Whereas by one Act of Parliament made in the Fifteenth year of His
Majesties Reign, Entituled, (An Act for the Encouragement of Trade)[1]
it is Enacted, That from and after the Twenty fifth day of March 1664,
no Commodities of the growth, production or manufacture of Europe,
shall be Imported into any Land, Island, Plantation, Colony, Territory
or Place to His Majesty belonging, or which shall belong unto, or
be in the possession of His Majesty, His Heirs or Successors, in
Asia, Africa, or America, (Tanger onely excepted) but what shall be
bona fide, and without fraud Laden and Shipped in England, Wales, or
the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, and which shall be carried directly
thence to the said Lands, Islands, Plantations, Colonies, Territories
and Places, and from no other place whatsoever, any Law, Statute, or
Usage to the contrary notwithstanding, under the Penalty of the Loss
of all such Commodities of the Growth, Production or Manufacture of
Europe, as shall be Imported into any of them, from any other place
whatsoever, by Land, or by Water; and if by Water, of the Ship or
Vessel also in which they were Imported, with all her Guns, Tackle,
Furniture, Ammunition and Apparel; the said forfeitures to be disposed
as by the said Act is directed: Provided, that it shall be lawful to
Ship and Lade in such Ships, and so Navigated, as in the said Act
is expressed, in any part of Europe, Salt for the Fisheries of New
England and New-found-land; and to ship and lade in the Maderas, Wines
of the growth thereof; and ship and lade in the Western Islands, or
Azores, Wines of the growth of the said Islands; and to ship and take
in Servants or Horses in Scotland or Ireland; and to ship or lade in
Scotland, all sorts of victual of the growth or production of Scotland;
and to ship or lade in Ireland, all sorts of victual of the growth
or production of Ireland, and the same to transport into any of the
said Lands, Islands, Plantations, Colonies, Territories, or Places;
Any thing in the foregoing Clause to the contrary notwithstanding.
And whereas His Majesty is well informed, that notwithstanding the
said Act of Parliament, great quantities of other Commodities of the
growth, production and manufacture of Europe (then what are by the
said Act permitted) have been, and are daily Imported into several
of His Colonies, Plantations, and Territories, in Asia, Africa and
America, (besides Tanger;) and that His Majesties Subjects of some of
His Colonies, and Plantations, have not onely supplied themselves with
such Commodities not Shipped in England, Wales or Berwick, but have
conveyed them by Land and Water, to other of His Majesties Colonies and
Plantations, to the great prejudice of His Majesties Customs, and of
the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom: His Majesty therefore for the
prevention thereof for the future, doth by this His Royal Proclamation,
(with the Advice of His Privy Council)[2] Require and Command all and
every his Subjects, that they do not for the future presume to Import
any Commodities of the growth, production, or manufacture of Europe,
(except what may be Imported by vertue of the Proviso aforesaid) by
Land, or Water, into any Land, Island, Plantation, Colony, Territory
or Place to His Majesty belonging, or which hereafter shall belong
unto, or be in the possession of His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors,
(Tanger onely excepted) but which shall be bona fide, and without
fraud laden and Shipped in England, Wales, or the Town of Berwick, and
carried directly from thence, according to the true meaning of the
said Act; whereof all persons concerned are to take notice, and yield
due obedience thereunto. And His Majesty doth further strictly direct
and require all Governours of His Colonies, and Plantations, and of
all Lands, Islands, and Places in His possession in Asia, Africa, and
America, (Tanger onely excepted) to take care that this His Royal
Proclamation be put in due Execution: and also that one Act made in
the Twelfth Year of His Majesties Reign, Entituled, An Act for the
Encouraging and Increase of Shipping and Navigation, and one Act made
in the Two and twentieth and Three and twentieth years of His Reign,
Entituled, (An Act for the Regulating the Plantation Trade,) and also
one other Act made in the Five and twentieth year of His Majesties
Reign, Entituled, (An Act for the better Securing the Plantation
Trade)[3] together with all other the Laws of this His Kingdom of
England, relating to the Trade of His Plantations, be duely observed
and put in execution in their respective Governments; And His Majesty
doth further require all His said Governours, and that they Command
all Officers, Civil and Military under their respective Commands,
to be aiding and assisting therein, and to the Collectors and other
Officers of His Majesties Customs under them, in the Execution of their
respective Offices in order thereunto, as they and every of them will
answer the contrary at their utmost perils.
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Twenty fourth day of November,
In the Seven and twentieth year of Our Reign.