1622, November 6. [Prohibiting Disorderly Trading to New England.] BY THE KING. A PROCLAMATION PROHIBITING INTERLOPING AND DISORDERLY TRADING TO NEW ENGLAND IN AMERICA. As it hath ever beene held a principall Office of Christian Kings, to seeke by all pious meanes the advancement of Christian Religion; so the consideration thereof, hath beene a speciall motive unto Us, from time to time, as often as cause hath required, to further, by Our Royall authority, the good disposition of any of Our well affected Subjects, that have a will to attempt the discovering and planting in any parts of the World, as yet savage and unpossessed by the Subjects of any Christian Prince or State. And now for that, by Gods sacred favour, there is likely to ensue great advancement of his glory, Our Crown, and State, by reason of Our grant heeretofore made to the Counsell for the managing of the affaires of New England in America, being in breadth from forty degrees of Northerly latitude from the Equinoctiall line to forty eight degrees of the sayd Northerly latitude, and in length by all the breadth aforesayd, thorowout the maine land from Sea to Sea1; We cannot but continue Our speciall respect and favour unto them in their endevours, and exercise Our Royall authority against the hinderers thereof. Wherefore, having received certaine information of many and intolerable abuses offered by sundry interlopers, irregular and disobedient persons, that seeking principally their present and private profits, have not only impeached some of the Planters there, of their lawfull possessions, but also taken from them their Timber without giving any satisfaction, as in justice they ought to have done: and not therewith contented, have rined whole woods to the utter ruine of the same for ever after; as also, by casting of their ballast in the harbors of some of their Ilands, have almost made them unserviceable: And yet not so contented, by their promiscuous trading, as well Mariners as Masters with the Savages, have overthrowne the trade and commerce that before was had, to the great profit of the 1 The patent of November 3, 1620. Planters, and which were indeed their principall hopes for the advancement of that plantation, next unto the commodities that coast affords of Fishing: Neither heerwith satisfied, but as if they resolved to omit nothing that might be impious and intolerable, they did not forbeare to barter away to the Savages, Swords, Pikes, Muskets, Fowling peeces, Match, Powder, Shot, and other warlike weapons, and teach them the use thereof; not only to their owne present punishment (divers of them being shortly after slain by the same Savages, whom they had so taught, and with the same weapons which they had furnished them withall) but also to the hazard of the lives of Our good subjects already planted there, and (asmuch as in them lay) to the making of the whole attempt it selfe (how pious and hopefull soever) frustrate, or so much the more difficult. We, for reformation and prevention of these or the like evils heerafter, and for the more cleare declaration of Our Kingly resolution and just intents, both to maintayne Our Royall grant already made, and to uphold and encourage by all wayes and meanes the worthy dispositions of the undertakers of those designes, have thought fit, and doe heerby straitly charge and command, That none of Our Subjects whatsoever, (not Adventurers, Inhabitors or Planters in New England) presume from hencefoorth to frequent those Coasts, to trade or traffique with those people, or to intermedle in the woodes or freehold of any the Planters or Inhabitants (otherwise then by the licence of the sayd Counsell, or according to the orders established by Our Privy Counsell for the releese or ease of the transportation of the Colony in Virginia) upon paine of Our high indignation, and the confiscation, penalties and forfeitures in Our sayd Royall grant expressed: Leaving it neverthelesse, in the meane time, to the discretion of the sayd Counsel for New England, to proceed against the foresayd offenders according to the same, especially, seeing We finde the armes of the sayd Counsell to bee open to receive into that plantation any of Our loving Subjects, who are willing to joyne with them in the charge, and participate in the profits thereof. 1 These "irregular and disobedient persons" were undoubtedly the members of Thomas Weston's colony at Weymouth. The Council for New England, in May, 1622, took notice of the complaints against Weston and moved that a proclamation be secured warning those who went to New England in contempt of authority (Records in Amer. Antiquarian Society Proceedings for April, 1867, p. 59). The proclamation was ordered by the Privy Council on October 23, 1622 (Acts of the Privy Council, Colonial, i, 55). Given at Our Court at Theobalds, the sixt day of November, in the yeere of Our Reigne of England, France, and Ireland, the twentieth, and of Scotland the sixe and fiftieth.1 GOD SAVE THE KING. Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and John Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. M.DC.XXII. I p. folio. Copies in Antiq., B. M., Dalk., I. T., P. C., P. R. O., and Q. C.; also John Carter Brown Library. Entered on Patent Rolls. Printed in Rymer's "Fœdera," xvii, 416. 