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C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT  
❧ By the King. ¶ A Proclamation for the maintenance and increase of the Mines of Saltpetre, and the true making of Gunpowder, and reforming abuses concerning the same.  
THe King Our Sovereign Lord, taking into serious and provident consideration, the most necessary and important use of Gunpowder, as well for supply of His own Royal Navy, and the shipping of His loving Subjects, as otherwise for the strength, safety, and defence of His people and Kingdoms, and how great a blessing it is of Almighty God to this Realm, That it naturally yields sufficient Ours of Saltpetre for making of Gunpowder, for defence of itself, without any necessity to depend upon the dangerous, chargeable, and casual supply thereof from foreign parts; Hath, (with the advice of His Privy Council) concluded and set down certain Orders and Constitutions, to be from henceforth inviolably kept and observed, for the better maintaining of the breed and increase of Saltpetre, and the true making of Gunpowder, and for reforming and suppressing all abuses concerning the same, in these Articles following.  

1. FIrst, That no person or persons whatsoever, within this Kingdom of England, or Dominion of Wales, do from henceforth pave with Stone or Brick, or floor with Board any Dovehouse, or Dovecoat, or lay the same with Lime, Sand, Gravel, or other thing, whereby the growth and increase of the Mine of Saltpetre may be hindered or impaired, But shall suffer the floor or ground thereof to lie open, with good and mellow earth, apt to breed increase of the said Mine and Saltpetre, and so continue and keep the same.  
2. That no Innkeepers, or others, that keep Stables for travellers and passengers, do use any deceitful means or devices, whereby to destroy or hinder the growth of Saltpetre in those Stables; And that no Stables at all be pitched, paved or gravelled, where the Horse feet use to stand, but planked only, Nor be paved, pitched or gravelled, before the planks next the mangers, but that both places be kept and maintained with good and mellow earth, fit and apt to breed and increase the Mine of Saltpetre, and laid with nothing which may hurt the same.  
3. That all and every such person and persons, as having heretofore had any Dovehouse, Dovecoat or Stable, (which were then good nurseries for the breed of Mine of Saltpetre) have sithence carried out the good mould from thence, and filled the place again with Lime, gravel, sand, rubbish, or other like stuff, or paved or floored the same, whereby the growth of Saltpetre Mine there, hath been decayed or destroyed; shall, and do within three months next coming, take up the said pavements and boards again, and carry out the said Gravel, Lime and offensive stuff from thence, and fill the place again with good and mellow earth, fit for the increase of Saltpetre, three foot deep at the least, and so continue and keep the same for the breed of Saltpetre Mine.  
4. That no person or persons, of what degree or estate soever, shall hinder or deny any Saltpeter-man, lawfully deputed thereunto, in the digging, taking, or working of any ground or earth, which by Commission may be taken and wrought for Saltpetre; Nor any Constable, or other Officer do, or shall forbear or neglect to furnish any such Saltpeter-man, with convenient carriages necessary for his work; And that all and every justice and justices of the Peace of any County, City, or Corporation, to whom the said Saltpetre man shall address himself for assistance, do not fail, at his and their perils, to take present course therein, That his Majesty's Service suffer not by his or their default.  
5. That no person or persons, shall directly or indirectly, give or offer to any Saltpeter-maker, deputy Saltpeter-man, or others, employed about the getting or making of Saltpetre, any gratuity, benefit, hire or reward; Nor any such Workman, employed about Saltpetre, shall take or receive any such gratuity, benefit, hire or reward, for the sparing or forbearing of any ground or place, which should or may be digged or wrought for Saltpetre, or of any carriages thereunto belonging, or for concealing, or not discovering of any offence or offences, committed against the true meaning of this Proclamation, or otherwise to the hindrance of this Service.  
6. That no Saltpeter-man, who shall hereafter use and take the earth or floor of any Dovehouse or Dovecoat, for their making of Saltpetre, shall dig or carry the same earth, but in such convenient time of the day, and work it in such manner, as may give least disturbance and hurt to the Pigeons, and increase of their breed; and in the chief times of breeding, that it be not done above two hours in any one day, and that about the midst of the day, when the Pigeons use to be abroad; And shall in like seasonable time, carry in the said earth after it shall be wrought, and spread it there, and make flat the floor of the same Dovehouse and Dovecoat, and leave it well and orderly, according to the Direction and Instructions given by His Majesty's Commission, and the Deputation thereupon made unto him.  
