royal blazon or coat of arms ❧ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation against selling of Ships.  
WHereas We have been informed that sundry of Our Subjects, Masters and Owners of Ships, respecting more their private gain and advantage, than the public good and safety of Us and Our Dominions, do daily sell, or otherwise dispose to Strangers and Foreigners their Ships and other Vessels, to the great disservice of Us and the State, in weakening the Navigation of this Kingdom; We taking the same into Our Princely consideration and foreseeing the many inconveniences which will ensue, if the same be not prevented, or the offenders (if any such shall hereafter be found) be not severely punished, by the advice of Our Privy Counsel do hereby straight charge and command, that none of Our Subjects, or others, living within Our obeisance, of what degree, quality, or condition soever, do at any time hereafter presume, directly or indirectly, to sell or alien, or by any ways or means, to dispose of any Ship or other Vessel, of what burden soever the same shall be, and either made or built within Our Dominions or without, being fit, or which may be made fit to sail upon the Seas, to any manner of person either borne or resident out of Our Dominions, upon pain of Our high displeasure, and of the severest penalties and punishments, which by the Laws and Statutes of this Our Realm, or by Our Prerogative Royal can be inflicted upon them.  
And Our further will and pleasure is, that if any of Our Subjects, either natural borne, or made Denizens, knowing any such offence to be committed, shall not with all convenient speed reveal the same, to the body of Our Privy Counsel, that every such person so concealing his knowledge, of or in the Premises, shall for such his offence, be proceeded against, and punished as the principal offenders. And further because We understand too well, what great destruction hath of late years been made of Timber fit for Shipping, and how little care and providence hath been used to preserve the same according to Our Laws: We do further strictly charge and command, that all and every Our loving Subjects in their several places, do preserve all such Timber as shall be fit for Shipping with their best endeavours, as they tender Our favour, and the danger of Our Laws, and would avoid the contrary at their uttermost perils.  
Given at Our Court at Nonsuch, the twelfth day of july, in the fift 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.XXIX.