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[Inspecting of Tobacco.]

BY THE KING.

A Proclamation concerning the viewing and distinguishing of Tobacco in England and Ireland, the Dominion of Wales, and Towne of Barwicke.

Whereas divers good and necessarie provisions have beene heretofore made, as well by Act of Parliament, as otherwise, for the well garbling of Spices and Drugges, to the intent the Subjects of this Our Realme should not bee occasioned to use any unwholesome Spices or Drugges, to the impayring of their health, or to buy the bad instead of the good, to the impairing of their substance. And for as much as the Drugge called Tobacco, being of late yeeres growne frequent in this Our Realme and other Our Dominions, is daily sold ungarbled, whereby more inconvenience groweth and ariseth to Our loving Subjects, then by any other Drugge whatsoever. And for that also by the manie and sundrie abuses practised and committed by Merchants, Masters of Ships and others, in concealing and uttering the said Tobacco without paying any Impost or Custome for the same, great losse and dammage accrueth to Us, notwithstanding any Lawes, Statutes or other course heretofore taken for preventing thereof: For remedie of all which Inconveniences, Wee, by our Letters Patents under our great Seale of England, bearing Date, at Westmynster the five and twentieth day of May now last past, did prohibite and forbid, That no person or persons should at any time after the day of the Date of our said Letters patents within Our Realme of England, the Dominion of Wales, and Port and Towne of Barwicke, or any of them; or within Our Realme of Ireland, or any part of them or any of them, by himselfe or themselves, or his or their servants or factours, or any others, directly or indirectly sell or put to sale; or attempt, presume or goe about any manner of way to sell or put to sale, either in grosse or by retaile, any Tobacco, of what sort, kind or growth soever, before the Custome and Impost thereof due, were paid; and the same Tobacco were viewed, distinguished and sealed by the Officer or Officers of Us, Our Heires and Successours, in that behalfe to be constituted and appointed; For whose labour, travell, charges and expences in that behalfe to be sustained and taken in the execution of the said Office: Wee did by the said Letters Patents, constitute and appoint, That they should and might from time to time, demand, take and receive to their owne use, of every person and persons whose Tobacco they should so garble, viewe and seale, the summe of foure pence of currant English money, for every pound weight thereof so viewed and sealed.

And Wee did also by Our said Letters Patents (for the considerations therein mentioned) give and grant the said Office, with the powers, fees and authorities before mentioned to Our welbeloved Subjects, Francis Nichols, Jasper Leake and Philip Eden, Gentlemen, to be executed by them or their Deputies or Assignes for thirtie and one yeeres next ensuing the Date of the said Letters Patents.

And Wee did further by Our said Letters, for Us, Our Heires and Successours, give and grant unto the said Francis Nichols, Jasper Leake and Philip Eden, and their Assignes, and to all and every person and persons, which by them or any of them, by writing under their or any of their hands and Seales, should bee in that behalfe deputed and assigned, full power and authoritie during the terme aforesaide, as well to bee present and to have place in all manner of Custome-houses, Ports, Havens, Creeks and places of lading or unlading of any manner of Goods, Wares or Merchandizes, into or out of the said Realmes and Dominions: As also to be present with all and every the Customers, Collecters, Searchers, Surveyers, Waiters, and other Officers and Ministers having charge for or concerning the lading or unlading of any Goods, Wares or Merchandizes, for their better executing of all and everything and things thereby appointed, and for their better receiving and enjoying of the benefit of Our said Grant at all times and places, where the said Officers and Ministers or any of them, should by reason of their said severall Offices have cause or occasion to be: And also in all and every place or places, as well in Ships arrived with Tobacco, and riding in any Port, Roade or River, as on the Land, to make and appoint such and so many Watchmen, Waiters and Officers, and to provide and use such reasonable waies, orders and meanes, as they the said Francis Nichols, Jasper Leake and Philip Eden, and their Assignes and Deputies should and might be just and truely informed of all parcels and quantities of Tobacco, as should at any time or times during the said Grant, be brought into any Port or place, or be planted or growing in any place or places of the said Realmes and Dominions or any of them.

And also that it should and might be lawfull, to and for the said Francis Nichols, Jasper Leake, and Philip Eden, and their Assignes, and their and every of their Deputies and Substitutes, at all and every time and times during the terme aforesaid, in lawfull and convenient maner, with a Constable or other Officer of the place, as well to goe on board, view, and survay all Shippes, Vessels, or Bottomes, riding or lying within any of the Ports, Havens, Creekes and places of lading or unlading, within Our saide Realme of England, Dominion of Wales, Port or Towne of Barwicke, or Realme of Ireland, or any the members or places thereunto belonging, as to goe into any House, Celler, Vault, Warehouse, Shop, or other place within the said Realmes and Dominion, and Port, or Towne of Barwicke, or any part of them, or any of them to search and view if there be any Tobacco uttered, sold, or put to sale, or offered to be sold, or put to sale before the same be viewed, distinguished, and sealed contrary to the true meaning of the said Letters patents.

And We did also by the said Letters for Us, Our Heires and Successors, require, charge and Command all and singular Maiors, Shiriffes, Justices of Peace, Bailiffes, Constables, Headboroughes, Customers, Comptrollers, Searchers, Surveyors, Waiters, and all other Officers, Ministers, and Subjects whatsoever, of Us, Our Heires and Successors, as well of the said Realme of England, Dominion of Wales, and Port and Towne of Barwicke, as of the said Realme of Ireland, That they and every of them, should from time to time during the continuance of that Our graunt, be aiding and assisting to the said Francis Nichols, Jasper Leake, and Philip Eden, and their Assignes, and to every of them, their and every of their Deputie and Deputies, Substitute and Substitutes, in the due Execution of all and every the powers and authorities expressed in the said Letters Patents, upon paine of the displeasure of Us, Our Heires and Successors, and as they would answere the contrary at their perils; as by the said Letters Patents more at large appeareth.

Wee now, to the intent Our will and pleasure in the premisses may be the better knowne to all Our loving Subjects whom it may concerne, Doe hereby notifie, publish and declare the same Our pleasure, willing and commanding that all and every the premisses, be from time to time in every respect duely performed, executed and observed according to the true intent and meaning of the same Our Letters Patents. And that no person or persons doe attempt or presume to violate or infringe Our Command hereby; or by Our said Letters Patents declared or expressed, upon the paines and penalties therein contained. And We doe also hereby Charge and Command, as well all and singular Merchants, and other person and persons whatsoever, which shall import any Tobacco of what sort soever, That they cause the same to be duely entred in the Custome house belonging to the Port or place where it shall bee landed, in the name or names onely of the true proprietor or owner, proprietors or owners thereof, and not in the name or names of any other person or persons which is not the true owner thereof; As also all Our Customers and other Officers whatsoever, That they take speciall care and regard to the due performance of the same, as they tender Our pleasure, and will avoide the contrary.

Given at Theobalds the tenth day of November, in the seventeenth yeere of Our Reigne of Great Brittaine, France, and Ireland.

God save the King.

Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton, and John Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. Anno MDC.XIX.

2 pp. folio. There are two issues varying only in set-up. Copies in Antiq., Camb., I. T., P. C., P. R. O., and Q. C.