1624, September 29. [Encouraging Growth of Tobacco in Plantations.] BY THE KING. A PROCLAMATION CONCERNING TOBACCO. Whereas Our Commons, assembled in Our last Sessions of Parliament, became humble Petitioners unto Us, That, for many waightie reasons, much concerning the welfare of Our Kingdome, and the Trade thereof, We would by Our Royall power, utterly prohibite the use of all foreigne Tobacco, which is not of the growth of Our owne Dominions2: And whereas We have upon all occasions made knowen Our dislike, We have ever had of the use of Tobacco in generall, as tending to the corruption both of the health and manners of Our people, and to that purpose have at severall times heretofore prohibited the planting of Tobacco, both in England and Wales, as utterly unfit, in respect of the Climate, to cherish the same for any medicinall use, (which is the onely good to bee approoved in it;) And at other times have also prohibited the disorderly Trading for Tobacco, into the parts beyond the Seas, as by Our severall Proclamations, published to that purpose, it may appeare. Neverthelesse, because Wee have 1 A note on the original proclamation in the privy seal bundles, no. 1955, in the Public Record Office, reads, "I have prepared this proclamation readie for your Majesty's signature upon an order made at the Councell Board. Thomas Coventry." 2 The Commons vote, dated May 24, 1624, is in the Journal of the House of Commons, i, 794. The several documents leading up to the issuing of this Proclamation are listed in Kingsbury's Records of the Virginia Company, i, 192-200. beene earnestly and often importuned by many of Our loving Subjects, Planters and Adventurers in Virginia, and the Sommer Islands, and lately by Our Commissioners for Virginia, that We would be pleased to take into Our Royall care that part of Our Dominions, by Our Royall authoritie, and by the industrie of Our loyall Subjects, added to the rest of Our Empire, for the propagation of Christian Religion, and the ease and benefite of this populous Realme, and to consider, that those Colonies and Plantations, are yet but in their infancie, and cannot be brought to maturitie and perfection, unlesse We will bee pleased for a time to tolerate unto them the planting and venting of the Tobacco, which is, and shall be of the growth of those Colonies and Plantations; We, taking into Our Princely consideration these, and many other important reasons of State, have beene graciously pleased to condescend to the desires and humble petitions of Our loving Subjects in this behalfe. And therefore We doe by these presents straitly charge and command, That no person whatsoever, of what degree or qualitie soever, doe at any time hereafter, import, or cause to be imported from any part beyond the Seas, or out of Our Kingdome of Scotland, into this Our Realme of England, or Dominion of Wales, or into Our Realme of Ireland, any Tobacco, which is not of the proper growth of the Plantations of Virginia, and the Sommer Islands, or one of them, upon paine of forfeiture unto Us of all such Tobacco so to be imported, contrary to the true meaning of these presents, in whose hands soever the same shall be found, and upon such further paines and penalties, as by the Lawes and Statutes of these Our Realmes, or by the severity or censure of Our Court of Starrechamber, in either of those Kingdomes respectively, may be inflicted upon the Offendors, for contempt of this Our Royall command, and to be reputed and taken as enemies to Our proceedings, and to those Plantations which so much concerne Our Honour, and the honour and profit of these Our Kingdomes. And We further will and command, upon the penalties aforesaid, that from hencefoorth, no person or persons whatsoever, presume to sow, set, or plant, or cause, or permit, or suffer to be sowed, set, or planted, in any of his or their grounds, any Tobacco whatsoever, within these Our Realmes of England, or Ireland, or Dominion of Wales, or any Isles or places belonging thereto, or permit or suffer any old stocke, plant, or root of Tobacco formerly set, sowed, or planted there to continue, not plucked up and utterly destroyed, contrary to the tenour and true meaning of a former Proclamation, made and published by Us to that purpose, bearing date the thirtieth day of December, in the seventeenth yeere of Our Reigne of England. And Wee further straitly charge and command, upon the paines and penalties aforesaid, That no person whatsoever, presume to buy, or sell any Tobacco, which from hencefoorth shall be imported, or brought from any the parts beyond the Seas, or from Our Realme of Scotland, which is not, or shall not be of the proper growth of the Colonies aforesaid, of Virginia, and the Sommer Islands, or one of them. And because Wee understand, that some, who intend their owne private, more then the publique, conceiving it to be probable, that We would grant the petition of Our Commons in Parliament, to prevent the effect thereof, have lately imported secretly, and by stealth, great quantities of forreigne Tobacco, for which they have payd no Subsidie, or other duety unto Us; We further will and command, under the paines and penalties aforesaid, that no person whatsoever, from, and after the five and twentieth day of March, now next ensuing, presume to sell, or offer, or put to sale within these Our Realmes or Dominion, any Tobacco, which hath beene formerly imported into this Realme, which is not of the proper growth of the Colonies, or Plantations aforesaid, or one of them, nor that any person whatsoever, willingly and knowingly, take, or use any Tobacco, from, and after the first day of May, now next ensuing, which is not, or shall not be of the proper growth of the sayd Colonies, or Plantations, or one of them. Yet, because the said forreigne Tobacco may not lie on the hands of the owners thereof, Wee are graciously pleased, that at any time, within fortie dayes after the sayd five and twentieth day of March, such forreigne Tobacco may be freely exported by any person whatsoever, without paying any Subsidie or other duetie for the same. And because no man shall pretend ignorance, and thereby endevour to excuse his offence in any of the premisses; Wee doe further charge and command, and doe hereby signifie and declare Our will and pleasure to be, that all, and every person and persons, Merchant or other, who useth to sell, or hath any purpose to sell Tobacco, who have in his, or their hands, custodie or possession, or in the hands, custodie or possession of any other by their delivery, or to their use, any Tobacco heretofore imported into this Our |