¶ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation prohibiting the Importation of Allome, and the Buying, or Spending thereof in any His majesties Dominions.  
JAMES by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting.  
Whereas by two several Proclamations heretofore by Us published, the one in the seventh year, and the other in the twelfth year of Our Reign, for sundry causes therein expressed; we signified our express pleasure, and straightly inhibited, aswell the Importation, as the expense of any foreign Allome within any our Realms or Dominions; thereby charging and commanding all persons whatsoever, aswell Our natural borne Subjects, as Denizens or Strangers, That none of them should at any time then after attempt or presume to bring, or cause to be brought into these Our Realms of England, Scotland, or Ireland, or into any other Our Dominions, or into any the Ports, Havens, Creeks, or places of any of them, any Allome in greater or lesser quantities, made or to be made in any foreign part or place whatsoever, or any Allome made here within this Kingdom, after that the same had been once exported; upon pain of forfeiture of all and every quantity and quantities of Allomes, so brought, or caused to be brought into Our said Realms or Dominions, contrary to Our Commandment signified in that behalf, and also upon pain of Our indignation and displeasure, and of such further pains, penalties, and punishments, as are therein more at large expressed.  
And whereas by a late Commission awarded by Our Commandment, to divers persons to inquire & examine upon Oath, or otherwise, in sundry of the Northern parts, & places of this Our Realm, of the due observation & performance of the Premises, it was manifestly proved, & certified by the return of the said Commission, That Our Royal will & pleasure so often published in that behalf, hath not been accordingly obeyed and observed; but that through the negligence and connivence of some officers, and others in the several Ports and Creeks of this Kingdom, there is as great a Commerce, and Intercourse maintained between the Importers of foreign Allome, and sundry Tradesmen, the Buyers and spenders of Allome, as if the same had not at all been by Us inhibited, and restrained. We therefore being sensible of the neglect of Our said former Proclamations published in this behalf, have thought good to revive, and renew the same: And do hereby signify and declare, unto all and every Our loving Subjects, and others, Our express will and pleasure to be; That Our said former Proclamations, and every Clause, Inhibition, and Prohibition, or any other thing therein contained, shall be from henceforth duly observed and obeyed, upon pain of Our high displeasure, and to incur such further penalties and punishments, as We, or Our Privy Council, or our Treasurer of England for the time being, shall think fit to impose upon all and every the offenders and delinquents in that behalf. And further We will, That the Buyers, and Traders in Allomes so imported, or to be imported, as aforesaid, shall incur and sustain the like penalties, punishments and forfeitures, as the Importers of the same are, or aught to incur by virtue or tenor of Our said former Proclamations. And that all such Searchers, and Officers in all and every Our Ports, by whose means, connivency, or negligence, such Allome, as aforesaid, is or shall be suffered, or caused to be landed, sold or spent within our said Realms or Dominions, after due proof shall be thereof had, made and certified by Commissioners appointed or to be appointed in that behalf, or otherwise shall be left to the discretion of Our high Treasurer of England for the time being, to be by him punished, by the loss of his or their office or place, or by imprisonment, or otherwise, for such his or their negligence or offence in the premises.  
And whereas by the disbursements and expense of sundry great sums of money, by Us heretofore made in and about the said Allome works in this Our Realm, the same are now brought to such perfection, as that they do annually yield, not only a sufficient quantity of Allome, for the necessary use and service of Our own Realms and Dominions, but also a surplusage of good quantity to be transported into foreign parts for supply of their wants: We minding the maintenance of Our said Allome works, and intending to provide for the same: Do therefore straightly charge and command, That no foreign Allome, nor any English Allome, that shall be once transported, and afterwards returned from foreign parts, shall be bought, sold, uttered, or spent within any Our Realms or Dominions, other than such English Allome, as heretofore hath been, or hereafter shall be made by our Agents, Deputies, or Factors at Our own Allome works; and which hath not been already transported and returned, as is before forbidden. And We do hereby straightly charge, and command all and singular person, and persons, as well Our natural borne Subjects, as Denizens or Strangers, Merchants, Mariners, Artificers, and others; That none of them, nor any other person whatsoever do attempt hereafter to import, buy, sell, or vent, or cause to be imported, bought, sold, or vented, any such foreign, or English Allome, as is before mentioned or forbidden to be imported, or sold, as aforesaid, upon pain of forfeiture of all such Allome, to be seized to Our use; And for want of such seizure, to forfeit the value of all such Allome, as shall be so imported, or come to their or any of their hands, or possession, or