“And his majesty doth further hereby declare, that if any person or persons shall take upon them, him, or her, after his, or her License or Licenses, recalled, or otherwise without License, to sell by retail (as aforesaid) any of the Liquors aforesaid, then the person or persons so Offending, shall not only be proceeded against, upon the Statute made in the fifteenth year of his Majesties Reign…but shall receive the severest punishments that may by Law be inflicted.”
In this proclamation, the king is calling for a ban of coffee houses and the distributions of licenses to sell coffee, chocolate, sherbet, and tea. He claimed that the numerous coffee houses that have sprung up over the last couple years have, “produced very evil and dangerous effects.” The people are spending the majority of their time there instead of tending to their “Lawful Callings and Affairs.” He also reported that people were spreading, “False, Malitious, and Scandalous Reports…to the Defamation of His Majesties Government, and to the Disturbance of the Peace and Quiet of the Realm.” The main concern here seems to be the spread of false information and the defamation of the king. Coffee houses were seen as gathering places for people to discuss politics and slander the monarchy. This proves to be troublesome because these meetings and discussions could lead to revolts and plots to overthrow the king from people, over their shared dislike for the monarchy and the government. His majesty called for the Justices of the Peace and the Chief Magistrates to “recall and make void all Licenses.” The people were banned from selling coffee, chocolate, sherbet, and tea in coffee houses or their own personal homes. To ensure that people followed this new law, the king put forth a fine of five pounds for every month the person committed the offense, and “receive the severest punishments that may by Law be inflicted” if they continue to commit the offense. However, the note at the bottom tells us that this ban never actually went into effect because of pressure from the king’s ministers who loved coffee themselves.