British Royal Proclamations Relating to America, 1603-1783

1638, May 1.

[Requiring Licenses for New England.]

BY THE KING.

A Proclamation to restrain the transporting of Passengers and Provisions to New England, without Licence.

The Kings most Excellent Majestie, for divers weighty and important causes well known to His Majesty, doth hereby straitly charge and command all Merchants, Masters and Owners of Ships whatsoever, That from henceforth they or any of them do not presume to set forth any Ship or Ships with Passengers or Provisions for New England, untill they shall have first obtained speciall Licence from His Majestie, or such of the Lords, and others of His Privy Councell, as by His Majesties speciall Commission now are or shall be appointed for the Businesse of Forrain Plantations, upon pain of His Majesties high displeasure, and such penalties and punishments as shall be thought meet to be inflicted on offenders herein for their contempt of His Majesties Royall Commands.[1] And His Majesty doth hereby further require and command all the Customers and other Officers and Ministers of or belonging to all or any His Ports within the Realm of England, and Dominion of Wales, That they and every of them in their severall Offices and places do take speciall care of the due execution of His Majesties Royall will and pleasure herein declared, as they will answer for the contrary at their uttermost perils.

Given at the Court at Whitehall, the first day of May, in the fourteenth yeer of His Majesties Reign.

God save the King.

Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie: And by the Assignes of John Bill. 1638.

1 p. folio. Copies in Crawf. and P. C.; also in N. Y. Public Library. Entered on Patent Rolls. Printed in Rymer's "Foedera," xx, 223.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] Since the issuance of the proclamation of April 30, 1637, the tide of emigration to New England had not perceptibly slackened. After the receipt of a letter informing Archbishop Laud that a convoy of ships was preparing to sail for New England (Cal. State Papers, Colonial, 1574-1660, p. 266), the Privy Council ordered, March 30, 1638, that eight ships in the Thames should be detained and their passengers and provisions landed. Two days later a more comprehensive order was passed, applying to all ships bound for New England. On April 6 the Council relented and allowed the ships to depart, but ordered that a proclamation should be issued requiring a special license before such voyages were made (Acts of Privy Council, i, 227-229).

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