[Licensing of Tobacconists.]

BY THE KING.

A Proclamation declaring His Majesties pleasure to continue His Commission, and Letters Patents for licensing Retailors of Tobacco.

Whereas by His Majesties Proclamation dated at York the ninth day of April last, it was declared, That (amongst sundry other Commissions and Grants obtained upon untrue surmises) a Commission for compounding with Offendors touching Tobacco, was thereby revoked and determined;[1] under colour whereof, and by a wilfull mistaking of His Majesties said Proclamation, sundry persons have pretended, that His Majesties Commission to the Lord Goring, and others, for licensing Retailors of Tobacco within England, Wales, and Barwick, was thereby called in: And thereupon His Majesties Commissioners have been interrupted in their proceedings in that service for His Majesty; Tobacco in divers parts of the kingdome (contrary to His Majesties Proclamation of the five and twentieth of March last) hath been retailed without His Majesties Licence; and many of those persons who have Licences have forborn to make paiment of their Rents: His Majesty therefore, to remove all doubts and questions touching the Premisses, Hath thought fit (with the advice of His Councell) to make publike declaration of His Royall intention and meaning therein, which was, That His Majesties Letters Patents, and Commission to the Lord Goring, and others, concerning the licensing of Retailors of Tobacco, was not impeached, or meant to be impeached by His Majesties said Proclamation of the ninth of April last; But that the same Letters Patents and Commission are still in force, and no way infringed or restrained thereby, but are still to be proceeded in and executed according to the tenour and true meaning thereof. And His Majesty doth further declare hereby, That His Majesty by His said Proclamation in April last, did repeal and determine a Commission to Lawrence Louns, and others, to compound with such, as from the ninth of April in the first yeer of His Majesties reign, untill the date of that Commission, had offended in defrauding His Majestie of His Customes and other duties for Tobacco imported, or in planting Tobacco in England, or Ireland, or by importing Tobacco of the growth of other forraign parts, or in greater quantities then were limitted, or in buying or selling the same contrary to His Majesties Proclamations before that time published, and none other Commission touching Tobacco. And therefore His Majesty doth hereby require and command all manner of persons whatsoever whom it may concern, to take knowledge of this His Majesties Declaration and Confirmation of His said Letters Patents and Commission to the Lord Goring, and others, for the licensing Retailors of Tobacco, and that accordingly they yeeld all conformity thereunto as is meet, upon pain of His Majesties high displeasure, and such punishments as their contempt or neglect of His Majesties Royall commands herein shall deserve. And lastly, His Majesty doth hereby require and command all Justices of Peace, Mayors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, and all others His Officers and Ministers whatsoever, to be aiding and assisting in the full accomplishment and execution of His Majesties Royall pleasure herein declared.

Given at His Majesties Court at Whitehall the nineteenth day of August, in the fifteenth yeer of His Majesties Reign.

God save the King.

Imprinted at London, by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty: And by the Assignes of John Bill. 1639.

1 p. folio. Copies in Bodl., and Crawf. Entered on Patent Rolls. Printed in Rymer's "Foedera," xx, 348.

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