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[Forbidding Roger North's Expedition to Brazil.]

BY THE KING.

A Proclamation declaring his Majesties pleasure concerning Captaine Roger North, and those who are gone foorth as adventurers with him.

Whereas Roger North[1] Esquier, with divers others of Our Subjects, as Adventurers for the intended Plantation and setling of Trade and Commerce in those parts of the Continent of America neare and about the River of Amazones (which were presupposed not to be under the obedience and governement of any other Christian Prince or State) hath secretly conveyed himselfe away and hath disloyally precipitated and imbarqued himselfe, and his fellowes, and sodainly set to Sea with a pretended purpose to prosecute that designe, contrary to Our Royal pleasure and Commandement expresly signified unto him by one of Our principall Secretaries, Our Admirall of England having also refused him leave to go: We then having out of weightie considerations, and reason of State, and upon the deliberate advise of Our Privy Councell resolved to suspend and restraine the said Plantation and voyage for a time, and having thereupon streightly charged and commanded him the said North upon his duty and aleageance, that hee and his Associates should for a while surcease their Provisions, and should stay themselves and their Shipping, which they had already prepared, untill Our further pleasure should be made knowen unto them.

Wee have therefore held it fit hereby to make a publique Declaration of Our utter mislike and disavowement of this their rash, undutiful and insolent attempt; and do hereby revoke, annihilate and disanull all Power, Authoritie, jurisdiction, or Commission whatsoever, which he the said North, or any of his Complices may pretend in any sort to derive and hold from or under Us; and do hereby charge aswell him the said North, as all his Companions and followers, immediately upon the first notice that shall be given him or them of this Our pleasure, that they shall make their speedie returne directly home, with all their shipping and munitions into this Our Kingdome of England, assoone as the windes and weather shall permit them; and being heere arrived shall foorthwith present themselves in person unto some of Our Privie Councel, under paine of being heereby declared guiltie of high contempt and rebellion, in case they shall disobey this Our expresse commandement.

And Wee doe further heereby straitly require and charge aswell the Governours, as all other the Partenors and Adventurers, any wayes concerned, or interested as members of the Companie and Incorporation intended for that Plantation, as all other Merchants, Captaines, Masters, and Officers, of Ships, Saylors, Marrinors, and all other our loving subjects whatsoever, that they shall in no sort ayd or abette, nor comfort him the said North, nor any of his Complices with any supply of shipping, men, money, munition, victuals, merchandise, or other commodities or necessaries whatsoever: but that aswell all and every Our Admirals, Vice-Admirals, and other Our Officers and Commanders of Our Ships, or Pinnaces, as all other Captaines and Masters of any of Our subjects ships and vessels whatsoever, that shall happen to meete with him the saide North, or any of his Company at sea, or in any Harbour, Port, or Creeke wheresoever, shall in Our Name attach, seize, and summon him, or them, and their shipping, to returne immediately home, and shall foorthwith bring them backe to some of Our Ports of this Our Kingdome, and there commit them and their Ships to the charge of such Our Officers, as it shall respectively appertaine unto, untill Wee (having received information of their such returne, which Wee will expect from Our said Officers, who shall so stand incharged with them) shall give further order concerning them, aswell their persons as their shipping and munitions. Wherein Wee doe expresly charge and command aswell him the said North, and all his Company, Abettors, and Adherents, and all the rest of that Company and Incorporation intended, as all and every other Our Officers by Land or Sea, and all other Captaines, Masters, and Marriners in any of Our subjects ships, and all other Our loving subjects whatsoever, faithfully, diligently, and carefully to observe, doe, and performe in their severall qualities and places, that which Wee have heereby required of them, according to every of their duties, charges, and imployments, upon paine of Our high displeasure and indignation, and as they will answere the contrarie at their uttermost perill.

Given at Our Manour of Greenwich this fifteenth day of May, in the eighteenth yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God save the King.

Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, and John Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. Anno Dom. M.DC.XX.

2 pp. folio. Copies in Antiq., I. T., P. C., P. R. O., and Q. C. Entered on Patent Rolls. Printed in Rymer's "Fœdera," xvii, 215.