  [Importation of Tobacco.] BY THE KING. A Proclamation touching Tobacco. Whereas Our most deare Father, of blessed memorie, deceased, for many weighty and important Reasons of State, and at the humble suit of His Commons in Parliament, did lately publish two severall Proclamations, the one dated the nine and twentieth day of September, now last past, and the other the second of March following, for the utter prohibiting of the importation, and use of all Tobacco, which is not of the proper growth of the Colonies of Virginia and the Sommer Islands, or one of them, with such Cautions, and under such Paines and Penalties, as are in those Proclamations at large expressed: Wee, tendring the prosperity of those Colonies and Plantations, and holding it to bee a matter of great consequence unto Us, and to the honour of Our Crowne, not to desert, or neglect those Colonies, whereof the foundations, with hopefull successe, have been so happily layd by Our Father, beeing given to understand, that divers persons intending onely their private gaine, and neglecting all considerations of the publique, in this short time, whilest Wee have been necessarily taken up in ordering of the great affaires of Our Kingdomes and State, have taken the boldnesse, secretly, and by stealth, to import and utter great quantities of Tobacco, which is not of the growth of the Plantations aforesaid, to the utter destruction of those Plantations, as much as in them lieth; Wee have thought fit, for the preventing And Wee doe therefore straitly charge and command, that no person whatsoever, of what degree or qualitie soever, doe at any time hereafter, either directly or indirectly, import, buy, sell, or utter, plant, cherish, or use, or cause to bee imported, sold, or uttered, cherished, planted, or used, in Our Realmes of England, or Ireland, or Dominion of Wales, or in any Isles or places thereunto belonging any Tobacco, of any sort whatsoever, which is not of the proper growth of the said Colonies, or one of them; And that no person whatsoever, by any shift or device whatsoever, doe receive, or conceale, or colour the Tobacco of any other, so imported, planted, bought, sold, uttered, or used within Our sayd Realmes, or Dominions, or the Isles or places aforesaid, or any part thereof, upon paine of forfeiture unto Us, of all such Tobacco so to be imported, bought, sold, planted, uttered, or used, contrary to the true meaning of these presents, in whose hands soever the same shall be found, and upon such further paines and penalties, as by the Lawes and Statutes of these Our Realms, or by the Censure of Our Courts of Star-Chamber, in either of Our said Kingdomes respectively, can or may be inflicted upon the offenders, for contempt of this Our Royall Command; and to be reputed and taken as enemies to Our proceedings, and to those Plantations, which so much concerne Our honour, and the honour and profit of Our State. And Our further will and command is, that all the forreigne Tobacco, of what sort soever, which is not of the proper growth of those Plantations, or one of them, shall before the fourth day of May, now next ensuing, bee transported out of Our Realmes and Dominions, as by the sayd former Proclamations it was directed and commanded, upon paine of forfeiture thereof, and upon the other paines and penalties aforesayd to be inflicted upon the offenders. And Our pleasure is, That all such forreigne Tobacco may bee freely exported by any person whatsoever, without paying to Us, or to Our use, any Subsidie, or other duetie for the same. Given at Our Court at White-Hall, this ninth day of April, in the first yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland. God save the King. Printed at London by Bonham Norton and John Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. M.DC.XXV. 2 pp. folio. Copies in Antiq., B. M., Crawf., I. T., P. C., and P. R. O. Entered on Patent Rolls. Printed in Rymer's "Foedera," xviii, 19. |
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