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 prevention of Frauds and Abuses in the payment of Excise for Beer and Ale.  
CHARLES R.  
WHereas by several late Acts of Parliament made for the settling of Our Revenue, certain Rates, Duties, and Charges of Excise are granted unto Us upon Beer, Ale, and other the Liquors in the said Acts mentioned; For the better improvement whereof, and to the end the same may be the more equally Assessed and Levied, and Our Revenue thereby reduced to the more certainty, We did lately give Order that the same should be let to Farm according to the limitations and directions of the said Acts; which accordingly is done, so as the said Duties and Charges of Excise in all or most of the Counties and Cities of this Our Kingdom, are now let to Farm for the Term of Three years: And whereas We are given to understand, that divers Brewers, and other persons concerned in the payment of the said Duties, in or about the Cities of London and Westminster, and other places of this Our Kingdom, which We may hope is not so much out of disaffection to Our Government, as for making to themselves unjust gain, by defrauding Us, and Our said Farmers of their just Duties, have set up, and do daily make use of private and concealed Tuns, Backs, and other Brewing-Vessels, to which the Gagers who are appointed by the said Acts of Parliament to take account of their Beer and Ale, can have no access; And by divers other Frauds and Concealments, do practice and go about to diminish Our said Revenue, and also to prejudice and under-sell such their fellow-Traders as do duly conform to the Acts of Parliament aforesaid. And whereas since the letting of the said Excise to Farm, the said Brewers, to prevent the discovery of the true quantity and quality of the Beer and Ale made by them, do deny entrance into their Brewhouses to the said Gagers, contrary to the said Acts of Parliament, and also to their former usage of admitting the said Gagers to search as well by night as by day; the said Brewers in the mean time Brewing also, and Cleansing likewise oftentimes on Sundays, to the great dishonour of Christianity, and profanation of the Lords day; and do also oppose and discourage the said Gagers in their Offices, not only by reviling language, but also by force of arms and otherwise, divers of them having lately been assaulted, beaten and wounded in the execution of their Duty in that behalf, to the breach of Our Peace, and manifest contempt of Our Authority. And whereas divers Constables and other Officers, upon the request of the said Gagers, have refused to give them such assistance in their Services, as by the said Acts of Excise they ought to give them: We therefore minding the speedy reformation of the said abuses, and the maintaining and upholding of Our said Revenue by all such just and lawful ways and means as are appointed by the said Acts of Parliament; And to the end that Our Farmers of the said Duties in the said respective Counties and Cities may be the better enabled to Levy and Raise the same without opposition or disturbance, and consequently to satisfy and pay their respective Farm-Rents reserved and payable unto Us: We have thought fit, and do hereby publish and declare, That We expect a ready and cheerful obedience to be given by all persons concerned in the payment of the said Rates and Duties according to the said Acts of Parliament, and that We intent to proceed with all severity and rigour against all such common Brewers, Victuallers, and other persons whatsoever concerned in the payment of the said Duties, as shall be found to have erected, set up, or used any such private or concealed Tuns, Backs, or other Vessels, as aforesaid, for the Brewing or Making of any Beer or Ale, or other the Liquors Exciseable, or that shall Brew, Cleanse, or dispose of any Beer or Ale, or other the Liquors aforesaid on Sundays, or that at any time hereafter shall refuse or delay to permit such Gager or Gagers as are or shall be appointed in that behalf, to enter and take account of such Beer and Ale, and other the Liquors aforesaid, or that shall use or offer any force, violence, or opposition to any such Gager or Gagers, or shall use any railing or reviling speeches, whereby to terrify or affright him or them from the execution of his or their Duty; And that all person and persons whatsoever who shall suffer any such private Tuns or other Vessels to be erected, set up, or used in or about his or their house or houses, by, or for any such common Brewer, or that shall attempt or endeavour by any of the said abuses, ways and means to diminish Our said Revenue, shall be taken and deemed as persons disaffected to Our Government, disturbers of Our Peace, and contemners of Our Royal Authority, and of the said Acts of Parliament, and shall be proceeded against accordingly. And We do hereby strictly Charge and Require all justices of Peace, and others to whom the Hearing, Adjudging and Determining of or concerning any Forfeitures or Offences made and committed against the said Acts of Excise, is entrusted, That upon any Complaint or Information exhibited and brought before them touching any such Forfeiture or Offence, they do forthwith proceed against the Offenders, as in and by the said Acts is directed, as they will answer the contrary at their perils.  
And We do further straight Charge and Command all Constables, Headboroughs, Tythingmen, and other Officers, That from time to time (upon request of any of the said Farmer or Farmers, or of their Deputies, Gagers and Officers constituted under their respective hands and Seals) they be aiding and assisting unto them and every of them respectively, as well in demanding and making entrance in the nighttime according to the said Acts of Parliament (if need be) into any Brewhouse, or other place belonging to, or used by any common Brewer, or other person concerned in the payment of the Excise aforesaid, as in keeping Our Peace, and in Publishing and Serving such General Summons, Precepts, and Warrants, as by virtue of the said Acts of Parliament from time to time Our said Farmers or any of them shall send unto them: And to the end that Our Will and Pleasure herein may be made known, We do hereby Will and Require the several and respective Sheriffs, Mayors, Bailiffs, in the several and respective Counties, Cities, and Towns-Corporate of this Our Realm, to cause this Our Proclamation to be openly Read and Published in the Marketplace of every Market-Town within their several and respective Sheriffwicks and Liberties, upon some Market-day, within Fourteen days next after their receipt hereof, as they will answer the contrary at their perils.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Seventeenth day of December, 1662., in the Fourteenth year of Our Reign. 
 God save the King.   

London, Printed by John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1662.