¶ By the King. ❧ A Proclamation to repress all Piracies and Depredations upon the Sea.  
THe King's MAJESTY being certainly informed through the manifold and daily complaints made to his Highness, aswell by his own Subjects as others, of the continual Depredations, and Piracies committed on the Seas by certain lewd and ill disposed persons; and finding that the ordinary proceed held of late times for the suppressing of these enormities and offences, have wrought less reformation than was expected: In his Princely care to preserve justice, as one of the main pillars of his Estate, and for the speedier suppressing of all such Piracies and Depredacious crimes, most hateful to his mind, and scandalous to his peaceable government, and for the better continuance of Amity with all other Princes and States; Hath with the advise of his Privy Counsel, for the speedy prevention or severe punishment hereafter of such fowl crimes and Piracies, Set down certain Articles hereunto annexed, which his Highness commandeth all his Officers whom it may concern, of what degree soever, to see duly executed, Wherein if any manner of person shallbe found culpable or wilfully negligent, contemptuous, or disobedient, His Majesty declareth hereby, that punishment shallbe inflicted upon him or them with such severity, as the example thereof shall terrify all others from committing any so odious crimes, or contemptuous offences.  
FIrst, that no man of War be furnished or set out to Sea by any of his majesties Subjects, under pain of Death and confiscation of Lands and Goods, not only to the Captains and Mariners, but also to the Owners and Victuallers, if the Company of the said Ship shall commit any piracy, Depredation or murder at the Sea, upon any of his majesties Friends.  
Item, that if any person whatsoever shall upon the Seas take any Ship that doth belong to any of his majesties Friends and Allies, or to any of their Subjects, 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.  
Item, that all Admiral causes (except the causes now depending before the Commissioners for causes of Depredations) shallbe summarily heard by the judge of the high Court of the Admiralty, without admitting any unnecessary delay.  
Item, that no appeal from him be admitted to the Defendant or Defendants in causes of Depredation, either against 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.  
Item, that no Prohibition in such cases of Spoil and their accessaries or dependences be granted hereafter.  
Item, that no Ship or Goods taken from any his majesties friends, shall be delivered by any other order then upon proof made in the said Court of the Admiralty, before the said judge or his Deputy, to the end that a Record may be kept of all such Restitutions made to strangers, to serve when occasion shall require.  
Item, that every Vice-admiral is enjoined by this Proclamation (whereof he shall take notice at his peril) to certify into the said Court of the Admiralty every quarter of the year what man of War hath gone to the Sea, or returned home within that time, with any goods taken at Sea, or the procedue thereof, upon pain to lose to his Majesty (by way of Fine) for every such default forty pounds of currant money of England, to be answered into his majesties Receipt of the Exchequer, by Certificate from the said judge of the Admiralty under the great Seal of that Office, to be directed to the Lord Treasurer and the Barons of the Exchequer.  
Item, that all the King's Subjects shall forbear from aiding or receiving of any Pirate or Sea-rover, or any person not being a known Merchant, by contracting, buying, selling or exchanging with them, or by victualling of them or any of their company, whereby they or any of them shallbe the more enabled to go or return to the Seas to commit any piracy or disorder, upon pain for so doing to be punished presently, as the principal offenders and Pirates ought to be.  
Item, that the Viceadmirals, Customers, and the other Officers of the Ports, shall not suffer any Ship to go to the Seas before such time as they respectively in their several Ports have duly searched and visited the same, to the intent to stay such persons as apparently shall be furnished for the Wars, and not for Merchandise or Fishing. And if there shall be any manner of suspicion that the said person, though he shall pretend to trade for Merchandise or Fishing, hath, or may have an intent by his provisions or furniture, otherwise then to use the trade of Merchandise or Fishing, that in such case of suspicion the Officers of the Ports shall stay, and in no wise suffer the same to pass to the Seas without good bonds by sufficient sureties first had, to use nothing but a lawful trade of Merchandise or Fishing. And if the said Officers shall suffer any person otherwise to repair to the Seas then above is mentioned, they shall not only answer for any Piracies which any such person shall chance hereafter to do upon the Seas, but shall suffer imprisonment until the offenders may be apprehended, if they shall be living. And generally his Majesty declareth and denounceth all such Pirates and Rovers upon the Seas to be out of his majesties Protection, and lawfully to be by any person taken, punished, and suppressed with extremity.  
And whereas divers great and enormous spoils and Piracies have been of late time committed within the Straits of Gyblaltar by Captain Thomas Tomkins Gentleman, Edmond Bonham, Walter januerin, Mariners, and divers other English Pirates, and the Goods, moneys and Merchandizes brought into England by them, have been scattered, sold, and disposed of most lewdly and prodigally, by the means of their Receivers, Comforters and Abettors, to the exceeding prejudice of his majesties good friends the Venetians, whom they have rob, and to the great displeasure of God, and dishonour of this State: His Majesty doth expressly command all Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, Admirals, Viceadmirals and their Deputies, and all other Officers of the Admiralty, and all justices of the Peace, majors, sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, and all other his Officers and Ministers whatsoever, to use all care and diligence in the enquiring, searching for, and apprehending of all such Pirates, their Receivers, Comforters, and Abettors. And if they shall by their travails and cares find any of them, to send them presently under safe custody to the common gaols of Hampshire or Dorsetshire, there to remain without Bail or Mainprize, till the Lord high Admiral of England or his Lieutenant the judge of the high Court of the Admiralty shall dispose of them according to the Laws in that case provided.  
Given at his majesties City of Winchester the thirty. day of September 1603. in the first year of his highness Reign of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the seven and thirtieth.  
God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most excellent Majesty. ANNO DOM. 1603.