❧ A Proclamation to charge all perſons that haue gotten any maner goods in-
to their poſſeſsion, which haue beene taken on the Seas this laſt yeere, and
haue not bene cuſtomed, to reſtore the ſame vpon paine to bee puniſhed
as Felons and Pirates.
W
here of late by our Proclamation publiſhed in certaine Counties on the Sea coaſt weſt-
ward, ſtrait
commamdement
commandment
was giuen by us to all maner of perſons, that haue bought
or exchanged, or by any meanes receiued of any maner of perſson, directly or indirectly out of
the fleete ſet foorth this laſt Sommer, at the charge of the Citie of London, and lately retur-
ned any maner of commodities from any peſson, without the conſent of the owners of t
ſaid ſhippes, that they ſhould bring to certaine Commiſſioners at Plymmouth, Dertmou
Cotnes, Exceter, Southampton, and Porterſmouth, a particuler note in writing of the
ſame, vpon paine to be puniſhed as felons and abbettors to Pirates, if they ſhould not with-
in a time limitted obey the same charge and commandement, as more particularly is expreſ-
ſed in the ſaid Proclamation. Nowe her Maieſtie is enformed, that there hath beene other notable deceipts vſed by diverse
other Captaines, Maſters and Mariners in ſundry other ſhippes, which haue ſerued on the Seas this laſt Sommer, for
that many of them have contrary to the lawes broken bulke, and made ſpoyle on the Seas, before the Shippes and the pry-
res came to any Porte, and haue feloniouſly embeſelled great quantities of goods out of the ſaid Ships, for which cuſtome
ſhould haue beene paid to her Maieſtie (which hath not beene) and out of which the owners and adventurers ſhould have
had alſo their partes, according to the charge of their aduentures, who are alſo depriued of the value of ſuch goods ſo em-
beſelled, and the parties that have ſo embeſelled ſuch goods, are in danger to anſwere thereto as felons and pirates, and
ſuch as haue bought and receiued any part thereof, in danger to be puniſhed as abbettors to pirates, if they ſhall deteyne and
conceale the ſame. Therefore to the enlarging of the ſaide Proclamation, being onely directed to the Portes of the Weſt
Country, and for the diſcouerie of the goods taken by the Fleete of the Citie of London: her Maieſtie doeth nowe by theſe
preſents generally charge and commaund all maner of perſons in any part of her Realme, that haue had, bought, or recei-
ued by gift, exchange, or by deliuery of any maner of goods that haue beene taken on the Seas this laſt Sommer by any
Shippe whatſoeuer, for the which, cuſtome hath not beene duely paid or compounded for with her Maieſties Offiers of
her Ports, that they ſhall not alter, alyen, or waſte any part of ſuch goods, but ſhall bring to the head Officers of the cuſtome
houſes, or other ſpeciall Commiſſioners appointed at the Portes, or neereſt to the places where they bought or receiued the
ſame goods, a plaine declaration in writing, ſigned with their hands or markes, conteyning the particular names, quanti
ties, and qualities of the ſaid goods, and ſhall thereby expreſſe the names and conditions of the parties of whom they recei
ued the ſame, and of the parcels which they received, and what they deliuered in value for the ſame. And if they haue alye-
ned or diſpoſſeſſed themselves of any part thereof in ſuch caſes they ſhall alſo expreſſe in writing, to whom they haue ſo alye-
ned or deliuered the ſame. And if any perſon ſhall not within twentie dayes ſpace after the publication hereof, obſerue this
her Maieſties commandment to all purpoſes, as before is ſpecifid, the ſame ſhall be vſed and proceeded withall as felons
and abbettors of pirates, according to the lawes of this Realme.
Giuen at our Pallace of Weſtminſter the eight day of Januarie, in the foure and thirtieth yeere of our Reigne.
God ſaue the Queene.
🙥 Imprinted at London by the Deputies of
Christopher
Barker
Printer to the Queenes moſt
excellet Maieſtie.
1591.
