Page [unnumbered]
❧ By the Council of State. A PROCLAMATION.
WHereas the Council of State is given to understand, That divers of the English, and other of the People and Subjects of this Commonwealth have of late received, and ta∣ken from, and under several Foreign Kings, Princes, Potentates, or States, Sea Commissions, or Letters of Reprizal, Marque or Countermarque, containing therein Powers to seize and surprize at Sea, or in Ports, Ships, Vessels, and goods of such People and Countryes as are therein named, and by colour thereof have gone forth to Sea with Ships and Vessels of War, and made seizures and surprizals of Merchants, and other Ships, and goods, and disturbed the Trade both of the People of these Na∣tions, and of other Nations in Friendship, Allyance, and Confederacy with this Commonwealth, whereof grievous complaints do arise; The Council of State finding it necessary, according to the trust reposed in them, to discourage and discountenance all such undue courses, surprizals, and proceedings, and to put an absolute restraint on all the People and Subjects of this Commonwealth, from receiving any such Foreign Sea Commissions, from or under any Forreign Princes, States, or Potentates whatsoever, or making any manner of use of any such already received; Do therefore, and for prevention of all depredations, and undue surprizals at Sea, or in Ports, by pretence or colour of such Forreign Powers, or Sea Commissions, and for the encouragement and security of Merchants Ships, and of the freedome of Trade and Navigation, strictly enjoyn and require all and every the people and subjects of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging, that they, nor any of them, in their, or any other name or names, direct∣ly or indirectly, do or shall receive, or take, or make use of any Sea Commission whatsoever, or by what name soever called, thereby to infest the Seas, or seize, or surprize any Merchants Ships, or Goods, or other Ships, Vessels, or Goods whatsoever, or in any wise to hinder or disturb the freedome of Trade, or free course of shipping or Navigation, and do expresly forbid all and every the people and subjects of these Nati∣ons and Territories, that neither under pretence of removing their habitations into any other places, or sub∣jecting themselves voluntarily to the obedience or subjection of any Forreign Princes or States, nor under any other colour whatsoever (their Native subjection, as born within these Nations, Dominions, and Territories, being a permanent and perpetual subjection upon them) they or any of them do presume to vio∣late, or infringe this Injunction, or to take, receive, make use of, exercise, or put in ure by him or them∣selves, or any others imployed by or under them any Forreign Sea Commission, or Commissions granted by, or derived from, or under any Forreign King, Prince, Commonwealth, State, or Potentate whatsoever, for the seizing or surprizing of Ships, Vessels, or Goods at Sea, or in Ports, Creeks, Harbours, or places whatsoever, nor any wayes to infest the Seas, or hinder or disturb Trade or Navigation, or the open and free passage thereof, under the pain and peril of being Arrested, proceeded against, and punished in the Hitch-Court of Admiralty according to the Rights of Nations, Laws of the Sea, and course of Admiralty: And the Council of State do Will and Require the said Court of Admiralty to do speedy Iustice therein, and to inflict such penalties & punishments upon all & every the Transgressors & Offenders in the premises as may by Law & the course of the Sea, & of the Admiralty be Inflicted in such Cases, and to cause the same to be duly Executed; & also to Order, Award, & Decree (& that in the most Summary way that by the Rules of Iustice may be) full & plenary Restitution, Dammages, and Reparation, to all and every the People, and Friends, and Allyes of these Nations, that shall by colour or pretence of any such Foreign Sea-Com∣missions, have any their Ships, Vessels, or Goods, seized, surprized, imbrzelled, detained, or any ways indamaged, or their Course of Navigation or Free-Passage upon the Seas, or from Port to Port disturbed or hindred, or be in any manner of way dampuified or prejudiced: And whatsoever Ships or Vessels they be belonging to any of the People or Friends, or Allyes of this Nation, that upon pretence of any such Foreign Sea-Commissions, bring (though unduely) seized, or surprized, shall be either vo∣luntarily or otherwise, brought, or driven, or come into any Harbour, Creek or Port of these Nations, the same shall presently by the Officers of, or in such Ports or Harbours, or the next Officers that may seize the same, be seized, detained, put under and into the Cognizance and Iurisdiction of the said Court of Admiralty, without suffering or permitting any Bulk to be broken, or sale or other disposition of all or any part to be made, but to be kept intire for the said Court of Admiralty to do right and speedy Iu∣stice thereupon; and to make such Orders, plenary Restitutions, and Reparations, for the good and benefit of the People, and Friends, and Allyes of these Nations, the true and first Owners, or lawful Possessors of the said surprized Ships, Vessels, or Goods, as by the Laws of the Sea and Admiral∣ty, and Rights of Nations in such Cases may be done; condemning the said undue Seizors and Spoyl∣ers, according to the Exigence of Law, and putting the Laws in due Execution against them. And to the end that this Proclamation may be openly known, and be obeyed, and take place, and that none may pretend ignorance thereof, the Council of State do Order and Command, That it be Printed; and Published by the Sergeant at Arms, and Sound of Trumpet, at the Royal Exchange London, at the time of concourse of Merchants there, and severall Copies to be affixed upon the Pillars of the said Exchange to be read and taken notice of by all concerned.