C R  DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
By the King.  
A PROCLAMATION For the better quieting the Post-Master-General in the execution of his Office, and for his future encouragement therein.  
CHARLES R.  
WHereas by Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England, bearing date the Fourteenth day of August, in the Twelfth year of our Reign, We did constitute and appoint Henry Bishop Esq Our Postmaster; which said Letters Patents have since been surrendered to Us, and We have thought fit by other Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England, to constitute and appoint Our Trusty and Well-beloved Daniel Oneale Esq one of the Grooms of Our Bedchamber, Our Post-Master-General, to perform and execute all and every the Powers and Authorities in the Act of Parliament for Erecting and Establishing the Office of Post-Master-General specified and contained: And whereas We are informed, That notwithstanding Our former Proclamations touching the execution of the said Post-Office, many inconveniences have happened to many of Our loving Subjects, and to the great damage of the Public Peace of Our Realms, by the Carriage of both Foreign and Inland Letters by common Carriers, and others not Authorized by the said Act, nor Licenced by Our Post-Master-General, whereby many of Our loving Subjects are delayed and disappointed of their Correspondency, and the same may be a great means of lessening the Revenue of Our said Office, and may tend to the promoting seditious designs, to the disturbance of the Peace of Our Realms. For prevention whereof, and the better quieting and encouraging of Our said Post-Master-General in the execution of his Office, and the due payment of his Rent, We have thought fit by this Our Proclamation, further to advertise all and singular Our good Subjects of their Duties, which is also expressed and declared in the said Act of Parliament, That they are not to Carry or Re-carry any Letters with Speed, or by Post, and deliver the same for hire within any of Our Dominions, or to or from any parts beyond the Seas, without the Licence of Our said Post-Master-General, and require all due obedience thereunto accordingly. And We do also strictly prohibit and forbid all and singular person and persons whatsoever, other than the said Daniel Oneale, his Deputies, Servants or Assigns, directly or indirectly to do, execute, perform or intrude themselves to have any employment in or about any thing which ought to be done by him the said Daniel Oneale, his Deputies, Servants or Assigns, without the said Daniel Oneale his Deputation, Licence or Allowance, upon pain of Our Displeasure, and such other Penalty as may be inflicted upon the Offenders for contempt of this Our Royal Commandment, and of the said Act of Parliament. And that the said Daniel Oneale, his Deputies, Servants, and Assigns may the better attend the Service and Duty of the said Office of Post-Master-General, We do hereby further declare Our Royal Will and Pleasure to be, That the said Daniel Oneale, his Deputies, Servants and Assigns, shall be from henceforth freed, exempted and discharged of and from serving upon all juries, Inquests, Musters, or any other Public Employments or Attendances that may any way impede, retard or prejudice the execution of his or their Duty and Service in the said Office; and that he and they shall have and enjoy all such Privileges as have been formerly granted by any of Our Royal Ancestors unto the Masters of their Posts, and Servants. And We do further expressly Will and Command by these Presents, all Mayors, Sheriffs, justices of Peace, Constables, Bailiffs, all Searchers of Our Ports, and all other of Our Officers and Ministers wheresoever within their several jurisdictions and Offices, from time to time to make diligent search for all Mayls and Bougets in any Ship or Vessel, and other Carriages, of all such Disallowed and Vnlicensed Carriers and Messengers, or other suspected persons carrying Pacquets or Letters from place to place within Our said Realms and Dominions, or coming in, or going out of the Realm, to or from any other Kingdoms or Countries, contrary to the Tenor of the said Act of Parliament, and the Rights and Privileges of the Post-Master-General therein declared and established; and to seize all and every such Mayls and Pacquets of Letters which shall be found in the hands of persons not having lawful Warrant or Authority from Our Post-Master-General for the time being to carry the same: And to carry the said Mayls or Pacquets of Letters to Our General Post-Office in London, or to the Deputy of Our said Post-Master-General, in any part or place where the same shall be seized, to the end that they may be disposed with all speed for the benefit of all such Our loving Subjects as are concerned therein. And We do hereby also straight Charge and Command, That all Post-Masters within all Our Realms and Dominions, and all others relating to the said Post-Office, shall within Six Month's next after the date hereof, obtain under the Hand and Seal of the Bishop or Ordinary of the Diocese wherein the same Post-Masters, or other persons relating to the said Office do live, and deliver, or cause the same to be delivered to Our said Post-Master-General or his Deputy in the Office aforesaid, a Certificate that he is Conformable to the Discipline of the Church of England, upon pain of being put out and discharged of his Employment and Charge. And We do further Charge and Command, That no Post-Masters or other Officers that shall be employed in the conveying of Letters, or distributing of the same, or any other person or persons of what quality or condition soever they be, except by the immediate Warrant of Our Principal Secretaries of State, shall presume to open any Letters or Pacquets not directed unto themselves, or that they or any other persons whatsoever do stop any mail in the Passage to or from London, or any other place whither the same is consigned and directed, but shall truly and faithfully deliver the same without any opening, concealing, or retarding the delivery thereof, upon pain of Our high Displeasure, and such other Penalties and Forfeitures as may be inflicted upon the Offenders herein. And We do hereby Will and Command, that the Names of such person or persons as shall presume to act or do any thing contrary to Our Will and Pleasure herein before Declared, be immediately certified, with the places of their abode, to Our Principal Secretaries of State, or one of them, to the end they may be proceeded against and punished according to their demerits.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the 25th day of May, 1663. in the Fifteenth year of Our Reign. 
 God save the King.   

LONDON, Printed by John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent MAJESTY, 1663.