❧ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation concerning the viewing and distinguishing of Tobacco in England and Ireland, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick.  
WHereas divers good and necessary provisions have been heretofore made, aswell by Act of Parliament, as otherwise, for the well garbling of Spices and Drugs, to the intent the Subjects of this Our Realm should not be occasioned to use any unwholesome Spices or Drugs, to the impairing of their health▪ or to buy the bad instead of the good, to the impairing of their substance. And for as much as the drug called Tobacco, being of late years grown frequent in this Our Realm & other Our Dominions, is daily sold ungarbled, whereby more inconvenience groweth and ariseth to Our loving Subjects, then by any other drug whatsoever. And for that also by the many and sundry abuses practised and committed by Merchants, Masters of Ships and others, in concealing and uttering the said Tobacco without paying any Impost or Custom for the same, great loss and damage accrueth to Us, notwithstanding any Laws, Statutes or other course heretofore taken for preventing thereof: For remedy of all which Inconveniences, We, by our Letters Patents under our great Seal of England, bearing Date, at westminster the five and twentieth day of May now last passed, did prohibit and forbid, That no person or persons should at any time after the day of the Date of our said Letters patents within Our Realm of England, the Dominion of Wales, and Port and Town of Berwick, or any of them; or within Our Realm of Ireland, or any part of them or any of them, by himself or themselves, or his or their servants or factors, or any others, directly or indirectly sell or put to sale; or attempt, presume or go about any manner of way to sell or put to sale, either in gross or by retail, any Tobacco, of what sort, kind or growth soever, before the Custom and Impost thereof due, were paid; and the same Tobacco were viewed, distinguished and sealed by the Officer or Officers of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, in that behalf to be constituted and appointed; For whose labour, travel, charges and expenses in that behalf to be sustained and taken in the execution of the said Office: We did by the said Letters Patents, constitute and appoint, That they should and might from time to time, demand, take and receive to their own use, of every person and persons whose Tobacco they should so garble, view and seal, the sum of four pence of currant English money, for every pound weight thereof so viewed and sealed.  
And We did also by Our said Letters Patents (for the considerations therein mentioned) give and grant the said Office, with the powers, fees and authorities before mentioned to Our well-beloved Subjects, Francis Nichols, jasper Leake and Philip Eden, Gentlemen, to be executed by them or their Deputies or Assigns for thirty and one years next ensuing the Date of the said Letters Patents.  
And We did further by Our said Letters, for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, give and grant unto the said Francis Nichols, jasper Leake and Philip Eden, and their Assigns, and to all and every person and persons, which by them or any of them, by writing under their or any of their hands and Seals, should be in that behalf deputed and assigned, full power and authority during the term aforesaid, aswell to be present and to have place in all manner of Custome-houses, Ports, Havens, Creeks and places of lading or unlading of any manner of Goods, Wares or Merchandizes, into or out of the said Realms and Dominions: As also to be present with all and every the Customers, Collectors, Searchers, surveyors, Waiters, and other Officers and Ministers having charge for or concerning the lading or unlading of any Goods, Wares or Merchandizes, for their better executing of all and every thing and things thereby appointed, and for their better receiving and enjoying of the benefit of Our said Grant at all times and places, where the said Officers and Ministers or any of them, should by reason of their said several Offices have cause or occasion to be: And also in all and every place or places, aswell in Ships arrived with Tobacco, and riding in any Port, Road or River, as on the Land, to make and appoint such and so many Watchmen, Waiters and Officers, and to provide and use such reasonable ways, orders and means, as they the said Francis Nichols, jasper Leake and Philip Eden, and their Assigns and Deputies should and might be just and truly informed of all parcels and quantities of Tobacco, as should at any time or times during the said Grant, be brought into any Port or place, or be planted or growing in any place or places of the said Realms and Dominions or any of them.  
And also that it should and might be lawful, to and for the said Francis Nichols, jasper Leake, and Philip Eden, and their Assigns, and their and every of their Deputies and Substitutes, at all and every time and times during the term aforesaid, in lawful and convenient manner, with a Constable or other Officer of the place, aswell to go on board, view, and survey all Ships, Uessels, or Bottmes, riding or lying within any of the Ports, Havens, Creeks and places of lading or unlading, within Our said Realm of England, Dominion of Wales, Port or Town of Berwick, or Realm of Ireland, or any the members or places thereunto belonging, as to go into any House▪ Cellar, Uault, Warehouse, Shop, or other place within the said Realms and Dominion, and Port, or Town of Berwick, or any part of them, or any of them to search and view if there be any Tobacco uttered, sold, or put to sale, or offered to be sold, or put to sale before the same be viewed, distinguished, and sealed contrary to the true meaning of the said Letters patents.  
And We did also by the said Letters for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, require, charge and Command all and singular Majors, sheriffs, justices of Peace, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughes, Customers, controllers, Searchers, Surveyors, Waiters, and all other Officers, Ministers, and Subjects whatsoever, of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, aswell of the said Realm of England, Dominion of Wales, and Port and Town of Berwick, as of the said Realm of Ireland, That they and every of them, should from time to time during the continuance of that Our grant, be aiding and assisting to the said Francis Nichols, jasper Leake, and Philip Eden, and their Assigns, and to every of them, their and every of their Deputy and Deputies, Substitute and Substitutes, in the due Execution of all and every the powers and authorities expressed in the said Letters Patents, upon pain of the displeasure of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, and as they would answer the contrary at their perils▪ as by the said Letters Patents more at large appeareth.  
We now, to the intent Our will and pleasure in the premises may be the better known to all Our loving Subjects whom it may concern, Do hereby notify, publish and declare the same Our pleasure, willing and commanding that all and every the premises, be from time to time in every respect duly performed, executed and observed according to the true intent and meaning of the same Our Letters Patents. And that no person or persons do attempt or presume to violate or infringe Our Command hereby; or by Our said Letters Patents declared or expressed, upon the pains and penalties therein contained. And We do also hereby Charge and Command, aswell all and singular Merchants, and other person and persons whatsoever, which shall import any Tobacco of what sort soever, That they cause the same to be duly entered in the Custom house belonging to the Port or place where it shall be landed in the name or names only of the true proprietor or owner, proprietors or owners thereof, and not in the name or names of any other person or persons which is not the true owner thereof; As also all Our Customers and other Officers whatsoever, That they take special care and regard to the due performance of the same, as they tender Our pleasure, and will avoid the contrary.  
Given at Theobalds' the tenth day of November, in the seventeenth year of Our Reign of Great Britain, France, and Ireland.  
God save the King.   

❧ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton, and JOHN BILL, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. ANNO MDC.XIX.