A DECLARATION Of Her Sacred Majesty OF SWEDEN, Concerning the settling of CONVOYS about Gothemburg.  
Given at Stockholm the 16th of August, 1653.  
LONDON, Printed by W. D. 1653.   

A DECLARATION of her Sacred Majesty of Sweden, concerning the settling of CONVOYS about Gothemburg.  
Given at Stockholm the 16th of August, 1653.  
WE CHRISTINA by the Grace of GOD, Queen of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals, great Princess of Finland; Duchess of Eastland, Carelen, Bremen, Verden, Stetin, Pomeren, Cassuben, and Venden; Princess of Rugen; Lady of Ingermanland and Wismar; do make known, That whereas most grievous complaints have several times come to us, from divers of our Dominions and Kingdoms; how viz. the means of livelihood of our Kingdom, and of our faithful Subjects, are intercepted; but especially, how the liberty of Maritime Navigation being disturbed, they are forced at this time to sustain all kinds of losses, damages and dangers, partly by Pirates, who, under pretence of the disturbance of a public War, being often altogether unknown, do infest the Seas with a promiscuous and undiscerning storm; partly by other Frigates, who, under divers sorts of Commissions, and covering themselves under the colour of a prosecution of a lawful Enemy, do often invade and spoil in open Sea, and in their free course the Merchant ships of our Subjects, and do take and carry away many of them; which afterwards, contrary to all moderation, being detained, are much misused. Therefore, both the equity and the faithfulness of Royal Protection (on which our faithful Subjects do repose their trust and relief) requiring it, we have therein diligently used our endeavours for the utter removing of such damages and hindrances from our Kingdom, and the Subjects thereof; Which troubles, as from the beginning of this dangerous War by Sea, between the Commonwealths of England, & of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, we did easily foresee should happen to such as go to Sea; so we then used our due and provident care, not only betimes to remove the same, but further also we freely and seriously did strive, by amicable ways, to quench the burning flames of that bloody War. Moreover, as to this day we have been willing carefully and sincerely to maintain the amity, which hath been of old between our Kingdom of Sweden and the Confederate and friendly States, so we hope to have still the same confidence of mutual amity equally entertained between them. And therefore, lest We, or our faithful Subjects, should have that Character put upon us, as if, under pretence of amity and free Navigation, we would cover the ships and goods of one or the other of the two Commonwealths in enmity, and thereby give occasion to the suspicions objected to Us and our Subjects; by reason of which, many of our ships, not only of such as sailed to any one of the said respective Enemies, but also of such as were bound for neutral places, have been interrupted: And in particular, lest our ships and goods, and of our faithful Subjects, have reason to fear the violence and force either of the Pirates, or of the Frigates aforesaid; We could find no better, nor more convenient way, to provide unto the sincere integrity and security of our said ships, then by commanding a Squadron of our men of War to attend and remain in some of our Ports towards the West, especially at Gothemburg, which shall have a more accurate inspection, for the preventing of all frauds; and accordingly shall lawfully defend, in their free course, all our ships and goods against all unjust attempts. For which end, and that this our design might be the better signified and promoted, we desire that the under-written Articles might be taken for a rule, by such as are concerned therein; and do graciously command all such as are bound to obey our will, to observe the same, without any kind of neglect.  
1. Our men of War, which upon occasion shall be by us appointed for the foresaid Convoys, shall abide at Gothemburg, or thereabouts; that, when required, they might be ready to conduct, through the Western Seas, the Merchant's ships, which shall come out of the Sound, and shall have need of their Convoy.  
2. When any Merchant-Ship shall come and desire the said Convoy, the same shall be strictly visited, lest any other Ships or goods, but such as properly belong to our Subjects, or perhaps to such as are neutral, might be received under the protection of our Convoys. For which end, all the Passes and Certificates of the Merchant's goods shall be diligently examined, and a strict inquiry made, by the Admiral, or the chief Commanders of the said Convoys. And in particular if it happens that some neutral Towns shall desire their Ships and Goods to sail under our Convoys, we can see no sufficient reason, why we should deny it: But yet in that case, they shall be obliged to give full and sufficient security to our said Convoys, by the Testimonial Letters of the Magistrates of the Towns, from whence they set forth, concerning the propriety of the Ships and goods, lest, under the said Ships and goods of the said Towns, any fraud lie hid and covered; because the Officers of our said Men of War shall have such a care, that if they meet at Sea with any Fleet, either great, or small, they might have a clear and sincere answer to give them.  
3. If any be so bold, against this our severe Command, to abuse any of our Convoys, thereby intending to cover his frauds, and the same, either presently after, or afterwards in progress of time, shall happen to come to knowledge, the said goods and wares, or their true value, without any mitigation, shall be forfeited to us and to our Crown, if the said goods, or the defrauder himself, or any part of his other goods, then, orhereafter at any time, be found in our Kingdoms, Dominions, or Ports. And further, the Skipper, if he be convicted to have been conscious of the fraud, so that he be not able to clear himself of it, besides the goods so concealed, shall lose the part, he may have in the Ship; or if he hath none, than he shall be arrested, until he redeem's himself with 500 crowns.  
