WEE have made so many Declarations of Our Royall Intentions concerning the pre­serving of the Religion and Lawes of this Land, That Wee thinke it not fit oft to re­peate, Though by Gods grace We seriously intend never to decline or depart from the same. But this seemes most strange unto Vs, 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 onely discounte­nance but overthrow the Lawes of the Land that settle Religion, and were the sences 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 Vs, and so understood by Vs, as one of the greatest graces the Crowne ever conferred on the Subject) declares, no Custome is due without an Act; and all such persones as receive the same incurr the forfeiture of a premunire. This We thought would not have found obedince 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 menaces 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 untill 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 meanes endeavoured the same, some happy understanding might have beene between Vs, 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 Vs, and heightens the Spirits of such as have no Spirit to Peace, unlesse they may destroy Vs Our Posterity, and the setled government both of Church aod State; We doe hereby Declare 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 knowne Laws 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 Vs 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, untill 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.