WHereas We, since Our accesse to the Crowne, as also the most Excellent, High, and Mighty Prince, King IAMES of most blessed memory, Our most deare and Royall Father, out of our Princely and prouident care of the safety and honour of Our Kingdomes, and people, and for the continuance and maintenance of the Naui­gation of this Our Realme, and to the intent that skilfull Mari­ners and Sea-faring men might be alwayes in a readinesse to sur­nish as well Our owne Royall Nauy, as the shipping of Our louing Subiects, haue cau­sed sundry Proclamations to be published, thereby declaring Our Royall pleasure and ex­presse Commandement, that no Mariner or Seafaring man, Ship-Wright or Ship-Carpen­ter whatsoeuer, being Our Subiect, should without Our expresse Licence, or the Licence of our Admirall of England, enter or attempt, or goe about to enter into the seruice of any for­reigne Prince or State, or be imployed out of this Realme in any Sea-seruice whatsoeuer, vn­ [...]esse it were in Our owne seruice, or of some of Our liege Subiects: Notwithstanding which Our Princely care & prouidence for the safety of Our Kingdomes and State, We are certainly [...]nformed, that as well sundry Mariners, and Sea-faring men, as Gunners and Ship-Car­ [...]enters of this and other Our Realmes, haue of late yeeres, and doe dayly in great num­ [...]ers put themselues into the seruice of forreigne Princes at Sea, and that very great and in­ [...]ufferable abuses to vs and Our State are disloyally by them dayly committed.

To the end therefore that none hereafter may plead ignorance of Our Royall Pleasure, [...]nd Princely respect of all Our Subiects, and being vnwilling to be constrained to deale with [...]uch Offendors according to the measure of their demerits and contempts, if otherwise [...]here may be reformation:

Wee doe hereby straightly charge and command all Ship-wrights, Ship-carpenters, Masters, and Gunners of Ships, Pylots, Mariners, and all sorts of Seafaring men, who at this present are already in the seruice of any forreigne Prince, State, or other Forreiner, that they doe returne into this Our Kingdome before the Feast of All-Saints, next ensuing the date hereof, and deliuer notes of their names, and of the places from whence they returne, to the Customer of the Ports where they shall arriue, who are strictly charged to keepe the same safe, assuring them that at their returne they shall finde fit imployment.

And Wee doe likewise strictly prohibite and absolutely restraine all Our Subiects, of any of those professions or callings aforesaid, hereafter to enter into, or imploy themselues in any war­like or other seruice at Sea, of any forraine Prince or State, without especiall Licence from Vs, or the Lords Commissioners of Our Admiralty, or the Lord high Admirall of England, first had and obtayned, vpon paine of Our heauy indignation: And if any of Our Subiects, after this admonition, shall wilfully neglect the performance of Our Royall Pleasure herein ex­pressed, against such Wee are resolued henceforth to proceed by infliction of exemplary punish­ment, as Fugitiues and Runagates, forgetting their naturall allegeance and duty to Vs and Our Lawes, with all seueritie.

And Wee doe likewise command all Our Officers, Ministers, and Subiects whatsoeuer, not onely (as much as in them is) to hinder any such as shall attempt any thing against this Our Royall Proclamation, but from time to time to make knowne all such Offences and Offendors to the Lords Commissioners of our Admiralty, or the Lord high Admirall of England for the time being, that speedy course may be taken for the same seuere punishment of them, to the example of others.

Giuen at Our Court at Greenwich, this fifth day of May, in the tenth yeere of Our Raigne of England, Scotland, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.