O. P. blazon of the Commonwealth ❧ By the Protector. A PROCLAMATION Of His HIGHNESS (by and with the Advice of His Council) for putting in Execution the Laws against Transportation of Wools, Wool-fels, Fullers-Earth, and other things. WHereas several Complaints have been made unto His Highness, That great quantities of Wools, Wool-fels, and Fullers-Earth, are daily transported out of the Dominions of this Commonwealth into the Parts beyond the Seas, notwithstanding the many good and wholesome Laws and Statutes heretofore made and provided (and yet it force) against the same, to the great enhancing of the Rates and Prices of those Commodities, and the apparent hurt, detriment and prejudice of the State: And His Highness having taken the same into due consideration, and (with the advice of His Council) weighing the evil consequences thereof, both to the Manufactures of this Nation; And also considering the prejudice that may happen to the Commonwealth in general, if some timely course be not taken for preventing the same: And whereas by several Acts, Statutes and Ordinances heretofore made, the transporting the same is prohibited under sundry great and severe penalties; and to the intent none may pretend ignorance of the same, as also to quicken His Highness Officers and Ministers, and others, to whom the execution of those Laws, so advantageous and necessary to the Public, is entrusted, to do their duties therein, His Highness (by and with the advice of His Council) hath thought fit to publish this His Proclamation, letting all the People of this Commonwealth know, That His Highness shall expect and require a due and exact obedience to the Laws in that behalf made: And His Highness likewise signifies His pleasure, That he intends a full and effectual prosecution against all offenders and transgressors against the said Laws, and that the utmost rigour and extremity thereof shall be required, without any hope of mitigation or moderation: And if any extremity shall happen to any one therein, his Highness shall account it justice, having discharged His duty in giving notice. And yet for a further manifestation of His care, hath thought fit to publish the effect of the last Law made for suppressing the same; (viz.) That by an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, published the Nineteenth day of January, in the year our Lord, One thousand six hundred forty seven, It is Ordained, That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons, to lad, ship, or carry in any Ship, Barge, Boat, or other Vessel, or otherwise, any Wool of the growth of England or Ireland, or the Dominion of Wales, or any Woollen Yarn, Woollen Flox, Wool-fell, Fuller's Earth, Day, Tobacco-pipe-Clay, or any other Earth or Clay which may be used in the Art of Fulling, of intent to transport or carry the same into any place or places of the parts beyond the Seas, or into Scotland, by Land or by Sea, or to carry the same to any Ship or other Vessel whatsoever to be transported, upon the pain of the forfeiture of the said Wools, Woollen-yarn, Woollen Flox, Wool-fell, and Earth or Clay so laden, shipped, carried or transported, and three shillings for every pound of such Wool, Yarn, Flox, and Earth or Clay; And for every poundweight of the said Earth or Day three shillings, to be forfeited by the owner or owners thereof; and also the owner of the said ships or vessels, knowing of such offence, to forfeit all their interest in the said ships or vessels, with all their apparel and furniture to them and every of them belonging; and the Master and Mariners, knowing of such offence, to forfeit all their Goods and Chattels, and to have Imprisonment by the space of one whole year without Bail or Mainprize. And it is by the said Ordinance further Ordained, That if any Merchant, or any other person or persons should transport, or cause to be transported any of the said Earth or Clay, Wool, Woollen-yarn, or Woollen Flox, or Woolfells, contrary to the intent of the said Ordinance, That then he should be disabled for requiring any Debt or Account of any Factor or others, for or concerning any Debt of Estate, properly belonging to such Merchant and Offender, to his own use. And that if any owner of the land where such Clay or Earth should be digged or gotten, should be privy unto, or know of such Transportation by any person or persons, and should not discover the same to some justice or justices of the Peace, within three months of such his knowledge, he should for every such offence forfeit Five hundred pounds of lawful Money of England: And that if such justice of Peace to whom such discovery should be made, should not certify the same under his Hand and Seal to the Barons of the Exchequer, or one of them, within three Months following, he should for every such offence forfeit One hundred pounds of like lawful Money. Now to the intent