according as anciently hath been vsed & accusto­med, and that from henceforth, no other or more Douehouses be erected or suffered to be built af­ter that way, or vpon any vpper lofts or Floores, so much tending to the preiudice of that which should be seruiceable to the Common wealth.

And to the end that our Royall will and pleasure may from time to time hereafter be more duely obserued in the premisses, We do hereby require and command all & euery Our Iustices of Peace, and all other Our Officers whatsoeuer, That they & euery of them, vpon request to them made by Our Saltpeter-Makers, or their Deputies authorised in that behalfe, or any of them, doe re­sort and enter into, and make search in all Douehouses, Cellars, Vaultes, out-houses and Sta­bles (other then as aforesaid) there to view and see, whether they be so Paued, Grauelled, or otherwise so built, Floored or bottomed from the ground as aforesaid, Or any other way or meanes practised, in deceit, or euasion, or contrary to any the Proclamations of Vs or Our late Fathers, published in that behalfe: And thereupon to take order and see that a full and due reformation be thereof speedilie had and made, according to Our Command herein, and in Our former Proclamations declared and published in that behalfe.

Lastly for that notwithstanding all Our care and prouidence, Wee may iustly suspect, that there will still be discouered some refractorie persons in this behalfe, Therefore We doe hereby re­quire & authorize all Our Iudges of Assise in their seuerall Circuits, Iustices of Peace in euery seuerall County of this Kingdom, Maiors, Sherifes, Bailifes, Constables & all other Our Offi­cers & Ministers from time to time, as occasion shall require, to be furthering, helping, aiding and assisting to Our Saltpeter-Makers, and their deputies, vpon request in that behalfe made, accor­ding to the Tenour of Our said Commission, and the effect of this and the former mentioned Pro­clamations of Our Father, and of Our selfe.

And Wee doe hereby straitly charge and command all maner of persons whatsoeuer careful­ly and diligently to obserue and performe the said Proclamations before mentioned, and Our Royall pleasure therein expressed, as they and euerie of them will auoide Our heauy displeasure, and the censure of being holden contemners of Our Royall Commandement, in a matter of so high consequence for the publike seruice and safety of Our State and Kingdome, and vpon such further penalties and punishments, as for example to others, their contempts and want of duty shall demerit and in Our High Court of Starchamber or otherwise shall be found fit to bee im­posed vpon them.

Giuen at Our Court at Whitehall, the foureteenth day of March in the tenth yeere of Our Reigne of England, Scotland, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.