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 ye 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 ye 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.