WHereas by a late Act made in the Parliament begun and held at Westminster the 25th day of April , in the Twelfth year of Our Reign , Entituled , An Act for the better ordering the Selling of Wines by Retail , and for preventing Abuses in the Mingling , Corrupting and Vitiating of Wines , and for setting and limiting the Prices of the same ; It was Enacted , That no Person or Persons whatsoever , from and after the Five and Twentieth day of March One thousand six hundred sixty one , unless he or they were authorised and enabled in manner and form as in the said Act is prescribed and appointed , should sell or utter by Retail , that is , by the Pint , Quart , Pottle or Gallon , or by any other great or lesser Retail-measure , any kind of Wine or Wines to be drunk or spent within his or their Mansion house or houses , or other place in his or their Tenure or occupation , or without such Mansion house or houses , or such other place within his or their Tenure or occupation , by any colour , craft or mean whatsoever , upon pain to forfeit for every such offence the sum of Five pounds , The one Moyety of every such penalty to be to vs , the other Moyety to him or them that would sue for the same , to be recovered as in and by the said Act is appointed .

And whereas it is further Enacted by the said Act , That it should be lawful for vs , Our Heirs and Successors from time to time to issue out under the Great Seal of England , one or more Commission or Commissions to two or more Persons , thereby authorizing them to Licence and give Authority to such Person and Persons as they shall think fit to sell and utter by Retail , all and every or any kind of Wine or Wines whatsoever , to be drunk and spent as well within the house or houses or other plate , in the Tenure or occupation of the Party so Licenced , as without , in any City , Town or other place within the Kingdome of England , Dominion of Wales , and Port and Town of Berwick upon Twede . And that such persons as from time to time , or at any time , should be by such Commission or Commissions as aforesaid in that behalf appointed , should have power and authority to treat and contract for Licence , Authority and Dispensations to be given and granted to any person or persons for the selling and uttering of Wines by Retail , in any City , Town or other place as aforesaid , according to the rules and directions of the said Act , and the true intent and meaning thereof , and not otherwise . And that such persons as should be Commissioned and appointed by vs , Our Heirs and Successors as aforesaid , should be , and be called Our Agents for granting Licences for the selling and uttering of Wine by Retail : And that Our said Agents should be authorised and enabled under their Seal of Office to be appointed by vs , to grant Licence for the selling and uttering of Wines by Retail to any person or persons , or for any time or term not exceeding One and twenty years , if such person and persons should so long live , and for such yearly Rent as they can or shall agree and think fit , so as no Fine be taken for the same , But that the Rent and sums of money agreed upon and reserved , be paid and answered half yearly by equal portions during the whole terme . And that such Licence should not be given or granted , but to such who should personally use the Trade of Selling and uttering of Wines by Retail , or to the Landlord and Owner of the house , where the Person using such Trade should fell or utter Wine by Retail ; Nor that the same should be assignable , nor in any wise beneficial or extensive to indemnifie any person against the penalties of the said Act , except the first taker : And that it should also be lawful to and for vs , Our Heirs and Successors , to constitute and appoint such and so many other Officers and Ministers , as a Receiver , Register , Clerk , Comptroller , Messenger or the like , for the better carrying on of that service , as We and they shall think fit , so as the salaries and wages of all such Officers to be appointed , together with the salary or wages of the said Agents do not exceed Six pence in the pound of the Revenue that should thence arise ; And that the Rents , Revenues and Sums of money arising thence , except what should be allowed for the Wages and Salaries of such Officers and Ministers which are not to exceed six pence out of every pound as aforesaid , should be duely and constantly paid and answered into Our Exchequer , and should not be particularly charged or chargeable , either before it be paid into the Exchequer , or after with any Gift or pension . And Our said Agents are by the said Act required and enjoyned to return into the Court of Exchequer every Michaelmas and Easter Term , upon their Oathes ( which Oathes the Barons of the Exchequer are by the said Act authorised to Administer ) a Book fairly written , containing a true and full Accompt of what Licences have been granted the preceding half year , and what Rents and Sums of money are thereupon reserved , and have been paid , or are in arrear , together with the securitie of the persons so in Arrear , to the end due and speedy Process might be made out according to the course of the Exchequer for recovery of the same , as in and by the said Act , amongst other things , it doth and may appear .

And whereas in pursuance of the said Act , We have by Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England Commissioned and appointed certain persons of Trust therein named , to be Our Agents for the Licensing of such persons as they shall think fit to sell and utter Wines by Retail , as in and by the said Act is appointed .

Now to the intent that all Our loving Subjects within Our said Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales , and Town and Port of Berwick aforesaid , who shall be therein concerned , may take notice of the said Act and duly observe the same : We have thought fit to declare and publish the said Act and the contents thereof by this Our Royal Proclamation ; And to the further end and intent that all and every person and persons concerned therein , may accordingly address themselves to Our said Agents at their Office in the Castle-yard in Holborn , and there receive from them such Licences and Dispensations for selling and uttering Wines by Retail as shall be agreed on , and as by the said Act and Our Commission of Agency thereupon they are impowered to grant .

And because Licences cannot formally be granted and past so soon as the Five and twentieth day of March instant ; It is hereby declared , That all such persons as now draw Wine by Retail , and shall make their application to Our Agents for granting Licences , and procure from them any Order for their Continuance before the end of Easter Term next , shall be hereby Indemnified against the Penalties of the said Act.