Having been heretofore informed, that thorow the immoderate taking
of Tobacco, provoking the takers thereof to excessive Drinking and
other inconveniences, the health of many of Our Subjects had been much
impaired, which had the rather been occasioned for that no restraint
had been made of the number, nor regard had of the quality of those
that sold Tobacco by Retail but persons of the meanest condition had
promiscuously used to Retail the same, keeping no order or assize
therein: Whereupon We out of Our Princely care, to represse all such
excesses, and to prevent such future inconveniences as might occur
thereby, did by the advice of the Lords and others of Our Privy
Councell, resolve to regulate the ungoverned Selling and Retailing
of Tobacco, and to reduce the same into some good order; and that
none but men of sufficiency, and such as should bring certificate of
their meetnesse, should from thenceforth be permitted to sell or utter
Tobacco by Retail, and those onely in certain fit places, and to a
certain number in every such place, which places and number We did
by the like advice of the Lords, and others of Our Privie Councell,
appoint accordingly: And afterwards by Our Proclamation, dated the
thirteenth day of March, in the ninth yeer of Our Reign, for the
reasons therein expressed We did straitly charge and command, that none
should from thenceforth presume to sell or utter Tobacco by Retail,
untill they should have obtained Our Licence in that behalf.
In conformity whereunto, divers of Our loving Subjects have since taken
severall and respective Licences under Our great Seal of England, to
sell and utter forrain Tobacco by Retail, in such respective Cities,
Towns, and places, as in the same Licences are expressed, rendring to
Us, Our Heirs and Successors, such Rents as in and by Our said Licences
are respectively reserved in that behalf: By which means not onely the
afore mentioned excesses have in some good measure been repressed,
and many inconveniences prevented, but also some small addition and
improvement hath been made to Our Revenue.
But notwithstanding the Premisses, divers ill affected persons,
endeavouring for some small advantage to themselves, to bring the
Retailing of Tobacco to that confused and ungoverned liberty it had
before, have in contempt of Our said Proclamation presumed without Our
Licence to vent and utter Tobacco by Retail, as well in London, and the
parts adjacent, as in divers other Cities, Towns, and places of this
Our Realm, thereby discouraging, and in some sort disabling Our said
Subjects, who have taken Our Licences, as aforesaid, to pay their Rents
thereon reserved, and likewise dis-heartning others (that is to say)
some from suing forth the Licences for which they have respectively
contracted, others from contracting with Our Agents appointed in that
behalf; and the better to colour their practises, have spread abroad,
especially within Our City of London, and the parts adjacent, false
reports and rumours, as if We intended to desist from Our aforesaid
course of reformation: which their practises and bold attempts We have
just cause to take in ill part, and not to suffer the same to passe
unpunished.
Yet because some of Our Subjects, through the false reports and rumours
so spread abroad, as aforesaid, may make some doubt of Our Royall
intention in the Premisses, therefore We have thought meet hereby
to declare and publish to all Our people, that We will not leave
unfinished so great a work begun with such advice and care, and so much
tending to their health and welfare, neither will We suffer Our Revenue
in any part thereof by the wilfull opposition of some few refractory
persons to be impaired.
And therefore We do hereby straitly charge and command all Our loving
Subjects, that none of them do from henceforth presume directly or
indirectly, to sell, utter, or deliver any Tobacco by Retail, in any
place or places within Our said Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales,
and Town of Barwick, or any of them, without Our speciall Licence under
Our great Seal of England, to be obtained in that behalf.
And We do likewise will and command all Pedlers who wander up and
down, not making their constant abode in any one place, and all and
every other Interloper or Interlopers whatsoever, that none of them do
from henceforth directly or indirectly, sell, utter, or deliver any
Tobacco by Retail, or under colour or pretext of giving Tobacco, do by
themselves, or any other, take or receive any recompence for the same.
And whereas divers of Our Subjects, who are licensed to retail Tobacco
in their own houses onely, do notwithstanding retail Tobacco in Fairs
and Markets abroad, to the prejudice of such persons as are licensed
to sell Tobacco in those places, Our will and pleasure is, and We do
hereby straitly charge and command that from henceforth they and every
of them do forbear to sell, utter, or deliver Tobacco by Retail, in any
other places then according to the purport and true meaning of their
respective Licences under Our great Seal.
And whereas We are informed that much English Tobacco, which through
the coldnesse of the climate and unaptnesse of the soil not coming
to perfect maturity, is altogether unwholsome to be taken, and other
Tobacco adulterate and mixed with rotten fruits and other corrupt
ingredients is dayly sold and uttered to Our people; We do hereby
charge and straitly command, that no person whatsoever within Our said
Kingdom of England and Ireland, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Barwick,
or any of them, do from henceforth presume to buy, sell, or utter,
directly or indirectly, any Tobacco of the growth of Our Kingdoms of
England and Ireland, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Barwick, Islands
of Jersey, Garnsey, and Man, or any of them, or any mixed or adulterate
Tobacco whatsoever: And the better to prevent the great abuse offered
and done to Our loving Subjects in the sale of English Tobacco, We
do also straitly charge and command that no person whatsoever do at
any time hereafter plant, or cause to be planted, any Tobacco within
Our Kingdoms of England and Ireland, or either of them, or within Our
Dominion of Wales, or Town of Barwick, or within Our Islands of Jersey,
Garnsey and Man, or any of them, and that all Tobacco already planted,
and now growing there, be presently displanted and utterly destroyed.
And to the end the doing hereof be not in any wise omitted or
neglected, We do charge and command all Constables, Tithingmen,
Headboroughs, and other Officers within their severall limits and
jurisdictions, carefully to see the same executed accordingly.
And further, We do will and command all Justices of Peace, Maiors,
Sheriffs, and other principall Officers in their severall places,
within the compasse of their severall jurisdictions and authorities,
upon complaint to them made, to cause the same to be duly performed
without partiality, as they and every of them will answer their
contempts at their perils.
And We do further will and command, that no Tobacco whatsoever be from
henceforth imported, landed, or unladed to, in, or at any other Port,
Haven, Creek, or place within Our Kingdom of England, Dominion of
Wales, and Port and Town of Barwick, or any of them, then to, in, or at
Our Port of London, without speciall warrant to be obtained from Our
Lord high Treasurer of England for the time being in that behalf: And
that all Merchants, Masters, and Owners of any Ship or Ships, and other
persons whatsoever within or under Our obedience, do take notice of Our
Royall command and pleasure herein, and do carefully and duly observe
the same accordingly.
And We do hereby straitly charge and command all Our Subjects to yeeld
their due obedience in all and singular the Premisses, as they tender
Our pleasure, and will answer the contrary at their perill.
Given at Our Court at Whitehall the five and twentieth day of March,
in the fourteenth yeer of Our Reign.