[Concerning Tobacco.]

BY THE KING.

A Proclamation concerning Tobacco.

Whereas in the Reigne of Our late deare Father, and since Our accesse to the Crowne, upon mature deliberation there have been sundry Proclamations published for restraining the landing of Tobacco to certain Ports and Harbours within this Kingdome, and against planting of the same within this Realme; And for that they have not been put in due execution, divers fraudes and abuses have beene of late invented and put in execution by mixing of Tobacco, not onely with other Tobacco of worse condition, but also with other Materials, falsifying and corrupting the same, to the great hurt and damage of Our people, both in their estates and persons, which growing evill may in some measure bee prevented, if the Tobacco brought into this Our Realme shall be layd or landed onely in one Port and place.

For remedie therefore in that behalfe, and to the end Wee may bee the more truely answered of the Custome, Impost, and other dueties due unto Us for Tobacco brought into this Realme by way of Merchandize, whereof Wee have been sundry times defrauded by landing the same at the pleasures of the Owners: Wee doe hereby publish and declare Our Royall will and pleasure, That no Tobacco bee hereafter landed, or imported to bee landed at any other Porte, then in Our Port of London, and at no other place of the sayd Port then at the Key and Wharfe commonly called the Custome-house Key, scituate in Our Citie of London, and other Port or place for landing of Tobacco Wee doe not admit or allow, but them inhibite.

And Wee doe hereby straitly charge and command all and singular Customers, Comptrollers, Searchers, Waiters and other Officers, attending in all Our Ports, Creekes, or places of lading or unlading, (except Our said Port of London) not to take entries of any Tobacco, nor suffer the same to be taken, landed, or layd on shoare in any other Harbour, Port, Creeke or place within this Kingdome, upon paine that every of the said Officers that shall bee found negligent, corrupt or remisse herein, shall undergoe such paines and penalties, as by the Lawes or Censure of our Court of Starre-chamber may bee inflicted upon them for the same.

And it is Our further will and pleasure, that if any Ship or Barque wherein Tobacco shall be loaden shall arrive at any other Port or place then at Our sayd Port of London, Wee doe hereby give full power and Authoritie to all and every the Customers, Comptrollers, Surveyours, Searchers and Waiters, and every of them there attending, and doe command them to take and arrest the same Tobacco, and forthwith to make Certificate to the Customers of the Port of London, of the Owners name of such Ship or other Vessell, and his place of dwelling, the number and names of the Officers, and Mariners in the same, the place from whence the same Tobacco came, with the quantitie of Tobacco that shall bee contained therein.

And also, that Our said Officers, or some of them, shall with all convenient speed cause and procure the Tobacco so by them arrested, to bee carefully transmitted to the said Port of London, to the Customer there, that the same may bee there viewed, and the dueties thereof belonging unto Us, may be duely payed and satisfied, and such further order taken with the same, and with the Owners thereof, as shall be fit.

And whereas notwithstanding former Proclamations published to the contrary, yet Wee are informed, that Tobacco is still planted and sowen in divers parts of Our Realmes of England and Ireland, in contempt of Us and Our Royall Commands declared to the contrary; We do therefore hereby againe absolutely prohibit the Planting thereof in Our said Kingdomes, as also the bringing into the same of any Seed for the increase thereof, from the parts beyond the Seas; The Tobacco growing in the Northerne and moist Climats being not onely unwholesome for mans body, but the same maketh fertill grounds become for a long space lesse fruitfull, that might otherwise produce Corne, Herbes and Rootes for the sustenance of Our Subjects.

And for the more certaine depressing of the same, We doe hereby straitly command Our Justices of Assize within their severall Circuits, Our Justices of Peace within Our severall Counties of this Kingdome, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bayliffes, and other Our Officers within each Cittie and Towne Corporate, that they at their severall Sittings, Quarter Sessions, and meetings, give the same in charge as an Offence, whereof Wee expect due reformation, requiring a Returne thereof amongst other the grievances of the Countrey in their Presentments, And the names and dwelling places of any Offenders herein, and the qualities of their Offences, to present to the Lords of Our Privie Councel, the then next Tearme after every such Sitting or meeting, to the end the Offenders may bee proceeded against by sentence in Our Court of Starre-chamber, or otherwise, as in justice shall be thought fit.

And lastly, We doe by these Presents will and require all and singular Maiors, Sheriffes, Justices of Peace, Bayliffes, Constables, Headboroughes, Customers, Comptrollers, Searchers, Waiters, and all other Our Officers and Ministers whatsoever, that they and every of them in their severall places and Offices, be diligent and attendant in the execution of this Our Proclamation, as they will answere the contrary at their uttermost perils.

Given at Our Court at Greenewich, this nineteenth day of May, in the tenth yeere of Our Reigne of England, Scotland, 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. 1634.

2 pp. folio. Copies in Antiq., B. M., Crawf., P. C., P. R. O., and Q. C. Entered on Patent Rolls. Printed in Rymer's "Foedera," xix, 553.