HIs Majesty having received many Informations and Complaints, That not­withstanding the Statute made in the Third year of King Edward the Fourth, Cap. 4. Forbidding the Importation of Woollen Clothes, Ribbands, Laces, Imbroidery, Gloves, and several other Manufactures therein named and spe­cified; One other Act made in the Fourteenth year of His Majesties Reign, Prohibiting the Importation of Foreign Bonelace, Cutwork, Imbroidery, Fringe, Bandstrings, Buttons, and Neédlework; One other Act made in the Twenty ninth and Thirtieth years of His Majesties Reign, Prohibiting several French Commodities therein named and specified, great quantities of the Com­modities Prohibited by the said Laws respectively, have beén, and are daily Im­ported into this Kingdom by private and indirect practices, and also by many notorious Oppositions, Assaults, Beatings, Rescues, and Riots, which the Officers of the Customs, and others willing to put the said Acts in execution, have and do daily meét with, in and about Seizing the said Goods according to Law; and by reason thereof very many of the said Prohibited Commodities escape Seizure and Prosecution, and the Offenders the Penalties enjoyned by those Acts, and the said Commodities are daily, both publickly and privately vended in Shops, Taverns, and other places. His Majesty therefore considering the evil effects and consequences to the Kingdom in general, and to Himself in His Customs in particular, in not having the said Acts put in strict execution, doth by this His Royal Proclamation (by and with the Advice of His Privy Council) Publish and Declare His Royal Will and Pleasure to be, That none of the Commodities whatsoever Prohibited by the said Acts, be Im­ported, Sold, Vended, or kept in this His Kingdom, or other places in the said Acts mentioned respective­ly, contrary to the true intent and meaning of the said Acts; and doth hereby Require and Command all Iudges, Vice-Admirals, Commanders of His Majesties Ships, Iustices of the Peace, Mayors, She­riffs, Bayliffs, Customers, Comptrollers, Searchers, and other Officers of the Customs, Constables, Tythingmen, Borsholders, and all other His Majesties Officers, Ministers, and loving Subjects what­soever, That they and every of them in their respective Places and Iurisdictions, do from time to time use their best and utmost endeavours in causing the said Acts of Parliament, and all and every the Powers and Authorities thereby given for the Restraining, Prohibiting, Seizing, Securing, Proceéding against any the said Prohibited Commodities, to be put in due and effectual execution in all things, accord­ing to the purport, true intent and meaning of the said Laws respectively; and in all things to be aiding and assisting to all and every the Officers of His Majesties Customs, or other person or persons whatsoever, who shall Seize or Stay, or having Information of, shall desire or endeavour to Search for, Seize, Stay, or Secure any of the said Prohibited Commodities in any Ships or Vessels, Houses, Shops, Cellars, Ports, Creéks, or other places whatsoever within the Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, in order to bring the same to Prosecution and Trial, according to the said Acts respectively, and to Restrain and Suppress all Breaches of the Peace, Riots, Routs, Tumults, and other Assemblies had or to be had in opposition or hindrance of any Search for, Seizure of, or other Prose­cution upon, or Execution of the said Acts, or any of them; and to Bind over, Imprison, and Punish according to Law, as well the Offenders therein, as also all and every other Person or Persons, who either upon Land or Water, shall Resist, Oppose, or hinder the Seizing or Carrying away to His Ma­jesties Warehouse, or being Seized, who shall receive or take away any the said Prohibited Commodi­ties, or that shall Assault, Beat, Wound, or hinder any the Officers, or other Persons whatsoever, Seizing or taking away any such Prohibited Commodities. And His Majesty doth hereby Declare, That he doth and will expect an exact and ready Conformity and Obedience to this His Royal Proclamation, under the pain of His high Displeasure, and of such other Punishments as His Majesty may or can Inffict upon such who shall Contemn or Disobey His Royal Will and Pleasure therein contained.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Nineteenth day of January 1679/80. In the One and thirtieth year of Our Reign.

God save the King.