THe Kings MAIESTIE being certeinly enformed through the ma­nifold and dayly complaints made to his Highnesse, aswell by his owne Subiects as others, of the continuall Depredations, and Piracies com­mitted on the Seas by certaine lewd and ill disposed persons; and finding that the ordinary proceedings held of late times for the suppressing of these enormities and offences, haue wrought lesse reformation then was ex­pected: In his Princely care to preserue Iustice, as one of the maine pil­lars of his Estate, and for the speedier suppressing of all such Piracies and Depredacious crimes, most hatefull to his minde, and scandalous to his peaceable gouernment, and for the better continuance of Amitie with all other Princes and States; Hath with the aduise of his Priuie Counsell, for the speedy preuention or seuere punishment hereafter of such fowle crimes and Piracies, Set downe certaine Articles hereunto annexed, which his Highnesse commandeth all his Officers whom it may concerne, of what degree soeuer, to see duely executed, Wherein if any maner of person shalbe found culpable or wilfully negligent, contemptuous, or disobedient, His Maiestie de­clareth hereby, that punishment shalbe inflicted vpon him or them with such seueritie, as the example thereof shall terrifie all others from committing any so odious crimes, or contemptuous offences.

FIrst, that no man of Warre be furnished or set out to Sea by any of his Maiesties Sub­iects, vnder paine of Death and confiscation of Lands and Goods, not onely to the Cap­taines and Mariners, but also to the Owners and Victuallers, if the Company of the saide Ship shall commit any Piracie, Depredation or murther at the Sea, vpon any of his Maiesties Friends.

Item, that if any person whatsoeuer shall vpon the Seas take any Ship that doeth belong to any of his Maiesties Friends and Allies, or to any of their Subiects, or shall take out of it by force any Goods of what nature or qualitie soeuer, he or they so offending shall suffer Death, with confiscation of Lands and Goods, according to the Law in that case prouided.

Item, that all Admirall causes (except the causes now depending before the Commissioners for causes of Depredations) shalbe summarily heard by the Iudge of the high Court of the Admiraltie, without admitting any vnnecessary delay.

Item, that no appeale from him be admitted to the Defendant or Defendants in causes of Depre­dation, either against the Offenders, or their Accessaries, before or after the offence committed, or those in whose possession the Goods spoiled are found, Vnlesse first by way of prouision, the summe adiudged be payd to the Plaintife vpon Sureties to repay it, if the Sentence shalbe reuersed.

Item, that no Prohibition in such cases of Spoile and their accessaries or dependances be granted hereafter.

Item, that no Ship or Goods taken from any his Maiesties friends, shall be deliuered by any other order then vpon proofe made in the sayd Court of the Admiralty, before the sayd Iudge or his Deputie, to the end that a Record may be kept of all such Restitutions made to strangers, to serue when occasion shall require.

Item, that euery Viceadmirall is enioyned by this Proclamation (whereof hee shall take notice at his perill) to certifie into the said Court of the Admiralty euery quarter of the yeere what man of Warre hath gone to the Sea, or returned home within that time, with any goods taken at Sea, or the procedue thereof, vpon paine to lose to his Maiestie (by way of Fine) for euery such default fortie pounds of currant money of England, to be answered into his Maiesties Receipt of the Exchequer, by Certificate from the said Iudge of the Admiralty vnder the great Seale of that Office, to bee di­rected to the Lord Treasurer and the Barons of the Exchequer.

Item, that al the Kings Subiects shal forbeare from ayding or receiuing of any Pirat or Sea-Ro­uer, or any person not being a knowen Merchant, by contracting, buying, selling or exchanging with them, or by victualling of them or any of their company, whereby they or any of them shalbe the more enabled to goe or returne to the Seas to commit any Piracie or disorder, vpon paine for so doing to be punished presently, as the principal offendors and Pirats ought to be.

Item, that the Viceadmirals, Customers, and the other Officers of the Ports, shal not suffer any Ship to goe to the Seas before such time as they respectiuely in their seuerall Ports haue duely sear­ched and visited the same, to the intent to stay such persons as apparantly shall bee furnished for the Warres, and not for Merchandize or Fishing. And if there shall be any maner of suspicion that the sayd person, though he shall pretend to trade for Merchandize or Fishing, hath, or may haue an in­tent by his prouisions or furniture, otherwise then to vse the trade of Merchandize or Fishing, that in such case of suspicion the Officers of the Ports shall stay, and in no wise suffer the same to passe to the Seas without good bonds by sufficient sureties first had, to vse nothing but a lawfull trade of Mer­chandize or Fishing. And if the sayd Officers shall suffer any person otherwise to repayre to the Seas then aboue is mentioned, they shall not onely answere for any Piracies which any such person shall chance hereafter to doe vpon the Seas, but shall suffer imprisonment vntill the offendors may be apprehended, if they shall be liuing. And generally his Maiestie declareth and denounceth all such Pirats and Rouers vpon the Seas to be out of his Maiesties Protection, and lawfully to bee by any person taken, punished, and suppressed with extremitie.

And whereas diuers great and enormous spoyles and Piracies haue been of late time committed within the Straits of Gyblaltar by Captaine Thomas Tomkins Gentleman, Edmond Bonham, Walter Ianuerin, Mariners, and diuers other English Pirats, and the Goods, Moneyes and Merchandizes brought into England by them, haue bene scattered, sold, and disposed of most lewdly and prodigally, by the means of their Receiuers, Comforters and Abettors, to the exceeding preiudice of his Maiesties good friends the Venetians, whom they haue robbed, and to the great displeasure of God, and disho­nour of this State: His Maiestie doth expresly commaund all Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, Admirals, Viceadmirals and their Deputies, and all other Officers of the Admiralty, and all Iusti­ces of the Peace, Maiors, Shiriffes, Bailiffes, Constables, and all other his Officers and Ministers whatsoeuer, to vse all care and diligence in the inquiring, searching for, and apprehending of all such Pirats, their Receiuers, Comforters, and Abettors. And if they shall by their trauailes and cares finde any of them, to send them presently vnder safe custodie to the common Gaoles of Hampshire or Dorsetshire, there to remaine without Bayle or Mainprise, till the Lord high Admirall of England or his Lieutenant the Iudge of the high Court of the Admiralty shall dispose of them according to the Lawes in that case prouided.

Giuen at his Maiesties Citie of Winchester the xxx. day of September 1603. in the first yeere of his Highnes Reigne of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the seuen and thirtieth.

God saue the King.