C R  DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
¶ By the King.  
¶ A Proclamation to prevent the Purloining and Stealing of Arms, Powder, and other Munition, and Habiliments of War.  
THe King's most Excellent MAJESTY being informed, that great quantities of Armour, Munition, Shot, Powder, & other Habiliments of War, have heretofore been, & are still daily purloined, stolen, embezzled, and conveyed away by the Soldiers, and Mariners of his Majesty's Army & Fleet, now returned from the late expedition, to the great loss of His Majesty, and the infinite prejudice of His Royal service: And His Majesty having taken this notorious abuse into mature consideration, and being fully resolved severely to punish all such Soldiers, Mariners, and other person and persons, who shall offend herein, Hath therefore though fit, with the Advice of his Privy Counsel, for repressing and preventing the like attempts hereafter, to publish and declare His Royal Commandment concerning the same; And hereby doth strictly prohibit, charge and command, all and every Soldiers, Mariners, and all other persons whatsoever, that they, nor any of them do presume, attempt, or go about to Steal, Purloin, Imbezell, Sell, Buy or Receive any such Arms, Munition, Shot, Powder, or Habiliments of War, upon pain of such severe and condigue punishment for their offences, as by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, or by His Majesty's Prerogative Royal, can or may be inflicted upon the persons offending, either in the Stealing, Purloining, Selling, or otherwise in the Buying, Receiving or Concealing of the same. And because His Majesty hath been also informed, that many such Arms, Munition, Shot, Powder, and other Habiliments of War, have, since the arrival of his Majesty's Fleet, been Purloined and Sold in the Parts near about Plymouth, His Majesty doth hereby strictly charge and command all person and persons whatsoever, of what estate, condition or degree soever they be, to whom any the said Arms, Munition, Shot, Powder, or other Habiliments of War have been Sold, or in whose Custody the same or any of them are, that they and every of them do forthwith bring, and deliver, or cause to be brought and delivered the same, to the Mayor of the said Town of Plymouth, or to the Majors, Bailiffs, Constables, or thief Magistrate or Officer of the Towns, Villages, or other places more remote from thence, to be by him or them safely kept for His Majesty's use, and to certify the same to the Office of the Ordnance, that upon notice thereof, the same may be disposed of for His Majesty's Service; and this to be observed by all and every person and persons, whom it may any ways concern, upon pain of being proceeded against by the strictest course of Law which this fact shall deserve, for an example to others to avoid the like offences. And for the better execution of His Majesty's honourable, just and necessary Commands herein, His Majesty strictly chargeth and commandeth all Majors, Sheriffs, justices of Peace, Bailiffs, Headboroughs, and other Officers, and all other His Majesty's good and loving Subjects, to take care to prevent and repress all such offences, as aforesaid, and to give their assistance in the due execution of His Majesty's Command, concerning the premises, as they tender their duty and Allegiance to His Majesty, and will answer the contrary at their utmost perils.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the eighth day of December, in the third 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. M.DC.XXVII.