transgressors may not be encouraged by the negligence of Officers and Courts of justice, His Highness (by and with the advice of his Council) doth Appoint, Authorise and Command, as well the Barons of the Exchequer, as the Attorney and Sollicitor-General, That they and every of them do speedily and effectually put in execution the aforesaid Ordinance of Parliament, and all and every other the Laws and Statutes made against transporting Wools, Wool-fels, and Fullers-Earth; and that they and every of them do likewise in their several places effectually prosecute all and every such person and persons, whose Names have been already brought, or which shall hereafter be brought to them, or any of them, and who have offended, or that shall hereafter offend against the Law, in transporting Wools, Wool-fels, and Fullers-Earth (in Our Courts of justice) and every such person and persons so offending, to punish according to their and every of their demerits, and according to the true intent and meaning of the several Statutes, Laws and Ordinances in that case made and provided, and of his Highness' Pleasure herein declared. And his Highness doth further (by and with the advice of his Council) Will and Require, and straightly Charge and Command the Commissioners, and other Officers of the Customs in the several Ports of England, and in the Town and Port of Barwick, That they and every of them respectively in their several places, do take very good and sufficient Security, That all Goods carried into Scotland, be accordingly delivered and landed at some Port there; and that authentic Certificates be thereof returned to the Commissioners and other Officers of the Customs, within all and every the Ports in England, out of which the said Goods were exported, before any Bonds be canceled or delivered up by the Officers of the Customs within any of the said Ports. And further, His Highness (by and with the advice of his Council) doth Will and Declare, That if such Certificate and Certificates so to be returned in manner aforesaid, be not returned within six Month's next ensuing the time to be limited in every such Bond, for the return thereof to the said Commissioners and other Officers of the Customs in the several Ports in England, out of which the said Goods were exported as aforesaid; That then, and in all such cases, the said Commissioners, and other Officers of the Customs within the several Ports of England, in whose hands and custodies such Bonds shall be, at the expiration of the said six Months, shall return, or cause to be returned the said Bonds, and every of them, into the Court of Exchequer at Westminster, there to be proceeded upon accordingly. And His Highness doth further (by and with the advice of his Council) straightly Charge and Command the said Commissioners, and other Officers of the Customs in the several Ports of England, and in the Town and Port of Barwick, That they, and every of them, by themselves, their Servants, or Agents, do hereafter use their utmost care and diligence, to hinder and prevent the exportation of Wools, Wool-fels, and Fullers-Earth, under any colour, pretence or means whatsoever; And that the said Commissioners, and other Officers of the Customs within the several Ports of England, and in the Town and Port of Barwick, by themselves, their Agents or Servants, do enter into all and every Ship, Bark, Hoy, and other Vessel, wherein suspicion shall be of any Wool, Wool-fels, or Fullers-Earth, and therein to make search for all such Wool, Wool-fels, or Fullers-Earth there concealed, and the same being found, to take and seize for his Highness' use, as forfeited, and shall return the Names of all and every such person and persons from time to time so offending, unto the Barons of the Exchequer, or the Attorney or Sollicitor-General, to the end they may be proceeded against, and punished according to their demerits, and the true intent and meaning of the Laws and Statutes in that behalf made, and of his Highness Will and Pleasure herein declared, And his Highness doth further straightly Charge and Command all Mayors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, and other Officers and Ministers within the several Ports, Cities and Towns Corporate, and other places within England, and also within the Town and Port of Barwick, That they and every of them in their respective places, be aiding and assisting to the Commissioners, and other Officers of the Customs within the several Ports of England, and in the Town and Port of Barwick, in the searching out and seizing of all such Wool, Wool-fels, and Fullers-earth so concealed as aforesaid, and in the due execution of all and every the premises. Given at Whitehall the Eighteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord, One thousand six hundred fifty six. London, Printed by Henry Hills and John Field, Printers to His Highness, 1656.