❧ By the King.  

DIEU·ET·MON·DROIT  
HONI SIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
¶ A Proclamation concerning Tobacco.  
WHereas in the Reign of Our most dear and Royal Father, King JAMES of blessed memory, & since Our access to the Crown, several Proclamations have been made and published concerning Tobacco, Yet notwithstanding all the care and providence which hath hitherto been used, We find the unlimited desire of gain, and the inordinate appetite of taking Tobacco, hath so far prevailed, that Tobacco hath been continued to be planted in great quantities, in several parts of this Our Realm, and a vast proportion of unserviceable Tobacco made and brought from Our Colonies of Virginia Summer Lands, and other Our Foreign Plantations, besides an incredible quantity of Brasill and Spanish Tobacco imported hither, and secretly conveyed on Land. And it is now come to pass, That those Our Foreign Plantations, that might become useful to this Kingdom, linger only upon Tobacco, are in apparent danger to be utterly ruined, unless We speedily provide for their subsistence; The bodies and manners of Our people are also in danger to be corrupted, and the wealth of this Kingdom exhausted by so useless a Weed as Tobacco is; which being represented unto Us by the humble Petition of Our loving Subjects the Planters and Adventurers in Virginia, and also by the like humble Petition of the Retailers and Sellers of Tobacco in and about Our Cities of London and Westminster, We have thought it worthy of Our Princely care, as a matter not only fit for Our profit, & the profit of Our people, but much concerning Us in Our honour and government so to regulate the same, and compel due obedience thereto, that Our Foreign Plantations and Colonies may be supported and encouraged, and they made useful to this Kingdom, by applying themselves to more solid commodities, that the healths of Our Subjects may be preserved, the wealth of this Kingdom enlarged, and the manners of Our people so ordered and governed, that the world may not justly tax Us, that these are at once endangered only by the licentious use of Tobacco. And therefore having seriously advised hereof, We, by the advice of Our Privy Council, have now resolved upon, and published these Our Commands following concerning Tobacco, which Our Royal will and pleasure is, shall be in all things observed upon pain of Our highest displeasure, and of such pains, penalties and punishments, as by Our Court of Exchequer, and Court of Star-chamber, and by any other Courts and ministers of justice, or by Our Prerogative Royal can be inflicted upon the offenders.  
And first, Our will and Command is, that no person whatsoever do at any time hereafter plant, preserve, or maintain any Tobacco, which is, hath been, or shall be planted in Our Kingdoms of England or Ireland, or Dominion of Wales, or in the Islands of jersey or Guernesey, but that the same be utterly displanted and destroyed, and that none presume or adventure to Buy, Sell, or utter any such Tobacco, the same being utterly unwholesome to be taken.  
And further, that no Tobacco whatsoever be from henceforth imported into these Our realms, or any Haven, Port, Creek or place thereof, which is, or shall be of the growth of any the parts or places beyond the Seas, belonging to, or under the obedience of any foreign King, Prince, or State whatsoever; But such, and so much thereof only, as We shall specially allow to be imported, until it shall be fully settled between those Foreign Princes and Us, according to those Treaties which are between Us, that Our Subjects may not unthriftily vent the solid Commodities of Our own Kingdoms, and return the proceed thereof in Smoke.  
And further We will and command, that no Tobacco of the growth of any of Our English Plantations in Virginia the Summer Islands, Caribee Islands, or other Islands or places in America, or the Coasts thereof, be at any time hereafter imported or brought into Our Kingdoms of England or Ireland, or Dominion of Wales, at any other Port then at, or in Our Port of London only, and the same duly entered in Our Custome-houses there, nor that any greater quantity thereof be imported there, than We by the advice of Our Privy Council shall hold fit, and under Our Privy Seal, shall declare to be competent for the expense of these Our Kingdoms, We not thinking it fit to admit of an immeasurable expense of so vain and needless a Commodity, which ought to be used as a Drugge only, and not so vainly and wantonly as an evil habit of late times hath brought it unto.  
And these sorts of Tobacco which shall be thus brought from Our own Colonies, We will take present order shall be well ordered and made up, and so certified to be, under the hand of the Governor of that place, and when the same shall be brought hither, shall be again Searched, Tried and Sealed, that Our Subjects be not abused by corrupt Tobacco.  
And Our express Command is, that whatsoever Tobacco shall be taken, which shall be imported contrary to this Our Proclamation, the same shall be forfeited and confiscate, and by the Officers of that Port or place where it shall be taken, shall be immediately burnt.  
And for the ordering and governing of the expense and use of Tobacco when it shall be imported, We, by the advice of Our Privy Council, shall speedily direct such a course as We shall hold fit, which We expect shall be also in all things observed.  
And We straight charge and Command all Our Customers, Comptrollers, Searchers, and all other the Officers and Ministers of Our Ports, that they and every of them in their several places, do carefully and faithfully observe Our Royal Command, in, and concerning the premises; and if any of them shall be found remiss or negligent therein, or to connive at any such offender, that he or they shall for such their fault, without any remission be removed from the place or places of his or their attendance on Our service.  
And to the end Our pleasure and Command hereby published, may be the better executed, We do hereby will, require and Command, all Majors, Sheriffs, justices of peace, Bailiffs, Headboroughs, and other Our Officers and loving Subjects whatsoever, to be aiding and assisting, and so much as in them lieth, to take care that the premises herein mentioned, be duly put in execution, as they tender their duty and allegiance to Us, and will answer the contrary at their uttermost perils.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall the sixth day of january, in the sixth year of Our Reign. God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty: and by the Assigns of john Bill. 1630.