1630, November 24.

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[Forbidding Disorderly Trading with the Savages.]

BY THE KING.

A Proclamation forbidding the disorderly Trading with the Salvages in New England in America, especially the furnishing of the Natives in those and other parts of America by the English with Weapons, and Habiliments of Warre.

Whereas a Proclamation was heretofore published by Our deare Father King James of blessed memorie, in the twentieth yeere of His Reigne,[1] for the better supportation and Reiglement of the Plantations within Our Territory of New England in America, whereby, amongst divers other things, the insufferable abuses committed by divers Interloping and irregular Merchants, and disobedient Fishermen and Mariners, were prohibited, who seeking only their present and private profit, did Trade with the Salvages of that Countrey, and to the great prejudice and danger of Our loving Subjects the Planters there, did Barter away to the Salvages, Swords, Pikes, Muskets, Fowling-Pieces, Match, Powder, Shotte, and other Warlike Armes, Weapons, and Munition, and teach them the use thereof, not onely to their owne present ruine (divers of them having been slaughtered by the barbarous people with their owne Weapons formerly sold by them) but also to the great hazard of the lives of the English already, planted there, and to the apparant destruction of that hopefull Plantation.

Wee, being informed that these abuses are still continued to the indangering of that Plantation,[2] and that the like abuses are also practised in other Forreigne Plantations: Out of Our Princely care for the prosperity of these Colonies, which being well governed may be of great use to this Nation, for the reformation and prevention of these and the like enormities for the future.

And to the end that the Royal Grant of Our late Father to the President and Counsell of New England aforesayd, may bee maintained and upholden, and that the Planters there, and adventurers thither, may bee encouraged by all good wayes and meanes to proceede in their worthy designes, have thought it fit, and doe hereby straitly charge and command, That none of Our Subjects whatsoever (who are not Adventurers, Inhabiters, or Planters, authorised by Our President and Counsell for New England, according to the sayd Letters Patents) doe presume from hencefoorth to frequent those Coasts to Trade or Traffique at all with the Native people of those Countreys, or to intermeddle with the Woods, or Grounds of any of the Planters, or English Inhabitants there, otherwise then by the Licence of the sayd President and Counsell, or for the necessary use of their Fishing on those Coasts, in which case of Fishing, or under colour thereof, they are not to use any Trade or Traffique there, nor to challenge any Right to the Soyle there, or the Woods growing or beeing thereon, and especially Wee doe charge and command, that neither any Interlopers, Fisher-men, or Mariners, or any other of Our Subjects whatsoever, being of the said Company of New England or otherwise, doe at any time hereafter dare to Sell, Barter, or any wayes to deliver or convey unto any of the Salvages or Natives of America, where any of Our English Colonies are or shall bee planted, any Weapons or Habiliments of Warre of any kinde whatsoever, or to teach them or any of them the use of Gunnes, or how to make, or amend them, or any thing, belonging to them, upon paine of Our high indignation, and the Confiscation, Penalties and Forfeitures expressed in the said Royall Graunt of Our sayd Father, wherein Wee shall proceede against those who have offended, or shall offend in any of the premisses, in such manner and measure as the qualitie of their Offences shall deserve. And yet further Wee leave it to the discussion of the said President and Counsell for New England, and to other the Governours and Counsell in any other Forreigne English Colonie in their severall places respectively, to proceede against the Offenders in any the kindes aforesaid, according to the powers already granted unto them, and according to Our Lawes in that behalfe.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the foure and twentieth day of November, in the sixt yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God save the King. Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie: and by the Assignes of John Bill. 1630.

2 pp. folio. Copies in Antiq., Crawf., P. C., and P. R. O. Entered on Patent Rolls. Printed in Rymer's "Foedera," xix, 210. A photographic fac-simile of this proclamation was printed by the Museum Book Store of London, about 1898.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Refers to proclamation of November 6, 1622.

[2] The Privy Council, September 29, 1630, had acted upon a petition from Massachusetts and had requested the attorney-general to draw up a proclamation (see Acts of Privy Council, i, 154, and Cal. State Papers, Colonial, 1574-1660, p. 120).


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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