A PROCLAMATION TO RESTRAIN THE TRANSPORTING OF PASSENGERS AND
PROVISIONS TO NEW ENGLAND, WITHOUT LICENCE.
The Kings most Excellent Majestie, for divers weighty and important
causes well known to His Majesty, doth hereby straitly charge and
command all Merchants, Masters and Owners of Ships whatsoever, That
from henceforth they or any of them do not presume to set forth any
Ship or Ships with Passengers or Provisions for New England, untill
they shall have first obtained speciall Licence from His Majestie,
or such of the Lords, and others of His Privy Councell, as by His
Majesties speciall Commission now are or shall be appointed for the
Businesse of Forrain Plantations, upon pain of His Majesties high
displeasure, and such penalties and punishments as shall be thought
meet to be inflicted on offenders herein for their contempt of His
Majesties Royall Commands.[1] And His Majesty doth hereby further
require and command all the Customers and other Officers and Ministers
of or belonging to all or any His Ports within the Realm of England,
and Dominion of Wales, That they and every of them in their severall
Offices and places do take speciall care of the due execution of His
Majesties Royall will and pleasure herein declared, as they will answer
for the contrary at their uttermost perils.
Given at the Court at Whitehall, the first day of May, in the
fourteenth yeer of His Majesties Reign.