[...] prosperous reigne, against suche as slaunderously whisper and spread abrode false rumours of the further abacing of the coyne.

WHereas the kinges maiesty, vpon the publishing of the last proclamati­on. for the abacing of the shilling to. ix. d. minded to haue broughte his coine vnto a more perfection of finenes then it was, & so frō time to time to haue amended it, as in very dede he purposeth to do, with al the spede that may be. Now it is come to passe, y t by the spreading of false & vntrue rumors, the prices of al thinges are growē so excessiuely, that it is intol­lerable for his louing subiectes to endure it, by reason that certein lewd persones of their owne light heddes haue immagined, that bycause hys highnes hath already sumwhat abated the value of his sayde come, therfore his maiesty should yet more abace it, and of their imaginacions, haue vttered this fond rumor, in suche sorte, as euery man that hathe corne, cattel or other kinde of victual, mere to be brought to the markettes, rather wil kepe it then vtter it feating their losse in the fal of the money, wherof foloweth a scarsite in the market, where no scarcite ought to be, and a merueilous dearth wher plenty is of al maner of victualles. And as this gredy restreining of them that hath plentifully, bredeth the plague of god vpon them, both for their light credite, and for thei insatiable couetousnes, as in the death of a numbre of thē it hath of late ben sene: So the kinges highnes hauing charge from god, to se his common welth well gouerned, must haue an earnest [...]e, to the streighte punishment of them that raise these slaunders [...]monges his subiectes. Wherfore his maiesty straightlye prohibiteth & defendeth, all & euery of his subiectes, of what estate, degre, or condicion soeuer he or they be, that from the publishing of this present proclamaciō, they inuent not, speake, mutter, or deuise, any maner of tale, newes, or reporte, either touching the abacing of thesaid coyne, or that in any maner of wise may sounde either to the dishonor of his maiesties persone, or to the defacing of his highnes procedinges, or of is councel, or to the disquieting of his louing subiectes, vpon payne of. vi. monethes imprisonment, and suche fine to the kinges maiesties vse, as shalbe thought mete by the Iustices of the Peace, in the Shire where thoffence is committed, if thoffend or be able to pay it immediately before his deliuerie: and in case the offend or be not able to pay it, then he to be put on the pillory, and one of his Eares cut of, or bothe, if the greuousnes of his offence shal seme to the Iustices, Maior, or other officer so to require. And who­soeuer shal heare any suche tale, rumor, inuencion, or deuise, and do not immediatly reuele it vnto some Iustice of the peace, Maior, Bailiffe, Constable or suche other Officer, he to incurre no lesse paine then the first offendor: the like wherof to be inflicted vpon the Iustice, Maior, Bayliffe, Constable, or other officer to whome the accusacion shalbe geuen, in case that vpon the trial therof, they do not put the effect herof in execution vpon the offendors, and the accusor of such officers to be rewarded at the kinges maiesties han­des, [...]or thuttering and declaration of thofficers fault, in not executing his charge, in suche sorte, as they shal haue good cause an other time to watche for the like.

God saue the King.

RICHARDVS GRAFTON typographus Regius excudebat. M. D. LI.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.