bought, sold, spent, or vented by them or any of them, and upon such further penalties, and punishments, as We, or Our Privy Counsel, or Our Treasurer for the time being shall think fit to inflict upon every such offendor. And for the better finding out and discovery of the said offenders; We are well pleased, and do hereby require and command, That Our Treasurer, Chancellor, and Barons of Our Exchequer for the time being, shall and may award such, and so many Commissions, as they shall think meet to be directed to discreet and fit persons in all, or any Our Ports, or elsewhere, to inquire of and examine upon oath, or otherwise all such persons, as are or shall be suspected to have heretofore offended, or which hereafter shall offend against this or our former Proclamations in this behalf, or any other person or persons whatsoever for the better finding out, and discovery of the said offences, and offenders, as is before mentioned. To the end that as well the Importers of all such Allome, as the Buyers, Sellers, Spenders, and Receivers thereof may receive such condign punishment, by fine or otherwise for their offences, as by Our said Treasurer of England for the time being, or by Our Court of Exchequer shall be thought fit. And in case such Allome shall not or cannot be taken or found to be seized; That then every such offender shall forfeit and pay to the hands of Our Agent, or Agents in London in this behalf, the full value of such Allome, as the said offenders heretofore have or hereafter shall have imported, bought, sold, vented, or received, as aforesaid: And Our further will, and pleasure is, and We do hereby declare, that whatsoever Our said Treasurer, or Our said Agent, or Agents have already done, or shall do hereafter against any offendor or offenders in requiring, and taking the forfeiture of any Allome, or the value thereof so imported, or uttered, as aforesaid, or in the mitigating and taking any less some then the value of the same of any such of offender in the Premises or otherwise, according to the good discretion of Our said Treasurer, Agent, or Agents, We do, & will from time to time approve & allow of by these presents, And this signification of our pleasure, shallbe aswell unto our said Treasurer, Agent, & Agents for the time being, as unto all & every such Commissioner, & Commissioners, as have heretofore been, or hereafter shall be employed in or about this Our service, a sufficient warrant, and discharge in that behalf, without any account to be by them, or any of them, respectively yielded to Us, Our Heirs, or Successors, and without incurring any penalty in the doing and excuting this Our service, and Royal Commandment. And forasmuch as heretofore divers great quantities of Allome have been imported into this Realm, under the name and names of sundry poor Mariners and others, which are not able to pay the value thereof, nor give satisfaction for the same; Our will and pleasure is, the better to avoid such frauds, and deceits in the time to come, That in whatsoever Ship or Vessel any such Allome in greater or lesser quantity shall be found, or discovered to be so imported, and to be shifted away, that seizure thereof cannot be made; That then such Mariners, or others, who shall so import, or colour the said Allomes, shall not only be punished as aforesaid, but that every Master, or Owner of such Ship or Vessel, wherein such Allome shall be so imported and shifted away, as aforesaid, shall forfeit to Us the value of the same Allome: And that such Ship or Ships shall be arrested, and stayed by the officers of every port respectively, until the said forfeiture be duly answered, and paid to the hands of Our said Agent or Agents, or such others as they shall appoint in that behalf. And for the better execution of the premises, We do straightly charge, and command all justices of Peace, majors, sheriffs, Constables, Headboroughs, Tithingmen, and all other Our Officers and Ministers, aswell of Our Admiralty, as otherwise, and all other Our loving Subjects, to whom it shall, or may appertain, That they and every of them at all time and times hereafter, and from time to time be aiding, and assisting to Our said Agent, and Agents, and to such our Commissioners, as shall be from time to time appointed, for or about this Our service; And also to be from time to time aiding and assisting to all our Customers, Collectors, Searchers, Waiters, and to all such other person and persons, as shall be authorized by Our said Agent, or Agents, for the searching, seizing, taking, and carrying away of all such Allome imported, or hereafter to be imported, contrary to this Our Royal Prohibition and Commandment: And if any person or persons shallbe found privily, or secretly to oppose, or animate any others to contradict, or withstand them, in the due execution of this Our service and Royal Commandment; That then We do by these presents straightly charge and command, all and every Our said Officers respectively, That every such person or persons, shall be apprehended & brought before Our Treasurer for the time being, to receive such order and condign punishment, as shall be thought meet to be inflicted upon him or them for the same.  
Given at Our Palace of Westminster the sixteenth of March, in the fifteenth year of Our Reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the one and fifty. 
 God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and john Bill, Deputies and Assigns of Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. ANNO M.DC.XVII.