4. If our ships of Convoy do meet perchance with, either many, or few, or one Ship, of whatsoëver Nation they might be, they shall be bound to require nothing else of them, but good correspondence; to declare all manner of friendship with any of them; and to take heed, not to give any lawful or just cause of misunderstanding or quarrel. And we are further content, that if any Fleet of men of War doth, in a just manner, require it of them, they might show our Powers or Passes, and declare what Ships have been received under the protection of their Convoy. But, by all decent way, they shall decline, either to be themselves, or any in their company, particularly searched; but, as they are gone out with full security, lest any fraud should be concealed; so likewise we desire they might be credited, that they might go on in their Voyages, without let or molestation, with all the Vessels in their company.  
5. If our Convoys meet with any Caper, and be not troubled by him, they shall forbear to meddle with him. But, if they observe him to intent any violence, we will have our Men of War diligently to mark from whence such Caper did set forth, and then seriously to warn him of the debate and accusation like to ensue before his own Magistrate. And if for all that he doth not desist, and if necessity forceth thereunto, Ours shall, as much as in them lay, by force repuls violence, both from themselves, and from their company.  
6. As we find that no lawful suspicion can be had of our free Ships, when they are once past the Channel between England and France; so we will not have our Men of War to conduct them farther than the Ports within the said Channel. In particular, for some special causes, we will have our Men of War now at the beginning, to direct specially their Convoys to such Ports, as are neutral in this War between England and the Netherlands, until we do otherwise declare our mind thereupon: But yet so, as it might be free to any of our Subjects to go either into England or into the Netherlands to exercise their free Commerce, if without our further Convoy they will do it.  
7. When our Men of War shall have so safely brought the said Merchant-Ships through the said Channel, and left them in safety, they shall endeavour forthwith to return to Gothemburg: Or, if there be any Ship that be willing to return into the Western Seas, they shall expect them at Roscow in little Britain in France, and having examined the same, after the way before prescribed, they shall bring them back again safe.  
8. That a more exact regard might be had of the time when our Men of War shall be bound to set forth from Gothemburg for Convoys; We thought fit that at least the same be done once in a month, when there shall be any Ship ready to be conducted. But otherwise whensoëver 10 Merchant-Ships shall be ready at Gothemburg to be convoyed, they shall do it without regarding the time. And in particular, they shall observe this, that when the number of Merchant-Ships is less than 10, they only shall want one Ship of Convoy; but if they be above 10, to the number of 20, two Ships of Convoy shall be granted them. And, if there be yet more in number, the Admiral shall power to determine how many Convoys they shall have.  
9 Because hereby we only intent to provide to the security of the navigation of our faithful Subjects; therefore our will is, that all such as do inhabit our Dominions, Kingdoms, or Provinces, who are willing to enjoy the free navigation towards and through the Western Seas to neutral places, should forbear, during the present unsafetie at Sea, rashly to go further than Gothemburg, but should remain there and look for Convoys; that so much the better we might undertake their protection. And if any, slighting this our gracious precaution, doth put himself in danger, he is to expect to be brought by us to condign punishment for his temereity.  
10. Lastly, that the charges required for the maintaining of our said Men of War, be not merely and solely born by Us and our Crown, and yet not become grievous to those who shall make use of the said Convoys, we have thought good to impose a certain Tax, which we will shortly publish, with our gracious Command, that whosoëver shall be willing to use the said Convoys, might pay the same in our Chamber of Duties at Gothemburg; which done, they shall not be further molested.  
And therefore hereby we do friendly, and as it becometh, entreat both the aforesaid Commonwealths now in public War, and all our Friends and Allies, that, seeing we hereby strive, as much as in us lies, to hinder and prevent all kinds of fraud and collusion, which might happen by occasion of our free navigation, wherein we seek for nothing else, but what may be admitted in all natural Equity and Reason, they would mutually vouchsafe to issue out more serious and full Commands to all their Officers and Servants, both by Sea and by Land, as also to all private Men of War, that go under their Commissions, or are any way subject unto them, not to undertake any thing against our Men of War or friendly Convoys and their company, but what may be agreeable to the confidence of a mutual friendship; the which we expect, and are willing freely to acknowledge by the same way. And as to those who are bound to obey our Commands, and are willing strictly to observe them, we severely command them, specially the Admirals and Captains of our said Convoys, and any other belonging to them, as well Merchants, as Skippers and others, who intent to enjoy this our gracious protection, or any way do apply themselves thereunto, to be diligently cautious, before all things, not to give the least appearance of fraud or collusion, nor to give occasion of any just quarrel arising from thence; but to be punctually obedient to this our gracious Ordinance; as they do tender the avoiding of our Royal revenge. In witness whereof, we have set our hand, and caused our Royal Seal to be put to these presents. Dated at our Castle of Stockholm the 16. of August 1653.  
CHRISTINA. Locus Sigilli.