THe Kings Maiestie, hauing bene informed through the manifolde complaints made to his Highnesse by his owne Subiects as others, of the many depredations and Piracies committed by lewd and ill disposed persons, accustomed and habituated to spoile and rapine, insensible and desperate of the peril they draw vpon themselues, and the imputation they cast vpon the honour of their Soueraigne so precious to him, as for redresse thereof he is inforced to reiterate and inculcate his loathing and detestation not onely of the crimes, but also to manifest to the world his sinceri­tie and exceeding desires for the due & speedy suppressing of the delinquents; And hauing lately found by many pregnant circumstances, that most of these great faults are continued by the conniuence, or corrup­tion in many the subordinate Officers, especially such as are resident in and neere the Ports and Maritine Counties: In his Princely care to preserue Iustice, as one of the maine pillars of his Estate, & for the spee­dy preuention of such fowle crimes, & the seuere punishment and extirpation of such enormious offendors (most hatefull to his minde, and scandalous to his peaceable gouernment) and for the preseruation & con­tinuance of amitie and good correspondencie with all other Princes and States, hath with the aduise of his Counsaile thought it necessary at this present, to publish these Articles & Ordinances insuing: Where­in if any shall be found culpable, refractory, or contemptuous, his Maiestie is resolued and hereby decla­reth, that such punishment shalbe inflicted on him or them so offending, that others may be exemplarily forewarned, from committing so odious factes, and be deterred from ayding, relieuing, comforting, or a­betting such and so enormious malefactors.

• IF any person whatsoeuer shall vpon the Seas, or in any Port or hauen, take any Ship that doth belong to any of his Maiesties Subiects, friends, or Allies, or shall take out of it by force, any goods of what nature or qualitie soeuer: he or they so offending shall suffer death, with confis­cation of lands and goods, according to the Law in that case prouided.
• IF any person or persons so offending, do at any time hereafter come into any Port or place of his Ma­iesties dominions, his Maiestie expresly chargeth all his Officers foorthwith to apprehend him and them, and to commit them to prison, without Baile or Mainprize, and that the name of the person and cause of his imprisonment, be foorthwith certified into the Admiraltie, that speedy order may be taken for further proceeding, and execution according to Law, and the contents of his Maiesties former Procla­mations.
• ALl his Maiesties Subiects shall forbeare from furnishing, Victualing, ayding, receiuing, relieuing, comforting or abetting, any Pirate or Sea-rouer, or any person not being a knowen Merchant, by contracting, buying, selling, bartring or exchanging with him or them, vpon peril of his Maiesties heauy indignation, and the grieuous paines by Law belonging to the same.
• ALl Admirall causes shalbe summarily heard by the Iudge of the Admiraltie without admitting any vnnecessary delay, and no Appeale from him shalbe allowed to the defendant or defendants in cases of depredations or spoyle, either for the Offenders, or their accessaries before or after the of­fence commited, or those in whose possession the goods spoyled are found, vnlesse first by way of prouision the summe adiudged be payd to the plaintife vpon Suerties to repay it, if the Sentence shalbe reuersed. And no Prohibition in such causes of depredation and spoyle, and their accessories and dependants shalbe hereafter granted against the Admiraltie.
• NO Ship or goods taken from any his Maiesties friends, shalbe deliuered vpon any other order, then vpon proofe made, or certificate exhibited in the said Court of the Admiraltie, to the end that a Record may be kept of all such restitutions made to strangers, to serue if occasion shall require.