Given at Our Court at Theobalds, the sixt day of November, in the yeere of Our Reigne of England, France, and Ireland, the twentieth, and of Scotland the sixe and fiftieth.[3]
Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and John Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. M.DC.XXII.
_1 p. folio. Copies in Antiq., B. M., Dalk., I. T., P. C., P. R. O., and Q. C.; also John Carter Brown Library. Entered on Patent Rolls. Printed in Rymer's "Foedera," xvii, 416._
[2] These "irregular and disobedient persons" were undoubtedly the members of Thomas Weston's colony at Weymouth. The Council for New England, in May, 1622, took notice of the complaints against Weston and moved that a proclamation be secured warning those who went to New England in contempt of authority (Records in Amer. Antiquarian Society _Proceedings_ for April, 1867, p. 59). The proclamation was ordered by the Privy Council on October 23, 1622 (_Acts of the Privy Council, Colonial_, i, 55).
[3] A note on the original proclamation in the privy seal bundles, no. 1955, in the Public Record Office, reads, "I have prepared this proclamation readie for your Majesty's signature upon an order made at the Councell Board. Thomas Coventry."
[Encouraging Growth of Tobacco in Plantations.]
Whereas Our Commons, assembled in Our last Sessions of Parliament, became humble Petitioners unto Us, That, for many waightie reasons, much concerning the welfare of Our Kingdome, and the Trade thereof, We would by Our Royall power, utterly prohibite the use of all foreigne Tobacco, which is not of the growth of Our owne Dominions[1]: And whereas We have upon all occasions made knowen Our dislike, We have ever had of the use of Tobacco in generall, as tending to the corruption both of the health and manners of Our people, and to that purpose have at severall times heretofore prohibited the planting of Tobacco, both in England and Wales, as utterly unfit, in respect of the Climate, to cherish the same for any medicinall use, (which is the onely good to bee approoved in it;) And at other times have also prohibited the disorderly Trading for Tobacco, into the parts beyond the Seas, as by Our severall Proclamations, published to that purpose, it may appeare. Neverthelesse, because Wee have beene earnestly and often importuned by many of Our loving Subjects, Planters and Adventurers in Virginia, and the Sommer Islands, and lately by Our Commissioners for Virginia, that We would be pleased to take into Our Royall care that part of Our Dominions, by Our Royall authoritie, and by the industrie of Our loyall Subjects, added to the rest of Our Empire, for the propagation of Christian Religion, and the ease and benefite of this populous Realme, and to consider, that those Colonies and Plantations, are yet but in their infancie, and cannot be brought to maturitie and perfection, unlesse We will bee pleased for a time to tolerate unto them the planting and venting of the Tobacco, which is, and shall be of the growth of those Colonies and Plantations; We, taking into Our Princely consideration these, and many other important reasons of State, have beene graciously pleased to condescend to the desires and humble petitions of Our loving Subjects in this behalfe.