WHereas the Safeguard and Protection We owe to such of Our own Subjects, and to all others in League and Amity with Vs, as pass and repass the Seas belonging to these Our Kingdoms, hath been always a principal part of Our Royal Care and Concern; And whereas We find already, that the Freedom and Security of Navigation and Com­merce to and fro Our Ports (in this time of Hostility between Our Neighbour Princes) hath been much disturbed; Nay, the Reverence due to Our Ports, Harbours, and other Places under Our own immediate Protection, hath been violated by the Piratical Practices, Depredations and Insolencies of Private Men of War, and others pretending Commission for the present Hostilities: We have thought fit, by the Advice of Our Privy Council, after an exact view first taken of the Rules, Ordinances and Provisions made upon the like occasions by Our Royal Progenitors, to re­vive, establish, ratifie and publish to all the World these Rules and Ordinances following. Our Royal Will and Pleasure therefore is,

I That within our Ports, Havens, Roads, and Creeks, as also in every other Place or Tract at Sea, that may be reasonably construed to be within any of those Denominations, Limits or Precincts, there shall be an inviolable Truce and Cessation of all Hostilities between all Persons and Parties whatsoever; And that no Force, Violence, Surprise, or Offence shall be done either from Man of War to Man of War, or from Man of War to Merchant, or from Merchant to Merchant, that happen to be in Hostility the one against the other; But that all of what Nation or Party soever, so long as they shall be within Our Ports, Harbours, or other Places reputed to be within Our more im­mediate Protection, and where Our Commanders and Officers are accomptable for the Publick Peace, shall be understood to be under Our special Safe-conduct, and must keep the Peace inviolably each with other: And We do further declare, and hereby denounce, That the Ships and Goods of all Aggressors, Actors and Offenders whatsoever against the true meaning of this Our Ordinance and Proclamation, are and shall be ipso facto Confiscate, and proceeded against in Our High Court of Admiralty, to Sentence and Condemnation, according to Law, notwithstanding any Commission of War, or Letters of Reprizals such Offenders may have, or pretend to have for their Iustification.

II We Will and Command that all Our Officers and Subjects by Sea and Land, do, as much as in them lies, prohibit the Roving and Hover­ing of Men of War so near the Entry of any of Our Harbours, or Our Coasts, as that Merchant-men homeward or outward bound to or fro any of Our Ports shall apprehend their Passage to be unsafe, or their danger of being set upon and surprised apparent, to the hindering and diverting of Trade and Commerce from Our Ports: And We do straitly charge and require Our said Officers and Subjects to rescue, succour, and defend all Merchant-men and others that shall happen to be set upon or surprised so near Our Coasts, or the Entry of Our Harbours, as may be easily construed to be under Our more special Care and Protection; and that they apprehend and seise all Offend­ers in this kind, in order to bring them to condign punishment, for disturbing and hindering the Trade and Commerce between Our Subjects and those of Our Neighbours and Allies.

III That where it happens that a Man of War of the one party, come into any of Our Ports where there shall be a Merchant-man (one or more) of the other Party, such Merchant-Ship or Ships, if they desire it, shall be suffered to depart the Port two Tydes before the Man of War, to the intent they may get themselves out of his Reach and Pursuit: And if it happen that any Man of War (one or more) of the one Party do come in, while any Man (or Men) of War of the other Party are in Our Ports or Roads, none shall be suffered to go out to Sea the same Tyde with his Enemy; but those that are most likely to pursue and engage as soon as they are out of Our Ports, shall be stayed and detained two Tydes after those of the adverse Party are put to Sea.

IV And We do hereby charge and require all Vice-Admirals, Customers, and other Our Officers in Ports and Maritime Places, that they visit all Ships and Vessels belonging to Our Subjects, that shall Victual, Furnish or Recruit themselves for Voyages at Sea; And that they stay and detain all such as they shall suspect by the Provision or Furniture to be designed for any other then Trading, or Fishing Voyages, until further Order from Vs, or Our Dearest Brother James Duke of York Our High Admiral, in that behalf.

V And We do further straitly command and require all Governours and Officers in Ports and other Maritime Places, not to suffer any Private Man of War Sailing by a Foreign Commission, and having any Prize or Prizes (that he may have taken) in his power and pos­session, to stay above twenty four hours in any of Our Ports or Harbours, unless he be thereto constrained by contrary Winds, blocking up by Enemies, or other Distress; yet so that during his stay he do not break Bulk, sell, barter, or leave behind him any of his Prize-goods, upon any terms or pretence whatsoever: And We further require Our Officers and Subjects, not to interpose or meddle in the affairs and pro­ceedings of such Men of War as put into Our Ports upon any Distress, with Foreign Commissions, but to suffer them to carry away their Prizes whither themselves think fit; Provided they have not the Goods or Merchandises of any of Our own Subjects on Board such Prizes; which if they happen to have, Our meaning is, That they be upon due proof taken out and restored to the true Proprietors.

VI We do straitly Require and Command, That none of Our Subjects of what degree or condition soever, do presume to Buy, Contract, or deal with any Foreign Men of War, their Officers or Company, or with any other person coming from Sea, not being a known Merchant, for any Wares, Merchandises, Victuals, Ammunition, Tackle, Furniture, Provisions or Goods whatsoever, not brought in by the course of Merchandise, and the Customs and Duties upon them first paid, upon pain of forfeiting all such Wares and Goods, as Bona Pirata­rum ought to be, and of being further proceeded against and punished in Our High Court of Admiralty, as Abetters and Complices of Pirates, and as Receivers of Pirates and their Goods, ought to be by the Laws and Customs of the Sea in that behalf.

VII And whereas divers of Our Subjects, out of their inclinations to Rapine and Licencious courses, rather then to Trading Voyages, and other honest Imployments at home, do engage, some of the one side, and some of the other, in the Quarrels of Our Neighbour Princes now in War, without Our leave or permission; We do hereby straitly Command and Require, That no Officer or Mariner what­soever being Our Subject, do presume to put himself into the Martial Service of any Foreign Prince or State, or accept of, and execute any Commission of War, or Letter of Marque or Reprizal from any such Prince or State, or go in any Merchant or Fishing Voyage, in any other Ship or Vessel then such as belong to Our own Subjects, without leave from Our Self, or Our dearest Brother James Duke of York Our High Admiral of England, in due form first obtained. And We do hereby Charge and Command all Officers, Mari­ners and Seafaring-men whatsoever, that are now in any such Service, to leave the same forthwith, and to get their Appearance and Return to their native Countrey, Recorded in Our High Court of Admiralty, or before some of Our Officers thereunto Impowered, upon pain of be­ing reputed and punished as Pirates. And in case any Officer or Mariner neglecting to return upon these Our Summons, happen at any time hereafter to come into any Port or Place of Our Dominions, We do hereby Charge and Require all Vice-Admirals, and Our Offi­cers in Ports and Maritime places, to apprehend and seise such person or persons, and him or them so seised, to Commit to the next Goal, there to remain until further Order, and the Certificate thereof to return with all speed into Our High Court of Admiralty, to the end that the Offender or Offenders may be proceeded against according to the Laws of this Our Realm in that behalf provided.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Eighth day of February, in the Twentieth year of Our Reign, 1667/8.

GOD SAVE THE KING.