CR  
DIEV ET MON DROIT  
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
By the King.  
A PROCLAMATION, Prohibiting the Planting, Setting and Sowing of Tobacco in England and Ireland, according to an Act of Parliament herein specified.  
CHARLES R.  
WHereas by an Act of Parliament made in Our late Parliament begun and held at Westminster in the County of Middlesex, the Five and Twentieth day of April in the Twelfth year of Our Reign, for and upon the reasons and grounds therein expressed, it was Enacted by the Authority of the same Parliament, That no person or persons whatsoever should, or do from and after the First day of January, in the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred and sixty, Set, plant, improve to grow, make or cure any Tobacco either in Seed, plant or otherwise, in or upon any ground, earth, field, or place within Our Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, Islands of Guernsey or Jersey or Town of Berwick upon Tweed▪ or in Our Kingdom of Ireland, under the penalty of the forfeiture of all such Tobacco, or the value thereof, or of the Sum of Forty shillings for every Rod or Pole of Ground so planted, set or sown as aforesaid, and so proportionably for a greater or lesser quantity of ground, One moiety thereof to Us Our Heirs and Successors, and the other moiety to him or them that shall sue for the same to be recovered by Bill, Plaint or Information in any Court of Record, wherein no Essoign, protection or wager in Law shall be allowed: And it was thereby further enacted, That all Sheriffs, justices of the peace, Mayors, Bailiffs, Constables, and every of them, upon information or complaint made unto them or any of them, by any the Officers of the Customs, or by any other person or persons whatsoever, that there was any Tobacco set, sown, planted, or growing within their jurisdictions or precinets contrary to the same Act should within ten days after such information or complaint cause to be burnt, plucked up▪ consumed▪ or utterly destroyed all such Tobacco so set▪ sown, planted, or growing. And it was thereby further enacted, That in case any person or persons should resist or make forcible opposition against any person or persons in the due and through execution of the same Act, That every such person or persons for every such offence should forfeit the sum of Five pounds to be divided and recovered in manner aforesaid; And in case any person or persons should not pay the sums of money by them to be paid, by virtue of the same Act, that in every such case distress should be made and sale thereof, returning the overplus to the owners; And in case no distress shall be found, that then every such party should be committed to the common Gaol in the County where such offence should be committed, there to remain for the space of two months without Bail or Mainprize. Provided always, and it was thereby enacted, That the same Act nor any thing contained therein should extend to the hindering of the planting of Tobacco in any Physick-garden of either University▪ or in any other private garden for Physic or Chirurgery, only so as the quantity so planted exceed not one half of one pole in any one place or garden, as in & by the same Act it doth and may more fully appear. Now to the end that all Our loving Subjects in all parts of Our said Kingdoms of England and Ireland, and Dominion of Wales, and in the said Islands of Guernsey and Jersey, and in our said Town of Berwick upon tweed, may the better take notice of and more duly observe the said Act, and not ignorantly offend against the same for the future, We have thought good to publish & declare the same to all Our loving Subjects by this Our Royal Proclamation, And do withal likewise signify and declare, that for the future We shall expect, and do hereby require all dutiful observance thereof, and ready conformity thereunto, and that not only upon the pains, penalties, and forfeitures therein expressed, but also of Our high indignation and displeasure, justly and deservedly to be inflicted upon all those that shall knowingly and presumptuously offend against so just and reasonable a Law. And we do hereby straight charge and command all Our judges of Assize and Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer in their several Circuits, and all Our justices of Peace in their several and respective Quarter-Sessions, that they give the same Law in charge to the several & respective juries in their several and respective Inquests before them, to the end that the offences and offenders against the same, both in the setting, planting, or sowing of Tobacco, contrary to the true intent and meaning of the same Act, and also all forcible opposition & resistance made or to be made against any person or persons in the due execution of the same Act, may be punished according to Law and the demerit of their offences in this behalf. And We do further command and require all Sheriffs, justices of the peace, Mayors, Bailiffs, Constables, and all other Our Officers and ministers whatsoever whom the premises shall or may concern, that they from time to time as occasion shall require, be diligent, circumspect, and careful in the due execution of the same Act in all things according to the true intent and meaning thereof, as they will answer the contrary at their perils.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Twenty ninth day of March, in the Thirteenth Year of Our Reign, One thousand six hundred sixty one. GOD SAVE THE KING.   

LONDON, Printed by John Bill, Printer to the KING'S most Excellent MAJESTY, 1661.  
At the KING'S Printing-House in Blackfriars.