The annals of King James and King Charles the First ... containing a faithful history and impartial account of the great affairs of state, and transactions of parliaments in England from the tenth of King James MDCXII to the eighteenth of King Charles MDCXLII : wherein several material passages relating to the late civil wars (omitted in former histories) are made known.

XII.

That the said Earl being Lord Deputy of Ire∣land, on the Ninth day of January, in the Thir∣teenth year of his Majesties Reign, did then, un∣der colour to regulate the Importation of Tobacco into the said Realm of Ireland, issue a Proclama∣tion in his Majesties Name, prohibiting the Im∣portation of Tobacco witout licence of him and the Council, therefrom and after the First day of May, Anno Dom. 1638. After which restraint, the said Earl, notwithstanding the said restraint, caused divers great quantities of Tobacco to be Imported to his own use, and fraighted divers Ships with Tobacco, which he Imported to his own use: And that if any Ship brought Tobacco into any Port there, the said Earl and his Agents used to buy the same to his own use, at their own

price. And that if the Owners refused to let him have the same at under values, then they were not per∣mitted to vent the same; by which undue means the said Earl having gotten the whole Trade of Tobacco into his own hands, he sold it at great and excessive prices, such as he list to impose for his own profit.

And the more to assure the said Monopoly of To∣bacco, he the said Earl, on the Three and twen∣tieth day of February, in the Thirteenth year a∣foresaid, did issue another Proclamation, com∣manding that none should put to sale any Tobac∣co by whole-sale, from and after the last day of May then next following, but what should be made up into Rolls, and the same sealed, with two Seals by himself appointed, one at each end of the Roll. And such as was not sealed to be seiz∣ed, appointing six pence the pound for a reward to such persons as should seize the same: And the persons in whose custody the unsealed Tobacco should be found, to be committed to Goal: Which last Proclamation was covered by a pre∣tence of the restraining of the sale of unwhol∣some Tobacco, but it was truly to advance the said Monopoly.

Which Proclamation the said Earl did rigor∣ously put in execution, by seizing the Goods, fining, imprisoning, whipping, and putting the Offenders against the same Proclamation, on the Pillory; as namely, Barnaby Hubbard, Edward Covena, John Tumen, and divers others: And made the Officers of State, and Justices of Peace, and other Officers, to serve him in compassing and executing these unjust and undue courses. By which Cruelties and unjust Monopolies, the said Earl raised 100000 pounds per Annum gain to himself. And yet the said Earl, though he inhanced the Customs, where it concerned the Merchants in general, yet drew down the im∣post formerly taken on Tobacco, from six pence the pound to three pence the pound, it being for his own profit so to do. And the said Earl, by the same, and other rigorous and undue means, raised several other Monopolies and unlawful ex∣actions for his own gain, viz. on Starch, Iron-pots, Glasses, Tobacco-pipes, and several other Commodities.