WHere as many good and profitable lawes, statutes, and ordynaunces, haue bene heretofore made and deuysed, for [...]he good gouernement, ordre, and common weale of this realme, and for the better execution of the sayd lawes, & statutes, it hath pleased our most dread soueraigne Lord, & Lady, the Kyng and the Quenes maiesties, to addresse of late their seuerall lettres with certen articles and in­structions, to the Iustices of peace, sheriffes & other their minysters in euery shire, Citie, & Borough, of this their realme, for y ^e bettre ordre of the same, expecting and hoping, that by force therof, such diligēt care and vigilant eye, shold haue byn had and vsed by the sayd Iustices and other ministers in euery of the sayde shieres, that the offendours of the sayd lawes, and statutes, should not for want of due exe­cution of the same, ben permytted and encoraged to vse and continue as they do their vnlawfull mysdemenors, and disorders in contempte of the sayd lawes, and statutes, and to the present perill and daunger of the common welth, and to the great disquietnes. & griefe of their maiesties, whose only desire, pleasure, & good contentment is to haue their lawes, trulye executed, and the trangressours therof to be punyshed, accordynge to the qualities of their offences, and their good and natural subiectes to be preserued in quiet­nes, And to thintent, the same may the better, take effecte, their highnes haue thought it good eftsones by this their proclamation, strayghtlye to charge and commaunde, all and singuler Iustices of prace, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bailiffes, constables, & al other their mynysters and subiects, to whome the charge of due execution of the same lawes, and statutes apperteyneth, that they with all theyr dyligence and dexteritie, shall endeuor themselues to the vttermost of their powers to the due and effectuall execution of the sayd lawes and statutes.

And in especiall to see all the articles and commaundementes conteyned in the saied Letters and instructions, lately sent vnto them by there saied maiesties, to be diligently obserued and kepte.

And also to see the lawes, statutes, ordynaunces, and prouysions, hereafter specefied specially, to be put in due execucion, and thoffendours in the same to be condignely puny­shed. That is to saye, the lawes, and statutes heretofore, made and prouyded, concerning, or in any wise, touching the punishement of heresie, and lolardye, false rumors, and tales, excesse of apparrell, counterfeyting of Coigne, vnlauful assembles and conuenticles: Rea­ding and expounding of scriptures, and matters of religion, in secret corners, by persons not aucthorised, And also al other statutes, & lawes, made touching y ^e duties of Sheriffs and their deputies in the execucion of writtes and processes, and of sturdy vacaboundes and idle persones, of iorney men, and of alehouses and suspect hostries, And not to faile hereof as they tendre theyr dueties to the King, and Quenes moost excellent maiesties, and mynde to be noted and taken worthye to deserue their mooste gracious fauours.

And if it maye appeare to their highnesse that the sayde Iustices of peace, Mynysters, and subiectes shall hereafter neglecte to do their dueties in this behalfe, their maiesties entend to procede agaynst such of them as shall herein soo neglect, or offende, with suche seuere Iustice and sharpe correction as the same shalbe to the example of all others lyke offenders. Geuen vnder our Signes Manuell, at our honoure of Hampton courte. the .xxvi. day of May, the fyrst and second yeares of our reygnes.

God saue the Kynge and the Queene.