❧ By the Queene. The Queenes Maiesties Proclamation, declaring her Princely intention to inhibite her Subiects vpon most extreme paynes from offending on the Seas, any persons in their Ships or goods, being the Subiectes of any Prince, Potentate or State, in Amitie with her Maiestie.
THe Queenes Maiestie vnderstanding of some complaints made against certaine of her Subiects, who go to the Seas with Letters of Reprisal to recouer recompence of the King of Spaines subiects for the notable iniuries and losses by arrests and other barbarous cruelties committed in Spaine and Portingale against them and many others (whereof no remedie could euer be had by order of Iustice) should vnder colour of seeking to recouer the proper goods of the Spaniards, both take the Ships and goods of diuers subiects of other Princes and States being in Amitie with her Maiestie: Although all such courses haue bene euer odious to her Maiestie, and alwayes seuerely punished, whensoeuer any such things haue bene duely prooued: Yet her Maiestie whose care is infinite to preserue Iustice, as one of the maine pillars of her Estate, whereof not onely her owne conscience is sufficient testimonie, but all her actions (if they be duely considered) haue left sufficient proofe of the same: Hath commanded both her priuie Counsell and the Lord high Admirall of England, with all other the officers of her Ports and marine causes, to cause the trueth of all these generall complaints to be heard and examined with all expedition: And as they shall be found true, to see both restitution and full recompense to bee made to her friends subiects, that are damnified: And the offendours to bee grieuously punished, as farre foorth as the nature of their offences might deserue.
And for further proofe of her Maiesties Princely meaning in this case towards all Kings, Princes and States in Amitie with her Maiestie, Shee declareth her intention to be, (and so commandeth it to be executed) That if any person whatsoeuer shall vpon the Seas take any Ships that doe belong to any subiects of her friends and allies with whom shee is in Amitie, and after knowledge had that the sayd Ships doe belong to her friends, doe not forbeare to stay them, or shall take out of them any goods belonging to her sayd friends, shall suffer death, with confiscation of lands and goods. And forasmuch as her Maiestie is infourmed of some complaints that some of her Marchants ships trading aswell into the Straights as to other places in league and Amitie with her Highnesse, being strongly furnished (as reason is they should be) for the defence of themselues against the violence of the enemies, should also offend and endamage her Maiesties good friends vpon the Seas, vnder colour of taking the subiects of the Spanish King: Her Maiestie straightly chargeth and commandeth all her louing Subiects for preuention of any such suspicion hereafter, that none of them shall send to the Seas any ships by way of trade or traffike, but they shall also enter into bond before the Lord high Admirall of England or his officers, to the full value of his ship, furniture and victuall, that the company of that ship shall not offend, indammage, hurt, rob, or spoyle any ship or vessel of any her Highnes sayd friends or allies, vnder paine of confiscation of such ships as shal be sent to the seas before such bonds so entred. And to the intent that all persons may vnderstand with what conditions all persons seruing on the Seas against the Spaniards are licensed, her Maiestie hath commanded that the very condition of the parties bonds that are licensed, shall be annexed to this Proclamation: the which being duely obserued (as her Maiesties meaning is it should be) her Maiestie doubteth not but her actions shall be thought consonant to Honor and Iustice, and to the allowance of her friends and allies, [Page] leauing the false callumniations of her enemies, and the auenge of their [...] disturbance of the common peace of Christendome to the iudgement of Almightie God, to whose wisedome and power it onely belongeth. Giuen at her Maiesties Palace of Westminster the eight day of Februarie, in the one and fortieth yeere of her reigne.
❧ The forme of the Condition limited to be obserued by all such as are licensed to go to the Seas against the Spaniardes.
THE condition of this Obligation is such, That where there is Commission of Reprisall graunted vnto A. B. to send to the Seas the good Ship called the P. of B. of the burden of Tonnes or thereabouts, whereof I. N. goeth Captaine and Master, with men, Ordenance and Victuals, sufficient for the same seruice, for the apprehending and taking of the ships, goods and marchandises of the King of Spayne or any of his subiects, as by the tenor of the sayd Commission more at large appeareth: If therefore the sayd I. N. with the sayd shippe the P. of B. and her company, doe presently after their putting to Seas, with all possible speede repaire to the coasts of Spaine, Portingall, the Ilands, and other remote places where the Spaniards and Portingals doe most vse their traffique and trade of Marchandises, and doe not attempt any thing against any of her Maiesties louing subiects, or the subiects of the French king, or of the kings of Scotland, Denmarke, or any princes of Italie being in league with her Maiestie, the inhabitants of the vnited prouinces of the Low countries, and Haunce townes, or any other Prince or Potentate being in good league and amitie with her Maiestie, but onely against the sayde king of Spaine and his subiects, and his and their ships, goods and marchandises, and doe bring, or cause to be brought all such ships, goods and Marchandises as they shall happen to take and apprehend by vertue of the said Commission, together with two or three of the chiefest persons of euery ship which they shall take, (whereof the Master and Pilot to be two) to some porte of this her Maiesties Realme of England, as shall be most conuenient for them, and doe not breake bulke, waste, spoyle, sell, embezill, or diminish any part thereof, vntill they shall be adiudged in her Maiesties high court of the Admiraltie to be good and lawfull prise, and thereupon an Inuentorie to be taken by the Viceadmirall of the place and porte where they shall so ariue, or his deputie, or other publike officers of the same, and an appraisement be made of the sayd ships and goods by some sixe honest men inhabitants of the sayd porte, and that the said Inuentorie and appraisement be returned into the said high court of the Admiraltie, within sixe weekes then next after ensuing: That then &c.
God saue the Queene.
❧ Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie.