A PROCLAMATION FOR PREVENTING OF THE ABUSES GROWING BY THE UNORDERED
RETAILING OF TOBACCO.
Whereas the Plant or Drugge called Tobacco scarce knowne to this
Nation in former times, was in this Age first usually brought into
this Realme in small quantity, as Medicine, and so used, and by divers
taken as Medicine, but in processe of time, to satisfie the inordinate
appetite of a great number of men and women it hath been brought in
in great quantity, and taken for wantonnesse and excesse, provoking
them to drinking and other inconveniences, to the great impairing of
their healths, and depraving of their manners, so that the care which
His Majesty hath of his people hath enforced Him to thinke of some
meanes for the preventing of the evill consequence of this immoderate
use thereof. And albeit His Majesties dearest father of blessed
memorie had given directions therein, as well by Proclamation as
otherwise, yet those waies tooke not so good effect as was desired,
for that therein was no restraint of the number of those that should
sell Tobacco by retaile, nor care taken of the quality of those that
should make such sale, but Victuallers, Taverners, Alehouse-keepers,
Tapsters, Chamberlaines, Hostlers and others, of the meanest condition
have promiscuously used to regrate the same as allurements to other
naughtinesse, keeping therein no Assize, to the prejudice of the rest
of His Majesties loving Subjects. For repressing therefore of all such
excesses and for preventing of future inconvenience, Our Soveraigne
Lord the King, by the advice of the Lords and others of His Privie
Councell hath resolved to reduce the venting, selling and uttering of
Tobacco into some good order, and that none but men of sufficiency, and
such as shall bring certificate of their meetnesse, shall hereafter
sell or utter any Tobacco by retaile. And to that purpose His Majestie
hath lately caused Letters from His Lords, and others of His Privie
Councell to bee directed unto the Justices of Peace of the severall
Counties of this Kingdome, and Dominion of Wales, and also unto the
Maiors, Bailiffes and other chiefe Officers of divers Cities and Townes
Corporate; Commanding them to certifie in what Townes and places it may
bee fit to suffer selling and retailing of Tobacco, and how many in
each place were fit to bee licensed to use that Trade. In answere of
which Letters, Certificates have beene made from divers of the Justices
of Peace, and from the Maiors, Bailiffes, and other Magistrates of
divers Cities and Townes Corporate, who therein have acknowledged the
abuses that daily arise by the ungoverned selling and retailing of
Tobacco, expressing their desire of reformation.
Whereupon His Majestie by like advice of his Counsell hath caused other
Letters to be directed to the Justices and Conservators of the Peace in
severall Counties; thereby declaring in what Townes and places Tobacco
shall be permitted to be sold or uttered by Retayle, and hath Commanded
the said Justices and Conservators of the Peace, to cause the names of
those Townes and places specified in those Letters, to be written and
affixed in publique places where the Assises and Sessions of the peace
shall be kept, in those Counties, to the end that all His people may
take notice that other places are not admitted or allowed for selling
or uttering of Tobacco by Retaile. And by Letters directed to the said
Maiors, Bayliffes, and other head Officers of Cities and Townes, His
Majestie hath given notice unto them of the names of those that are
permitted there to sell or deliver Tobacco in that manner, and hath
Commanded them to give publique notice in the said Cities and Townes,
of the names of those persons that are so admitted to sell or deliver
it.
Now our said Sovereigne Lord the King doth straightly prohibite all His
people, that after the feast of Candlemas next[1] comming after the
date of these presents, none of them out of the said Cities or Townes
so appointed as aforesaid, or within the said Cities, or Townes, no
others but those named as aforesaid, and such as from time to time
shall bee permitted in like manner, doe sell or deliver any Tobacco by
Retayle, and that none of them that are permitted or allowed in this
behalfe, keepe any Taverne, Alehouse, or Victualling, or otherwise
sell any distilled or hot Waters, Wine, Ale, Beere, or Cyder in their
houses, so long as they shall bee permitted to sell Tobacco by Retayle:
And for that the necessities of these times require it, His Majestie
doth charge and command all His Subjects to obey these His Ordinances,
under the paines to bee inflicted upon contemners of the same, and
of His Royall will and pleasure, being for the good of His people:
All which His pleasure is shall bee observed untill Hee shall by His
Proclamation, or Letters of His Privie Counsell make other publique
signification of His pleasure herein. And Hee doth charge and command
all Justices of Peace, and all Maiors, Bayliffes, and head Officers
of all His Cities and Townes within His said Kingdome of England, and
Dominion of Wales, and all those who are permitted to sell Tobacco
by Retaile, that they make diligent enquirie of all those that shall
presume to doe against this Command, and from time to time to make
certificate of their names, and places of their residence, with the
particular of their contempts, to the Lords of His Majesties Privie
Councell.
Given at the Court at Whitehall the thirteenth day of October,[2] in
the ninth yeere of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord Charles by the
grace of God King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender
of the Faith, etc.