¶ By the queen.  
A proclamation to repress all piracies and depredations vpon the Seas  
FOrasmuch as it is come to the queens majesties understanding, by means of certain complaints, as well by her own subiects as others, that there are sundry persons vpon the narrow Seas, of diuers nations, and some born within her majesties dominions, having ships armed in warlike maner, who partly at the first went manifestly to the Seas in maner of merchants, and haue afterward by sinister means changed their trade, and armed themselves for the war: some others haue secretly stolen out of obscure places, with a pretence in these troublesone times, that are seen as well eastward betwixt the kingdom of Denmake and Sweden, and their adherents, as westward in the dominions of france, both lamentable to behold, to serve on the Seas either on the on part or the other, and yet indeed haue at length directed themselves from all lawful service of warres, to live as pirates, robbing and spoiling all maner of honest merchants of every nation without difference, whom they are able to subdue. For remedy whereof, although her majesty hath of late time given certain straight orders through all her ports, that no maner of persons other then known merchants, should be suffered to sell or distribute any maner of wears or merchandises in any her ports, nor that any within her realm should victual, or otherwise relieve any maner of person any wise to be suspected of piracy. Yet now vpon these new complaints, her majesty finding that thereby hath followed no such full remedy as was looked for: for that purpose her majesty hath thought meet to devise and publish by her proclamation some further effectual remedy. And therefore doth straightly charge and command all maner her subiects, to forbear from aiding or receiving of any pirate, or any person having not lawful authority from her majesty, or not being a known merchant, by contractyng, buying, selling or exchaungyng, or by vittaylying of them or any of their company, whereby they or any of them shal be the more enabled to return to the Seas to commit any piracy or disorder, vpon pain for so doing to be punished presently, as the principal offenders and pirates ought to be. And furthermore, whosoever shal hereafter arm or prepare any vessel to the sea, except it be such as shal by her majesties authority, be specially appointed to keep the Seas, as her majesty now is occasioned to do for some other respects, or such as shall haue express licence and permission by her majesty: the same shall give knowledge to the officers of the ports of their whole furniture, who shall duly search and visit the same, to the intent to stay such persons as apparauntly shal be so furnished for the warres, and not for merchandise or fishing. And if there shal be any maner of suspitition, that the said person though he shal pretend to trade for merchandise, or fishing, hath or may haue any intent by his provisions or furniture, otherwise then to use the trade of merchandise, or fishing: that in such case of suspicion, the officers of the ports shall stay, and no wise suffer the same to pass to the Seas, without good bands by sufficient sureties first had, to use nothing but a leeful trade of merchandise or fishing. And if the officers shall suffer any person otherwise to repair to the Seas then above is mentioned, they shall not onely answer for any piracies which any such person shall chance thereafter to do vpon the Sea: but shall suffer imprisonment until the offenders may bee apprehended, if they shall be living. And generally her majesty declareth and denounceth all such pirates and rovers vpon the Seas to be out of her protection, and leefully to be by any person taken, punished, and suppressed with extremity.  
given at her majesties palace of Westminster, the xxvii. day of April, the xi. year of her majesties most noble xaigne.  
God save the queen.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Powles Churchyard, by richard jug and John Cawood, Printers to the queens majesty.  
Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.