❧ By the queen. A Proclamation to forbid all maner of persons to resort to any towns held by the French Kings rebels, or to traffic with any of them, vpon pain to be punished as Traitors: with a declaration of the just causes of the said prohibition. given under her majesties signet at Greenwich the xiiij. day of april 1591, and of her majesties reign the xxxiij. year.  
THe queens majesty considering the continuance of the unnatural rebellion of a multitude of the French kings Subiectes in france, against their most lawful king, heretofore king of Nauarre, and now justly entitled Henry the fourth king of france and Nauarre, being recommended to the realm by the last king before his death, in presence of all the Princes of the blood, and of the rest of the nobility of the realm, to be his most lawful successor of the crown, and so immediately vpon the death of the said late French king, accepted and acknowledged by all the said Princes of the blood, inheritable to the crown, without exception of any one of the same princes Ecclesiastical or temporal: And in like maner from the death of the last king, served and obeied by all the ancient officers of the crown, and namely by all the Marshals of france, the principal officers of that realm, and by the greatest part of all the Noble men, governors of the provinces. And that it now manifestly appeareth, that this unnatural rebellion is favoured by none of the ancient birth of france, but by a very few of a strange blood, lately brought in, and planted by marriages in france, being onely branches depending of the house of Lorraine, which is no natural member of the crown of france to possess the same: Therefore her majesty hath for these and many other causes in the sight of almighty God very just, and to the world most honourable, been moved to yield to the said king her good brother and confederate, her favour, both in approbation of his right, and wishing to him prosperity against his rebels, as she thinketh there is no Monarch, nor any sovereign Potentate in all christendom but doth the like, saving onely one: who not contented with all the kingdoms and dominions which his most noble father left him, by reason of his abundant riches brought to him out of his Indies, attempteth to augment his estate by encroaching to himself the dominions of his neighbors. And for that purpose, her majesty hath also according to such power as God hath given to her, and as she may conveniently yield with regard to her own estate, given to the said most Christian king some succours, and so mindeth to continue her favours, as manifestly hath, and daily is seen, both to all strangers, and to her own people, and by none misliked but by the rebels and the king above described, who at this day is manifestly seen, that if he were disposed to live in peace, and be contented with his own dominions, and not seek the dominions of any others, christendom were to enjoy an universal peace, without any noise of war in any country or corner of christendom. And now her majesty finding that this popular rebellion against the said king, is fed and maintained in sundry Port towns of france, and specially in normandy and britain, where the people live by bringing to them foreign merchandise, and by vent of their own, and by receiving of succours of victuals & munitions of war from foreign countries, without which the rebels in their Ports could neither continue their rebellion, nor yet relieve their fellow rebels within the land: Hath thought it meet, that although her subiects ought in reason of themselves to haue considered as much, to will and charge, and so she doth expressly will, charge, and command, all maner her own natural Subiects, and all other persons resorting to her realm, to forbear from repairing to any port or Creeke of picardy, normandy, or britain, where the Rulers of the same ports or creeks do not manifestly obey the French king, and that in no manner, directly or indirectly, they do carry or sand any merchandise, victual, or munition to any Port or town, that doth disobey the French king, or do use any trade of buying or selling by bartering or by exchange with any of the kings rebels, or with their adherents either in france, or fraudulently here in England or elsewhere: vpon pain that whosoever shall attempt the contrary, the same shall be punished as Traitors, and relieuers and succourers of her majesties enemies. For such her majesty doth judge the said kings rebels to be, in that they haue and do to their power, declare themselves to be enemies to her majesty and her Subiectes, as by their hostile actions against her majesties subiectes, hath in many partes manifestly appeared. As in like sort also the king of Scottes her good brother, and a friend and ancient ally to the crown of France, hath publicly declared himself an enemy to the said rebels, and 〈◇〉 prohibited his Subiects from trading in any sort with the rebels of france: notwithstanding some of the heads of the rebellion, to his great misliking, are by the house of Lorraine of kindred to him.  
And because her majesty is informed, that though many of her secretly evil disposed subiects do outwardly show themselves not to haue a mind to repair to the ports possessed by the foresaid Rebels, but colourably do in her majesties ports lad their wears, and make their entries with the officers of the Customehouses, and take their cockets, as thereby to carry the same to the ports of France which are known to obey the French king: Or sometimes lading of victuals, make their entries to repair only to other ports of the realm, and sometimes to the isles of Iernsey or Garnsey, and yet most corruptly, and against their loyalty, for gain or other corruption, they do craftily repair with the said merchandise and victuals, yea and by stealth with munition, as powder, shot, copper, and other habislements of war, to the ports manifestly held by the Rebels: For repressing of which abuse, her majesty chargeth and commandeth all her officers of her Customehouses, to haue good regard to the conditions of all that shall lad any wears to be transported out of the realm by sea, or of victual from port to port. And if they shall haue any suspicion that the said wears or victuals so to be laden, might be carried to the Rebels towns in France, they shall not suffer any such to depart with their lading, except the owners and laders shall both by their corporal oath, and by bond with sureties to the double value of the things laden, give assurance, and clear themselves of all suspicion, that no part of their lading shall by them, or by any for them, be carried to any town of the Rebels in France. And if any officers of the ports shall hereafter know, or be informed of any being either the merchant, the owner, or the master of the ship, or sailor, that shall offend to the contrary of this her majesties proclamation, and shall not speedily give notice thereof to the Lord Treasurer of England, or to the Lords of the privy council, to the intent the persons offending, and the ships also may be apprehended: such officer for concealing thereof, shall lose all offices in the port for ever, and shall suffer close imprisonment one whole year without bail, and yield such fine to her majesty, as his condition may endure. And if any vice-admiral or his deputy, shall know, or be informed of any person that shall offend to the contrary of this proclamation, and shall not speedily give notice thereof to the Lord admiral, or in the five ports to the Lord Warden, or to the privy council: the same person so concealing the same, shall loose his office for ever, and suffer close imprisonment the space of one whole year, and likewise yield such fine, as his condition shall endure.  
God save the queen.   

Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, Printer to the queens most excellent majesty.