[1625, March 2.]
[Encouraging Growth of Tobacco in Plantations.]
BY THE KING.
A Proclamation for the utter prohibiting the importation and use of all Tobacco, which is not of the proper growth of the Colonies of Virginia and the Summer Islands, or one of them.
Whereas, at the humble suite of Our Commons in Parliament, by Our Royall Proclamation, bearing date the nine and twentieth day of September now last past, for the reasons therein contained, We have prohibited the importation and use of all Tobacco, which is not of the proper growth of Our Colonies of Virginia and the Summer Islands, or one of them; And whereas, upon the humble Petition of many Our loving Subjects, being Planters or Adventurers in those Colonies, and for the support and incouragement of those Plantations (whose prosperous estate We much affect, and shall by all good meanes be alwayes ready to cherish and protect) We have beene contented to tolerate the use of Tobacco, of the growth of those Plantations for a time, untill by more solid Commodities they be able to subsist otherwise, which (as We are informed) they cannot as yet by any meanes doe; And therefore by Our said Proclamation, Wee did thinke fit to give particular directions in many things tending to those ends, and did straitly command the due execution and observation thereof, under the penalties therein contained: Now because Wee have beene informed, as well by the humble Certificate of Our Commissioners for Virginia, as by the humble Petition of divers of Our loving Subjects, the Planters and Adventurers of, and in those Colonies, That, notwithstanding Our Royall pleasure was so expressly signified, and the reasons of State are so plainely laid downe, as might have perswaded every well affected Subject to the due observance thereof; yet divers, out of an inordinate desire of private gaine, have wilfully disobeyed Our commandement herein, and thereby have indeavoured, as much as in them lieth, to destroy so noble a worke as the support of those Plantations, which so much concernes Our Honour, and the honour and profit of Our people.
Wee therefore, being very sensible of this neglect and contempt, have thought good to renew Our said Proclamation; And doe hereby signifie and declare unto all Our loving Subjects, and unto all others, Our expresse will and pleasure to be, That Our said former Proclamation, and every clause, prohibition, article and thing therein contained, shall from hencefoorth be duly observed and obeyed, with such alterations and additions, as are in these presents contained and expressed, upon paine of Our high displeasure, and such penalties and punishments, as in Our said former Proclamation are, or in these presents shall be limited or appointed for the offenders thereof.
And whereas some have since Our said last Proclamation, unmerchantlike, secretly and cunningly stollen in great parcels of Tobacco, contrary to Our said Proclamation; Wee would have those persons, and all others by their example know, That they must expect the severitie of that censure, which Our Court of Starre-Chamber shall thinke fit to inflict upon them, and that Wee are resolved not to relent or remit their deserved punishment, but to cause them and all others, that shall dare to offend herein, to bee prosecuted and punished in such measure, as such their high contempt doth deserve.
And because We conceived it would be utterly in vaine to prohibite the importation of such forreine Tobacco, as aforesaid, unlesse the care and charge of the execution thereof were committed by Us, to some fit and able persons, who besides the respect to Our service, might for their owne particular interests take the same to heart; Therefore We have by Our Letters Patents under Our great Seale of England, authorized certaine persons, Citizens of London, well affected to those plantations, and to Our service, by themselves, and their Deputies, to search and inquire into the offences, and offenders against Our said Proclamation: And Wee have also contracted with them to bee Our Agents for Us, and to Our use to receive the Tobacco of those Colonies, at, and for such prices as Wee have agreed to give for the same; and besides those prices, to bee given to the Planters and owners of the said Tobacco, Our said Agents have further contracted with Us, to give and pay unto Us, and to Our use, such summes of money more, as may give Us reasonable satisfaction for that losse, which otherwise Wee should sustaine in Our Customes and other Dueties, and may inable Us to beare that charge, which Wee have undertaken yeerely to disburse for the generall defence and support of those Plantations. And We doe further by this Our Proclamation publish and declare, that We will constantly and inviolably observe and performe Our said contract, and on Our parts, will allow and disburse out of Our revenew, those summes of money for the safety of those Plantations, and for the ease of the Planters and Inhabitants there, which by the said contract hath beene on Our parts undertaken; whereof We would have, aswell Our said Agents, as the Planters and Adventurers in those Colonies, and all other whom it may concerne, to rest confidently assured.
And because Wee are given to understand, that divers using to trade in Tobacco, and having a purpose to import, or buy, or sell the same, contrary to the intent of this Our Proclamation, doe usually land the same at private Wharffes, Staires, or other places, and send, or conveigh the same unto the Houses, Cellers, Warehouses, or other places, of, or belonging to others, who are lesse suspected then themselves, thereby to conceale the same from Us, and Our Agents; Wee further will and command, That from hencefoorth no person whatsoever, presume, or suffer the said prohibited Tobacco to bee landed at any Wharffe, Staire, or other place, nor receive, or conceale any such prohibited Tobacco, or suffer the same to be bestowed in any of their Houses, Cellers, Warehouses, or other places, upon paine of Our high displeasure, and upon such paines and penalties, as by this, or Our former Proclamation, are to be inflicted upon the principall offenders, And to the intent that all the prohibited Tobacco brought in, shall be justly and truely exported againe, et no part thereof sold, or vented within these Our Kingdomes; Our will and command is, That all the prohibited Tobacco which shall be seized within Our Kingdome of England, shall be brought and delivered into the Warehouse, or Storehouse which shall be to that purpose provided by the said Agents, in Our city of London; and all the prohibited Tobacco, which shall be seized within Our Kingdome of Ireland, shall bee brought and delivered into the Warehouses, or Storehouses which shall to that purpose bee appointed by Our Agents in Our city of Dublin, or elsewhere within Our said Kingdome of Ireland.