A PROCLAMATION AGAINST THE DISORDERLY TRANSPORTING HIS MAJESTIES
SUBJECTS TO THE PLANTATIONS WITHIN THE PARTS OF AMERICA.
The Kings most Excellent Majestie being informed that great numbers
of His Subjects have bin, and are every yeare transported into those
parts of America, which have been granted by Patent to severall
persons, and there settle themselves, some of them with their families
and whole estates: amongst which numbers there are also many idle
and refractory humors, whose onely or principall end is to live as
much as they can without the reach of authority: His Majestie having
taken the premisses into consideration, is minded to restraine for
the time to come such promiscuous and disorderly departing out of the
Realme; And doth therefore straitly charge and command all and every
the Officers and Ministers of his severall Ports in England, Wales,
and Barwick, That they doe not hereafter permit or suffer any persons,
being Subsidie men, or of the value of Subsidie men,[1] to embarque
themselves in any of the said Ports, or the members thereof, for any of
the said Plantations, without Licence from His Majesties Commissioners
for Plantations first had and obtained in that behalfe; Nor that
they admit to be embarqued any persons under the degree or value of
Subsidymen, without an Attestation or Certificate from two Justices of
the Peace living next the place where the party last of all, or lately
then before dwelt, that he hath taken the Oaths of Supremacie, and
Allegiance, and like Testimony from the Minister of the Parish of his
conversation and conformity to the Orders and discipline of the Church
of England.[2] And further His Majesties expresse will and pleasure
is, That the Officers and Ministers of his said severall Ports, and
the Members thereof, do returne to His Majesties said Commissioners
for Plantations every halfe yeare a particular and perfect List of the
names and qualities of all such persons as shall from time to time be
embarqued in any of the said Ports for any of the said Plantations. And
of these His Majesties Royall Commands, all the Officers and Ministers
of His said Ports, and the Members thereof are to take care, as they
will answer the neglect thereof at their perils.
Given at Our Court at Whitehall the last day of Aprill, in the
thirteenth yeare of Our Reigne.