❀ By the queen.  
❧ A Proclamation to repress all Piracies and Depredations vpon the Sea.  
THE queens majesty being certainly informed, through the manifold and daily complaints made to her Highnesse, as well by her own Subiects, as others, of the continual Depredations and Piracies committed on the Seas, by certain lewd and ill disposed persons, pretending to make war against the enemies of her majesty, and of this Estate; And finding that the ordinary Proceedings held of late times for the suppressing of these enormities, and offences, haue wrought less reformation then was expected; In her princely care to preserve Iustice, as one of the main pillars of her estate, and for the speedier repressing of al such Piracies and Depredations, crimes most hateful to her mind, & scandalous to her peaceable government, And for the better continuance of amity with al other Princes and States, not enemies to her majesty: Hath with the aduise of her privy Counsel not only been at charges some few moneths since, to sand out a Pinnace of her own now in the Straits to search those seas for such offenders, and to use all good means by force, or otherwise to take and bring home all such of her Subiects, as being Pirates do rob and spoil the Subiects of her friends, not any way caring to obey any laws, or other Orders lately published vpon the growing on of these fowle crimes, and Piracies, coloured by other Uoyages; But also for prevention of any more such lewd purposes in any that are to go forth, Hath set down certain Articles hereafter following, Which her Highnesse commandeth all her Officers whom it may concern, of what degree soever, to see duly executed: Wherein if any maner of person shalbe found culpable, or wilfully negligent, Her majesty declareth hereby, that punishment shalbe inflicted vpon him or them with such severity, as the example thereof shall terrify all others from committing any so odious crimes.  
FIrst, That no man of war be furnished, or set out to Sea, without licence under the great seal of the admiralty, vpon sufficient bonds with Sureties, first given to the judge of the high Court of the admiralty, or to his deputy, for the good behaviour of themselves and Company, towards her majesties friends and Allies, according to the purport and limitation of the said Bonds with their Conditions, and the true meaning of them, under pain of death, and confiscation of lands and goods, not onely to the captain and mariners, but to the owners and Uictuallers; Besides the satisfying to the party damnified of all his losses, costs and damages, if the Company of the said ship shall commit any piracy, Depredation, or murder at the Sea vpon any of her majesties friends.  
ITem, That if any person whatsoever, shall vpon the Seas, take any Ship that doth belong to any of her majesties friends, and Allies, or to any of their Subiects, And after knowledge had, that the said Ship doth belong to her friends, doth not forbear to stay the same, unless it shalbe laden with goods of her majesties enemies, or with merchandises of such nature or quality, as may serve to furnish the King of spain his Armies, or navies, and going into the kingdoms of spain and Portugall, Or shall take out of it any goods belonging to her said friends, except goods of the aforesaid nature or quality, bound for spain, or Portugall; 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) shall bee 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 spoyled are found; unless first by way of provision, the sum adiudged, be payed to the plaintiff vpon Sureties to repay it, if the Sentence shalbe reversed.  
ITem, That no prohibition in such cases of spoil, and their accessaries, or dependences be granted hereafter.  
ITem, That no Prizes taken shalbe disposed of, till adiudication given by the said judge, and order given by him, for the disposing thereof, under pain of confiscation of Ship and goods: And the parties who shal buy, take or receive any part thereof so disposed before Sentence, to bee fined to her majesties use, and their bodies imprisoned during her majesties pleasure.  
ITem, That the Uiceadmirals, or Maiors, bailiffs, or other chief Officers of every Port, Admirals of themselves, shall not suffer any Man of war to put to sea, without such licence from the judge of the admiralty, as aforesaid, neither suffer any Man of war to dispose of or unlade( without urgent necessity, and in that case to be safely kept and cellered) any goods taken at fea, till such iudgement and order by the said judge, as aforesaid, under pain to every Uiceadmirall, or other such Officer, transgressing this Article, to forfeit to her majesty one hundred pounds, for a fine, for every such offence, besides the satisfying to the party damnified, of all his losses, costs and damages.  
ITem, That no bond be taken of any Man of war, but by the said judge of the Admiralty, that the same may be always foorth-comming in the Office, to answer all complaints: And the said bonds to be taken to the use of the Lord admiral, which he is to assign over to the parties damnified, vpon just complaint.  
ITem, That no ship or goods taken from any her majesties friends, shalbe delivered by any other order, then vpon proof made in the said Court of the admiralty, before the said judge of the admiralty 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 the said judge of the admiralty, vpon sufficient notice given to him in the Office of the admiralty, of any Man of war gone to the Sea without licence from him under the great seal of the admiralty first obtained: Or of any, who haue disposed, sold, or alienated any ship or goods whatsoever, taken at Sea, before such iudgement, as aforesaid, given by the said judge, shall proceed against the said ship, goods, or party, according to law in that case provided, within the space of three moneths next following, vpon pain to incur her majesties heavy displeasure.  
ITem, That for the better information of the said judge, every Uiceadmirall 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 a year, what Man of war hath gone to the Sea, or returned home, with any goods taken at Sea, or the procedue thereof, vpon pain to lose to her majesty( by way of fine) for every such default, twenty pounds of English money, to be answered into her 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 Barons of the Exchequer.  
ITem, That no ship or vessel furnished to Sea in warlike maner, shall enter into the favourits, or Mediterranean Sea, vpon pain to the Offenders, of confiscation of goods and lands, and of whatsoever there taken, and further, to suffer as in case of piracy.  
LAstly, It is straitly prohibited to all English Men of war that shall go to the Seas, that they, nor any of them( under pain of death to the Offenders as in cases of piracy, and to the Owners, confiscation of their ship or ships of war) shall sell, alienate, or dispose of any goods taken at Sea, either in Argier, Tunis, Zant, Petrasse, or any other place in Barbarie, Greece, or italy, or elsewhere, but in the kingdom of England only: Neither shall any of her majesties subiects, residing for the time in Barbarie, or places adjoining, or any other place out of England, dare to buy or receive, directly or indirectly, any such goods taken at the Seas, under pain of confiscation of his own proper goods, chattels, and lands here in England, and such other punishment, as by the Law may be inflicted vpon a contemner of her majesties Edicts and Proclamations. given at her majesties manor of Richmond, the twentieth day of March, in the four and fortieth year of her Highnesse reign.  
God save the queen.   

❀ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the queens most excellent majesty. 1601.