FOR AS MOCHE as it is the offyce and duetie of chiefe rulers and gouernours of all ciuile cōmynalties, to study deuise and practise by sondrye wayes and meanes, to auaunce set forthe and encrease theyr common welthes, commytted to theyr cu­res and charges, and to mayntayne and obserue suche ordynaunces and orders, as by them shulde be deuysed for the same, if by the experience of them, suche goodnes profyte commoditie and benefyte succede therof in and amonge theyr ciuilitie, as they entended, and if not, then to reuoke repeale and refourme theyr sayde ordynaunces and orders, and establyshe newe from tyme to tyme, as the necessitie of theyr common welthe shulde require: The kynges moste royall maiestie, HENRY the VIII. by the grace of god kyng of Eng­lande and of Fraunce, defendour of the fayth, lorde of Ireland, and in erthe supreme heed of the churche of Englande, of his moste excellente goodnes, depely ponderynge and consyderynge his kyngely office and charge, and that although in the tyme of his moste gracious reygne, a great multytude of lawes ordinaunces and orders, haue ben deuysed made and ordeyned by his most excellent wysedome and polycie, for a­uauncement and encrease of the common welth of his realme, and the great profyte and commoditie of his louynge subiectes of the same, yet his moste graciouse highnes, lyke a moste godly and worthy ruler, not myndynge to cease, but dayly to trauayle and labour in deuisynge and settynge forthe orders and ordynaunces from tyme to tyme, as his grace by his moste excellent wysedome maye perceyue iuste occasion of ne­cessitie in his common welthe, and nowe amonges other thynges callynge to his moste graciouse remembraunce, that all be it his highnes is iustely and laufully entytled in the ryghte of his imperiall crowne, to take and perceyue for Custome and subsidie of marchauntes estrangers conueyenge or transportynge, into this his realme or out of the same, their wares, goodes, and marchandyses, greatter and larger sommes of money, than of his owne louyng and natural subiectes, and beinge in good hope and confydence, that although the moderation therof shuld tende to his gracis owne detriment and losse, that yet it shal be a great occasion, to haue more plentiful resorte trafyke and commutation with in this his gracis realme, with and amonge his louynge subiectes of the same, for their enrychynge welthes and commodities. Takyng ther­fore more respect to the auauncement of his gracis common welthe, than to his owne syngular profyte, and lyke the moste godly and moste worthy chiefe ruler of this realme, myndynge to proue and assaye, whether by the attemperaunce and moderation of the sayde custome and subsydie of straungers, goodnes, profyte, and commoditie, shall succede, encrease and growe to the common welthe of this his realme, accor­dyng to his gracis hope and expectation in that behalfe, Is therfore, and for other considerations, mouyng his highnes, pleased and conten­ted for the experymente therof, that from the. vi. daye of Apryll, in the. xxx. yere of his gracis reygne, durynge the full and hole terme of .vii. yeres, from thense nexte folowynge, no persone or persones, beinge straungers or denysens, conueyeng or transportynge any goodes, wares, or marchandyses into any porte creke, or other place of this realme, or out of the same, shall for and durynge the same tyme of .vii. yeres, paye any other more or larger custome and subsidie, than the kynges owne louynge and naturall subiectes, haue vsed and ben accustomed to doo and paye at this present tyme (custome and subsidie for wolles onely excepted.) And his hyghnesse straytely chargeth and commandeth all and syngular Customers, Comptrollers, and other his mynisters, hauynge charge of receyte of his customes and subsydie, that they ne any of them, by any maner of colour or meanes, durynge the sayde tyme of seuen yeres, shall exacte take or receyue of any straunger or denysen, any other more or larger custome and subsidie, than is aboue especified in this his gracis proclamation, vppon peyne of forfayture of their offy­ces, and makynge fyne at his gracis wyll: And ouer that vppon payne to yelde and render to the parties greued, tenne tymes so moch as they shall exacte and take, contrarie to this presente proclamation. And his hyghnesse also chargeth and commaundeth, as well the Treasourer Chauncellour Chamberlaynes and Barons of his exchequer, and euery of them, as all other his Auditours, hauynge charge to take accom­tes of his customes and subsidies, that they, ne any of them, from the sayde syxte daye of Apryll, durynge the sayde tyme of .vii. yeres, from thens nexte folowynge, shall charge any the sayde customers, comptrollers, and minysters of any other further or more custome and subsydie, for straungers or denyzens, then aboue is expressed, as they woll aunswere to his highnes at theyr vttermoste perylles. Sygnifienge and de­clarynge, as well to the sayde treasorer chauncellour chamberlaynes barons and auditours, and to euery of theym, as to all and synguler the sayde customers comptrollers and mynysters, that they folowynge and ensuynge this his gracis proclamation, the same shalbe to them, and to euery of them, theyr heyres and executours, and to the heyres and executours of euery of them, a sufficyent warrant and discharge agaynst his maiestie, his heyres and successours for the same, without any other byll, warraunt, writ, or other commandment to be sued in this behalfe.

¶Prouyded alwayes, that this present proclamation, ne any thynge therin conteyned, shall not extende, to gyue lycence or lybertie to any person or persones straungers or other, to conuey or transporte into this realme or out of the same, any goodes wares or marchaundises, con­trary to the fourme and effect of the lawes and statutes of this Realme: But that it shall be vnderstande taken and expounded alonely, that custome and subsidie of straungers and denyzens, shall be agreable and equal with the custome and subsidie of the kynges owne naturall sub­iectes, and not aboue, durynge the tyme of .vii. yeres afore lymitted.

¶Yeuen at our palays of Westim̄, the XXVI. day of February, in the. XXX. yere of our Reygne.

GOD SAVE THE KYNGE.