A proclamacion set furth by the Kinges Maiestie with the aouise of his highnes most honorable priuy Counsail, concernyng casters, and spreaders abrode of slaundetous and sedicious billes. the .xx. day. of May in the .v. yere of his most prosperous reigne.
Orasmuche as diuers lewde and sedicious persones, minding to sowe contencion in diuers partes of this realme, haue of their malicious and cankered affections, forged and made many staunderous and wicked billes, aswell against the kinges maiesties most honorable Counsayll, as againste other noble personages within this Realme. And thesame billes hath spred and cast abrode in stretes and in diuers other places. and hath fastened thesame, at suche priuie corners where they thoughte they might best publishe their conceiued malice: The Auctors where of (because they haue wrought their malice so couertly) cannot casely be founde out to be punished according to the lawes, statutes and proclamations made in that behalf. And yet neuerthelesse their deuelish deuise taketh place and effect for that the saide billes haue not bene broken, de faced and destroied immediatly, after they haue bene founde, not only to the staunder and infamy of many godly and weldisposed persones and defacing of their weldoinges in the common wealth, but also to the maintenaunce and incouraging of suche malefactors to perseuer and continue in their lewdenes: Therefore the kinges Matestie with the aduise of his most honorable counsaill straightly chargeth and commaundeth al and singuler his louing subiectes to whose handes any suche staundetous Billes or Writinges shall come, or that shall finde theun caste abrode, or se theun fasteued to post, piller, or other place, thesame shall by the auothoritie of this proclamation furthwith with out further de'ay, breake, burne, destroy or deface without shewing them to any other persone or persons, that the effect and meaning of thesaide bil may not apeare and be conserued therby. And whosoeuer after his or their sight, reading or knowlege therof, shall suffer thesame billes to stand still or remaine not destroyed, nor defaced, as is beforesayde, or shall publishe thesame to any other by any maner of meanes, thesame shalbe taken and punished as the Auctor, maker and deuisor of thesame, and being brought before a Iustice of the peace lefully conuicted, shal suffer imprisonment and make fine at the kinges maiesties pleasure.
God saue the King
RICHARDVS GRAFTON typographus Regius excudebat.
Mense Maij.
A. M. D. LI.
Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.