The Royal Navy kept up a constant agitation for the repeal of the order, until at length, in 1634, being the thirty-eighth year of the flag from its first establishment by James I., their claim was acceded to by Charles I., and a proclamation was duly issued:
"_A Proclamation appointing the flags as well for our Navie Royall as for the ships of our subjects of South and North Britaine._
"We taking into our Royal Consideration it is Meete for the honour of Oure Shipps in our Navie Royall and of such other shipps as are or shall be employed in Our immediate service that the same bee, by their flags distinguished from the shipps of any other of Our Subjects doe herebye straitly prohibite and forbid that none of our Subjects of any of our Nations and Kingdoms shall from henceforth presume to carry the Union Flagge in the maintoppe or other part of any of their shipps that is the St. George's Crosse and the St. Andrew's Crosse joyned together upon pain of Our High displeasure; but that the same Union Flagge be still reserved as an ornament proper for _Our Owne Shipps_ and shipps in our immediate service and pay and none other. And likewise Our further will and pleasure is that all the other shipps of Our subjects of England or South Britaine bearing flags, shall from henceforth Carry the _Red Crosse_ commonly called _St. George his Crosse_ as of olde time hath been used; and also that all the other shipps of Our Subjects of Scotland or North Britaine shall from Henceforth carry the _White Crosse_ commonly called _St. Andrew's Crosse_. Whereby the several shippes may be distinguished, and wee thereby better discerne the number and goodness of the same; Wherefore wee will and straitly command all Our Subjects foorthwith to be conformable and obedient to this Our Order, as they will answer the contrary at their perill.
"Given at our Court at Greenwich this 5th day of May in the tenth yeare of Oure Reigne of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. God Save the King."
Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, printer to the King's Most Excellent Majestie, and by the Assignee's of John Bill, 1634.
This proclamation of Charles I. made a very great change in the position of the "Union Flagge" of James, by restricting its use to one class of ships. That it had never been intended at that time to serve as a "national" flag is again clearly evidenced by the renewed declaration that it was the special signal of the Sovereign, to be used exclusively on the ships of the Royal Navy. Further, the merchant vessels owned by "subjects of any of our Nations and Kingdoms," which had thus lost the "additional" Jack, were ordered to continue to use, as of "olde time hath been used," their distinctive national flags. For the continued preservation of the peace, it was again required that each ship should display only the flag of the nation to which it belonged, namely, the St. George's crosse, or old English Jack, on English merchant ships, and St. Andrew's crosse, or Scotch Jack, on the Scotch merchant ships.