WHereas Roger North Esquier, with diuers others of Our Subiects, as Aduenturers for the intended Plantation and setling of Trade and Commerce in those parts of the Continent of Ame­rica neare and about the Riuer of Amazones (which were presup­posed not to be vnder the obedience and gouernement of any other Christian Prince or State) hath secretly conueyed himselfe away, and hath disloyally precipitated and imbarqued himselfe, and his fel­lowes, and sodainly set to Sea with a pretended purpose to prose­cute that designe, contrary to Our Royal pleasure and Commandement expresly signified vnto him by one of Our principall Secretaries, Our Admirall of England hauing also refused him leaue to go: We then hauing out of weightie considerations, & reason of State, & vpon the de­liberate aduise of Our Priuy-Councell resolued to suspend and restraine the said Plantation & voyage for a time, and hauing therevpon streightly charged & commanded him the said North vpon his duty & aleageance, that hee and his Associates should for a while surcease their Provi­sions, and should stay themselues and their Shipping, which they had already prepared, vntill Our further pleasure should be made knowen vnto them.

Wee haue therefore held it fit hereby to make a publique Declaration of Our vtter mislike and disauowement of this their rash, vndutiful and insolent attempt; and do hereby re­uoke, annihilate and disanull all Power, Authoritie, iurisdiction, or Commission whatso­euer, which he the said North, or any of his Complices may pretend in any sort to deriue & hold from or vnder Vs; and do hereby charge aswell him the said North, as all his Companions and followers, immediately vpon the first notice that shall be giuen him or them of this Our pleasure, that they shall make their speedie returne directly home, with all their ship­ping and munitions into this Our Kingdome of England, assoone as the windes and weather shall permit them; and being heere arriued shall foorthwith present themselues in person vn­to [Page] some of Our Priuie Councel, vnder paine of being heereby declared guiltie of high con­tempt and rebellion, in case they shall disobey this Our expresse commandement.

And Wee doe further heereby straitly require and charge aswell the Gouernours, as all other the Partenors and Aduenturers, any wayes concerned, or interested as members of the Companie and Incorporation intended for that Plantation, as all other Merchants, Cap­taines, Masters, & Officers, of Ships, Saylors, Marrinors, and all other our louing subiects whatsoeuer, that they shall in no sort ayd or abette, nor comfort him the said North, nor any of his Complices with any supply of shipping, men, money, munition, victuals, merchandise, or other commodities or necessaries whatsoeuer: but that aswell all and euery Our Admirals, Vice-Admirals, and other Our Officers and Commanders of Our Ships, or Pinnaces, as all other Captaines and Masters of any of Our subiects ships and vessels whatsoeuer, that shall happen to meete with him the saide North, or any of his Company at sea, or in any Har­bour, Port, or Creeke wheresoeuer, shall in Our Name attach, seize, and summon him, or them, and their shipping, to returne immediately home, and shall foorthwith bring them backe to some of Our Ports of this Our Kingdome, and there commit them and their Ships to the charge of such Our Officers, as it shall respectiuely appertaine vnto, vntill Wee (hauing receiued information of their such returne, which Wee will expect from Our said Officers, who shall so stand incharged with them) shall giue further order concerning them, aswell their persons as their shipping and munitions. Wherein Wee doe expresly charge and command aswell him the said North, and all his Company, Abettors, & Adherents, and all the rest of that Company and Incorporation intended, as all and euery other Our Officers by Land or Sea, and all other Captaines, Masters, and Marriners in any of Our subiects ships, & all other Our louing subiects whatsoeuer, faithfully, diligently, and care­fully to obserue, doe, and performe in their seuerall qualities and places, that which Wee haue heereby required of them, according to euery of their duties, charges, and imployments, vpon paine of Our high displeasure and indignation, and as they will answere the con­trarie at their vttermost perill.

Giuen at Our Manour of Greenwich this fifteenth day of May, in the eighteenth yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.