7. That all Saltpeter-men and workers in Saltpetre, after they have broken any other sorts of ground, and wrought over the earth taken from thence, do, and shall afterwards within convenient time, before the remooue of their work from thence, fill up the place again, and leave it in such good and orderly case as they found the same, according to their Instructions aforesaid; And that no owner or possessor of any Dovehouse, or Grounds, shall hinder or disturb any Workmen from doing what is prescribed in this, and the next precedent Article.  
8. That no person or persons whatsoever, do at any time hereafter make, or cause to be made for Service against any enemy, or for Sale, any Gunpowder of any Saltpetre, made, or to be made within the Realm of England, or Dominion of Wales, but of such Saltpetre only, as is or shall be made by Warrant of his Majesty's Commission, granted or to be granted in that behalf.  
9 That no Saltpeter-man or maker of Saltpetre, do at any time hereafter transport, or cause to be transported into the parts beyond the Seas, or sell, give, utter, or put to sale, or cause to be sold, uttered, or put to sale within the said Realm or Dominion, any Saltpetre, made within the said Realm of England, but only to his Majesty's Storehouse, to his Majesty's Powder-maker there: And that no person presume to buy any Saltpetre, made by virtue of his Majesty's Commission, but his Majesty's Powder-maker only, to whom it shall not be lawful to receive for any Powder to be sold by him to his Majesty's Subjects, above ten pence the pound.  
10. That no Powder whatsoever, either made within the Realm, or imported from foreign parts, be hereafter sold or uttered within this Realm, or Dominions aforesaid, by any person or persons, before the same be first tried, proved, and allowed by the sworn Proof-master, already appointed or to be appointed, and by him marked, as hath been heretofore used, whereby his Majesty's loving Subjects may take notice of the sorts of the said Gunpowder, and the goodness thereof, and the uses to which it may most aptly be applied.  
11. That no person presume or attempt to counterfeit the mark or marks, used, or to be used by the said Proof-master, to the purpose aforesaid, Or do work or put in practise any fraud, deceit, or sleight, by mixing or mingling any Gunpowder, or otherwise, whereby his Majesty's meaning, before expressed, may be altered, diverted, or abused.  
12. That the Proof-master, appointed and to be appointed, do diligently attend to do his duty faithfully and truly, in making proof of the said Gunpowder, and to mark none but that which shall be good and sufficient, and answerable to the marks; And that he take not above six pence Fee, for any Barrel of Powder of one hundred weight, which shall by him be tried, proved, and marked as aforesaid; and so proportionably not above that rate, for greater or lesser quantities.   
ALl which Articles, and every of them, His Majesty doth hereby straight charge and command all manner of persons, of what quality soever they be, duly to observe and fulfil; And all Officers and persons in Authority, whom it may concern, duly, carefully and diligently to see, and cause the same to be observed, fulfilled, and put in execution, as they, and every of them, will avoid His Majesty's heavy displeasure, and the censure of being holden contemners of His Majesty's Royal Commandment, in a matter of high consequence, for the public service and safety of the State, and upon such further penalties and punishments, as for example of terror to others, their contempts and want of duty shall demerit, and by his Majesty's Prerogative Royal, or otherwise, shall be found fit in Honour and justice to be inflicted upon them.  
And for the better and more speedy performance of this Service, His Majesty's will and pleasure is, That the commissioners for the Navy, shall from time to time take notice of all such complaints, as shall be brought unto them, touching any offence that shall be committed, contrary to this Proclamation, either in the neglecting, hindering, or disturbing this his Majesty's Service, or in abusing the Subject: And that the said Commissioners shall certify the same, to his Majesty's right trusty, and right well-beloved Cousin and Councillor, George Duke of Buckingham, Lord high Admiral of England, and to His right trusty and well-beloved Councillor, George, Lord Carew, Master of the Ordnance, to whose special trust and care, his Majesty hath committed the Government of the said Business, by Commission under the great Seal of England: And that they, or either of them, shall from time to time send for all offenders complained of, and cause them to be examined by the said Commissioners of the Navy; And upon their report, take such further order therein, by referring the offenders to be prosecuted in the high Court of Star-chamber, or otherwise, as to their Wisdoms shall seem meet; Commanding and authorising his Majesty's Attorney General, for the time being, upon such Reference from the said Duke of Buckingham, or Lord Carew, or other information given unto him, of any misdemeanour committed, contrary to the true meaning of any the Articles aforesaid, to prosecute and proceed against the said offenders, in the said high Court of Star-chamber; It being His Majesty's express pleasure, That severe punishment shall be executed upon all the said offenders whatsoever.  
Given at the Court at White-Hall, the thirteenth day of April, in the first year of his Majesty's Reign of Great Britain, France and Ireland.  
God save the King.   

¶ Printed at London by Bonham Norton, and john Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. M.DC.XXV.