royal blazon or coat of arms 
W R M R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT By the King and Queen, A PROCLAMATION Concerning COALS.  
WILLIAM R.  
WHereas an Act of Parliament was lately made for Regulating the Prices of Coals, and Supplying the Navigation of the Coal-Trade; And in pursuance of the same, Our Lord Mayor and Aldermen of Our City of London, and Our justices of Peace of Our County of Middlesex, and City of Westminster, have acted with great Industry, Care and Prudence, by Settling and Moderating the Prices of Coals, and Providing by good and discreét Means for the Relief of Our People, Inhabiting in, and about those Places, (of whose Performance and good Service in the Premises We do highly Approve.) Yet nevertheless there hath happened lately a great Scarcity and Dearth of Coals, occasioned partly by divers Colliers staying Part, or by the Way with their loaden Vessels, during such time as the Wind served, and was proper for their Sailing, and partly by the Pressing, or fear of Pressing of their Seamen, to Serve on Board Our Ships of War, and also the Neglects or Miscarriages of some Officers employed for Convoys. Now in tender Compassion and Care for Our good Subjects, being earnestly desirous to do all that in Us lieth for providing against any Want or Distress, likely to befall them on this Occasion, We have thought fit, by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to Issue our this Our Royal Proclamation, and do hereby Declare and Command, That no Seaman, either English or Foreigner, that shall be Employed in any Ship or Vessel, Bringing or Carrying Coals from Our Town or Port of Newcastle upon Tine, or Sunderland, or other Adjacent Ports or Places unto Our Port of London, shall be Pressed or otherwise Hindered or Molested, either coming or Returning, by any of Our Press Masters, or other Officers or Ministers, until the Twentieth Day of July next. (So as the Seamen Employed on Board such respective Ship or Vessel, do not exceéd the Number of Four Men for every Hundred Tun, Such Seamen only excepted, for the time of their present Voyage only, as are already gone our of the River of Thames on Board any Ship or Vessel bound to Newcastle, Sunderland, or Ports Adjacent, or are now on Board any Ship or Vessel at this time Loaden and Bound from the said Places or Ports to the Port of London. Our Intent being that such and so many of the said Seamen, as are not Absolutely necessary for the Safety of such Ship or Vessel, shall during the time of their said present Voyage, and at their now expected Arrival be liable to be Pressed for Our Service. Provided always, That if any Colliers shall stay by the way. or make any Delays, in order to raise the Price of Coals, or shall put into any Port by the Way, unless for necessity, by reason of Tempest and unavoidable Peril of the Sea, this Exemption from Pressing shall not be extended to them. And We do hereby make known to Our Loving Subjects, That for the Security of the Persons and Ships bringing and conveying Coals, as aforesaid, We have given effectual Order, that from time to time there shall be provided sufficient Convoys for their safe Passage and Conduct to and from the Parts and Places aforesaid. And Our Will and Pleasure is, and We do hereby Declare, That if any Officers belonging to any Convoy employed in this Service, shall neglect their Duty, or misdemean themselves, they shall lose their Places and Commands, and be further punished according to their Demerits. And to the end that all convenient Expedition may be used in Discharging all Ships and Vessels (that shall bring any Coals into the said Port of London) in order to their returning and renewing their Voyages, We do Require and Command, That no such Ship or Vessel shall be above Ten Days in Unlading, the said Days to begin and be reckoned from the time of Coming into the Pool or Place of Unlading. And We do hereby strictly Charge and Command all Our Officers, Ministers, and Subjects whatsoever, both by Sea and Land, That they take Notice of Our Royal Will and Pleasure, published in this Our Proclamation, and give due Obedience thereunto at their Perils.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Twenty third Day of April, 1691. In the Third Year of Our Reign.  
God save King William and Queen Mary.   

LONDON, Printed by Charles Bill, and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb, deceased; Printers to the King and Queens most Excellent Majesties. 1691.