❧ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation for revocation of Mariners from foreign services.  
WHereas within this short time since the Peace concluded between us and the King of spain and the Archdukes our good Brothers, it hath appeared unto us that many Mariners and Seafaring men of this realm, having gotten a custom and habit in the time of the war to make profit by spoil, do leave their ordinary and honest vocation and Trading in Merchantly Voyages, whereby they might both reap convenient maintenance, and be serviceable to their country, And do betake themselves to the service of diuers foreign States, under the Title of men of war, to haue thereby occasion to continue their unlawful and ungodly course of living by spoil, using the service of those Princes but for colour and pretext, but in effect making themselves commonly no better then pirates to rob both our own Subiects their countrymen, and the Subiects of other Princes our neighbours, going in their honest Trade of merchandise: By which courses they do impeach the quiet traffic of Nations one with other, leave our realm unfurnished of men of their sort, if we should haue cause to use them, and enure themselves to an impious disposition of living by rapine and evil means, although by reason of the universal Peace wherein we are at this present with all Christian Princes and States, they may haue a more plentiful employment in an orderly and lawful navigation, then at any time of late yeeres they could haue had: We haue thought it necessary in time to prevent the spreading of such a corruption amongst our Subiects of that sort and calling, whereby our Nation will bee so much slandered, and our realm so greatly disaduantaged. Wherefore wee do will and command all Masters of Ships, Pilots, Mariners, and all other sort of Seafaring men, who now are in the Martiall service of any foreign States, that they do presently return home into their own country, and leave all such foreign services, and betake themselves to their Vocation in the lawful course of merchandise, and other orderly navigation, vpon such pains and punishments as by the laws of our realm may be inflicted vpon them, if after this declaration of our Pleasure, they shall not obey. And we do also vpon the same pains straightly charge and command all our Subiects of that profession, that none of them shal from henceforth take Letters of mark or reprisal, nor serve under any that hath such letters of mark or reprisal from any foreign Prince or State whatsoever, Nor otherwise employ themselves in any warlike services of any foreign State vpon the Sea, without special licence obtained from ourself, or from our high admiral, as they will answer the contrary at their perils.  
And forasmuch as although wee are in Peace with all Christian Princes and States, yet during the continuance of the war between the King of spain, and the Archdukes on the one side, and the united provinces of the Low Countreys on the other side, many chances may happen, as some already haue happened, of difficult interpretation to our Officers and Subiects how to behave themselves in such cases, unless they bee explained unto them: Wee haue thought it convenient to make an open declaration how our said Officers and Subiects shall demean themselves towards the Subiects as well of the King of spain and Archdukes, as also of the States united in the cases following.  
First our Pleasure is, That within our Ports, havens, Rodes, creeks, or other places of our Dominion, or so near to any of our said Ports or havens, as may be reasonably construed to be within that Title, Limit, or Precinct, there shalbe no force, violence, surprise, or offence suffered to be done either from Man of war to Man of war, or Man of war to Merchant, or Merchant to Merchant of either party, but that all of what Nation soever, so long as they shall be within those our Ports and places of our jurisdiction, or where our Officers may prohibit violence, shall be understood to be under our protection to be ordered by course of Iustice, and be at Peace each with other.  
And whereas some of the men of war of each side haue used of late,& it is like will use in time to come, though not to come within our Ports, because there they know we can restrain violence, yet to hover and hang about the skirts of our Ports, some what to Seaboard, but yet so near our coasts and the entry of our Harbours, as in reason is to be construed to be within the extent of the same,& there to await the Merchant of the adverse part,& do seize and take them at their going out of our Ports, which is all one in a maner, as if they took them within our Port, and will be no less hindrance to the trade of Merchants: Our pleasure therefore and commandement is to all our officers and Subiects by Sea and Land, That they shall prohibit, as much as in them lieth, all such hovering of men of war of either side, so near the entry of any of our havens or our Coasts, And that they shall rescue and succour all Merchants, and others that shall fall within the danger of any such as shall await our Coasts in so near places, to the hindrance of trade and traffic outward and homeward from and to our kingdoms. And for the better instructions of our Officers in the execution of these two Articles, We haue caused to be sent to them plaits of those Limits, within which we are resolved that these Orders shall be observed.  
And where it hath happened, and is like to do often, that a ship of war of the one side may come into some of our Ports, where there shall be a Merchant of the other side: In such case, for the benefit and preservation of the lawful trade of Merchants, Our pleasure is, That all Merchants ships, if they will require it, shall be suffered to depart out of the said Port, two or three tides before the man of war, to the intent that the Merchant may be free from the pursuit of his adversary. And if it so happen, that any ship or ships of war of the one side, do find any ship or ships of war of the other side in any our Ports or Roads aforesaid; Like as our Pleasure is that during their abode there, all violence be forborn: So do we likewise command our said Officers and Subiects both on Sea and Land, That the ship of war which came in first, be suffered to depart a tide or two before the other which came in last, And that for so long time they shall stay and detain any ship of war; that would offer to pursue another out of any our Ports immediately. And where we are informed, that notwithstanding the severity of our laws against receivers of pirates goods, many of our officers of our Ports, and other inhabitants within and near unto them, do receive daily goods brought in from Sea by such as are indeed pirates, if they, and the getting of their goods, were well examined: We do hereby admonish them all, to avoid the receiving or buying of any goods from Sea, coming not into the realm by lawful course of merchandise, for that they shall find, we are resolved so to prevent all occasion and encouragement of pirates to be used by any our Subiects, as we will cause our laws to be fully executed according to their true meaning, both against the pirates, and all receivers and abetters of them, and their goods.  
given at Thetford the first day of March, in the second year of our reign of Great britain, &c.  
God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most excellent majesty. ANNO 1604.