❧ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation against Pirates.  
THe King's Majesty, having been informed through the manifold complaints made to his Highness by his own Subjects as others, of the many depredations and Piracies committed by lewd and ill disposed persons, accustomed and habituated to spoil and rapine, insensible and desperate of the peril they draw upon themselves, and the imputation they cast upon the honour of their Sovereign so precious to him, as for redress thereof he is enforced to reiterate and inculcate his loathing and detestation not only of the crimes, but also to manifest to the world his sincerity and exceeding desires for the due & speedy suppressing of the delinquents; And having lately found by many pregnant circumstances, that most of these great faults are continued by the connivence, or corruption in many the subordinate Officers, especially such as are resident in and near the Ports and Maritine Counties: In his Princely care to preserve justice, as one of the main pillars of his Estate, & for the speedy prevention of such fowl crimes, & the severe punishment and extirpation of such enormous offenders (most hateful to his mind, and scandalous to his peaceable government) and for the preservation & continuance of amity and good correspondency with all other Princes and States, hath with the advise of his Counsel thought it necessary at this present, to publish these Articles & Ordinances ensuing: Wherein if any shall be found culpable, refractory, or contemptuous, his Majesty is resolved and hereby declareth, that such punishment shallbe inflicted on him or them so offending, that others may be exemplarily forewarned, from committing so odious facts, and be deterred from aiding, relieving, comforting, or abetting such and so enormous malefactors.  

IF any person whatsoever shall upon the Seas, or in any Port or haven, take any Ship that doth belong to any of his majesties Subjects, friends, or Allies, or shall take out of it by force, any goods of what nature or quality soever: he or they so offending shall suffer death, with confiscation of lands and goods, according to the Law in that case provided.  
IF any person or persons so offending, do at any time hereafter come into any Port or place of his majesties dominions, his Majesty expressly chargeth all his Officers forthwith to apprehend him and them, and to commit them to prison, without Bail or Mainprize, and that the name of the person and cause of his imprisonment, be forthwith certified into the Admiralty, that speedy order may be taken for further proceeding, and execution according to Law, and the contents of his majesties former Proclamations.  
ALl his majesties Subjects shall forbear from furnishing, Victualling, aiding, receiving, relieving, comforting or abetting, any Pirate or Sea-rover, or any person not being a known Merchant, by contracting, buying, selling, bartering or exchanging with him or them, upon peril of his majesties heavy indignation, and the grievous pains by Law belonging to the same.  
ALl Admiral causes shallbe summarily heard by the judge of the Admiralty without admitting any unnecessary delay, and no Appeal from him shallbe allowed to the defendant or defendants in cases of depredations or spoil, either for the Offenders, or their accessaries before or after the offence committed, or those in whose possession the goods spoiled are found, unless first by way of provision the sum adjudged be paid to the plaintiff upon Sureties to repay it, if the Sentence shallbe reversed. And no Prohibition in such causes of depredation and spoil, and their accessories and dependents shallbe hereafter granted against the Admiralty.  
NO Ship or goods taken from any his majesties friends, shallbe delivered upon any other order, then upon proof made, or certificate exhibited in the said Court of the Admiralty, to the end that a Record may be kept of all such restitutions made to strangers, to serve if occasion shall require.