WEE have made so many Declarations of Our Royall Intentions concerning the preserving of the Religion and Lawes of this Land, That Wee think it not fit often to repeat, Though by Gods grace We seriously intend never to decline or depart from the same. But this seems most strange unto Us, that whil'st (especially at, and about London) Our just and legall Commands are not obeyed, other Orders and Ordinances, (for which there is no legall foundation) which not only discoun­tenance, but overthrow the Lawes of the Land that settle Religion, and were the fences of the Subjects property, are submitted unto and obeyed by many of Our weaker Subjects: And amongst these a blind obedience hath been yeelded unto the pretended Ordinance, for setling Customes without an Act of Parliament, when an Act this Parliament (received from Us, and so understood by Us, as one of the greatest graces the Crowne ever conferred on the Subject) declares, no Custome is due without an Act; and all such Persons as receive the same incurr the forfeiture of a Premunire. This We thought would not have found obedience from the Merchant, who un­derstood what his owne benefit was thereby, and could not be ignorant how penall it was in him to breake this Law; especially when he found he paid his Custome for support of an unnaturall Warr against his Prince, and to foment an intestine and Civill dissention which hath already, and may in the future produce so many Evills upon this poore People. But upon the menances and usage some received that denyed it, We find since a more generall Obedience in such as Trade, then We expected, though We understand by it the Trade of the Kingdom is much lessened. Neverthelesse We thought not fit until this present, by any of Our Proclamations to prohibite the same, because We hoped before this time, We having so often and by so ma­ny means endeavoured the same, some happy understanding might have been between Us and both Our Houses of Parliament. But at present finding that the monyes arising from these Duties, are a great part of the fewell that maintaines this fire, and supports this unnaturall Rebellion against Us, and heightens the Spirits of such as have no Spirit to Peace, unlesse they may destroy Us, Our Posterity, and the setled Govern­ment both of Church and State; We doe hereby Declare and Proclaime to all Our People of what sort soe­ver, That whosoever henceforward shall, by vertue of the pretended Ordinance of Parliament, pay any Monyes for Custome or other Dutyes therein mentioned, other then to Our proper Ministers, what is due to Us by the known Lawes of the Kingdome, That We will proceed against him or them in due time, as an ill-affected person or persons to the Peace of this Kingdome, and as such as endeavour (as much as in them lyes) to hinder a true Intelligence betwixt Us and Our People. And for such person, or persons as shall con­tinue to require or receive the same contrary to the Statute made this Parliament, We shall likewise proceed against them according to the penalty in the said Act, And because (though the Law ought to have been every mans prohibition) We did not, until this time, forbid the same, We doe hereby grant Our free Par­don to all such as formerly having either paid, or received these Customes, shall henceforth refuse the same, And to no other.

¶ Given under Our Signe Manuall at Our Court at Oxford, the sixteenth day of December, in the Eighteenth yeare of our Reigne.

God save the King.