WHereas by an Act made by the Lords and Commons Assembled at Westminster, in the Twelfth year of Our Reign, with Our Consent, Entituled, An Act for the encouraging and increasing of Shipping and Navigation, and after Confirmed by an Act made in this pre­sent Parliament, It was Enacted and Declared, That no Goods or Commodities that were of Foreign Growth, Production, or Manufacture, and which were to be brought into England, Ireland, Wales, the Islands of Guernsey and Jersey, or Town of Berwick up­on Tweed, in English built Shipping, or other Shipping belonging to some of the a­foresaid places, and Navigated by English Mariners, as in the same Act is particularly mentioned, should be Shipped or brought from any Place or Places, Countrey or Countreys, but only from those of their said Growth, Production or Manufacture, or from those parts where the said Goods and Commodities could only, or were, or usually have been first Shipped for Transportation, and from none other Places or Countreys; under the Penalty of the Forfeiture of all such of the aforesaid Goods as should be Imported from any other Place or Countrey, contrary to the true intent and meaning of the same Act, as also of the Ship in which they were Imported, with all her Guns, Furniture, Am­munition, Tackle and Apparel, as in and by the same Act (amongst other things) may more fully ap­pear: And whereas it is manifest to Vs by the Certificate of the late Commissioners of Our Customs, made to Our High-Treasurer and Chancellor of Our Exchequer, after Consultation and Advice with several Merchants, and the chief of the Grocers Company in London, That Nutmegs, Cinnamon, Cloves and Mace, Imported in England since the Making and Publishing the said Act for the encouraging and increasing of Shipping and Navigation, have been by stealth only, and without paying any Custom, brought in by the Dutch and Foreign Merchants, and foul Traders at home, and that it must necessarily be so, because the Dutch are Prohibited (who have for many years had the sole Trade thereof) and the English cannot Transport them from Holland, because they Import them not from the place of their Growth, and the English East-India-Company themselves having no capacity to do it until they be restored to Poteroon, or gain some of the Spice-Islands; so as neither to them (until such a conjuncture) nor to any other would a general Freedom of Importing the same Spices be any prejudice, but would certainly render the Com­modity cheaper to Our good Subjects of this Our Kingdom, then now it is, and not only give great con­tent and satisfaction to all Merchants and Traders in Spices, but redound to the universal good of Trade: We taking the same into Our Princely Consideration, and intending the Publick good and be­nefit of Our loving Subjects herein, Do by this Our Proclamation (with the Advice of Our Privy Council) Publish and Declare Our Royal Will and Pleasure to be, That it shall and may be lawful, and We do hereby Give and Grant unto all Merchants and other persons whatsoever, full and free Li­cence and Liberty from the Publication hereof, to Import Nutmegs, Cinnamon, Cloves and Mace, in any English Ships from any parts beyond the Seas, into this Our Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, Isles of Guernsey and Jersey, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, or any of them, paying the Cu­stoms and Duties thereof, according to the Book of Rates in that behalf made and established, until the said East-India-Company can serve this Our Kingdom and the parts aforesaid with the same Commodi­ties from India, and Our Pleasure be thereupon Published to the contrary, and that without any Pain, Penalty, or Forfeiture whatsoever for the same: And We do hereby Will and Command all Our Offi­cers and Subjects whatsoever, That they do not presume to seize or meddle with any Goods or Ship, or any the Tackle thereof, or any ways Molest, Sue, or Question any Merchant, or other person or per­sons whatsoever, for, or by means or colour of Importation of any the Spices aforesaid, according to the Licence and Liberty therein hereby given and granted as aforesaid; the said Act of Navigation, or any Clause, Matter or thing therein contained, or any other Act, Ordinance, Provision, or Proclamati­on whatsoever to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Twentieth day of December, 1662. in the Fourteenth year of Our Reign.

God save the King.