C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT  royal blazon of the House of Stuart  
❧ By the King. ❧ A Proclamation for the better encouragement, and advancement of the Trade of the East Indie Company, and for prevention of excess of private Trade.  
HIS MAJESTY taking notice of diverse abuses which had been practised by Commanders, Officers, Servants, and others employed by the Governor and Company of Merchants of London, trading into the East Indies, for their own private use in the Ships of the said Governor and Company, in the third year of His Reign, by His Highness' Proclamation then published, did straightly charge and command, that no particular man of the said Company, nor any of their Officers or Servants, or any other which then were, or then after should be employed in any of their Ships trading into the said Easterly parts, or any other person or persons whatsoever, should from thencefoorth drive any underhand Trade, either to, in, or from the Indies aforesaid, but such as should be Licenced by the said Company; And that such Goods and Commodities as should be Imported, should not be disposed of until the said Company should have received an account, and given allowance thereof, and until that their Ships should have arrived at, or in the Port of London, within this Kingdom, nor that any person or persons whatsoever, should presume to buy, contract, bargain, or barter for, or receive, or take any of the Goods, Wares, or Merchandizes which should be laden aboard any of the said Ships bound homeward, until such Ship or Ships so homeward bound, as aforesaid, or out of which such Wares or Merchandizes should be so bought, sold, delivered, contracted, or bartered for, were first brought into the said Port of London, and thereby the allowance of the said Company were duly entered, and the Goods thereout discharged, nor should give any assistance, help or encouragement, for the unlading of any such Goods at any other places, or in any other manner, nor should otherwise offend in any thing contrary to the true meaning of the said Proclamation, as thereby more at large it doth and may appear.  
And although the said Governor and Company for the better encouragement of all such persons as should be employed by them in their Ships and Voyages, as Commanders, Factors, Captains, Masters, Officers, Mariners, or Soldiers, besides the extraordinary great wages which they are accustomed to pay in their employments, have given Licence unto all & every such person and persons as aforesaid, to adventure and trade for their proper and private accounts, either to, in, or from the said Indies, in any ship or ships, wherein they or any of them were, or should be personally employed, in such wares and merchandise only, and in such quantities and proportions thereof, as in a Declaration of Orders made by the said Governor and Company, and allowed by His Majesty, are set down and expressed, and as hereafter followeth, viz.  
The wares or Merchandise which are licenced to be exported, are Perpetuanoes, Drapery Pewter, Saffron, Woollen-stockings, Silk-stockings, Silke-garters, and ribbon Roses ', edged with goldlace, Beaver-hats with gold and silver bands, Felt-hats, Aquavite, and all other sorts of Strong-waters, Knives of all sorts, Spanishleather-shooes, Iron, and Looking-glasses;  
The Wares which are licenced to be brought from the East-Indies into England are, Long-Pepper, white Pepper, white powdered Sugar, preserved Nutmegs, preserved Ginger, preserved Mirabilons', Bezer-stones, Drugs of all sorts, Aggat-beads, Bloodstones, Musk, Aloes Soccatrina, Ambergris, Rich Carpets of Persia and Cambaia, Quilts of Satin, and of Taffitey, and of painted Calicoes, Benjamin, Damasks, Satins, and Taffities of China, Quilts of China embroidered with gold, Quilts of Petavia embroidered with silk, Galls, Wormseedes, Sugercandy, China dishes, and Puslaines of all sorts.  
And whereas, each particular man employed as aforesaid, might heretofore lad and adventure, for his own private and proper Account, in the Wares and Merchandizes aforesaid, and not otherwise, so much only as could be packed in one Chest of four foot long, one foot and half broad, and one foot and a half deep, and such as were Commanders, Factors, Captains, Masters, Pursers, and Masters mates of every Ship, might have a double proportion, that is to say, two Chests of the said length, depth, and breadth, free from charge of freight; His Majesty finding that the said Proclamation hath not as yet produced that good effect as was intended thereby: Neither hath the favour and liberal allowance of the said Company taken such effect, but that the Officers, Factors, and Servants employed in the Voyages aforesaid, for their own private gain, though to the common damage of the said Company, have adventured both outwards and homewards, and also in the Indies, to carry, buy, sell, and barter diverse other goods, wares, and merchandizes.  
And being informed, that the said Company are content to give them further allowance, viz. To Commanders, Captains, and Factors four such Chests a piece, to Masters three such Chests a piece, to every of the Pursers' mates, Masters mates, Boatswaines, Carpenters, Gunners, Stewards, to such, two Chests a piece; Doth therefore straightly Charge and Command all such as are, or hereafter shall be employed in any Voyages for the said Governor, and Company, whatsoever they be, to yield due obedience in all things to the said Proclamation, under the pains and penalties therein contained, and such further pains as may be inflicted upon the offenders by the Laws of this Realm; Willing, requiring, and authorising the Governor and Company aforesaid, to depute under their Common Seal, sufficient and able persons, to go on board and search all and singular their Ships and Vessels, either outward or homewards bound, aswell upon the Seas, as in the Port of London, and in all other Ports, Havens, Rhodes, and places both in the Realm, as in the parts of India, and other places in the passage, or abiding of their Ships:  
And if they shall find any goods, wares, or merchandise to be carried or put to sale contrary to the said Proclamation, and not tolerated by the Order of the said Company as aforesaid, or otherwise allowed by them, to take and seize them for the use of the said Governor and Company. And all those that shall be found contrariant and rebellious, to take, arrest, imprison, and detain in prison, until they shall be delivered according to Our Laws; And to cause their names, and the quality of their offences to be delivered to some of His Majesty's learned Council, whom His Majesty doth also hereby command and require, to exhibit one or more Informations in His Highness' Court of Star-chamber, or in any other His Majesty's Courts of justice, to the end that such as shall be found Delinquents, may receive condign punishment for their offences justly deserved.  
And His Majesty being so sensible of the inconveniences that attend upon the said abuses before mentioned, and intending to have an absolute reformation thereof, doth therefore hereby straightly charge and command all Admirals, Viceadmirals, and other Officers of the Admiralty, and such as have Admiral jurisdiction, and all Majors, Portreeves, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Customers, Comptrollers, Searchers, and all other his Officers whom it may concern, that they and every of them be careful to prevent the said abuses, and to be aiding, helping and assisting to the said Governor and Company, their Officers or servants, to be employed in the due execution and performance of this His Majesty's Command, as they or any of them will answer the contrary at their perils.  
Given at the Court at Whithall, the nineteenth day of February, in the seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles of England, Scotland, France, and Jreland, Defender of the Faith, etc. 
 God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent MAJESTY: and by the Assigns of john Bill. M.DC.XXXI.