THe Quenes Maiestie vnderstandyng, that of late tyme sundrye persons beyng infected with certayne daungerous and pernicious opinions, in matters of religion, contrary to the faith of the Churche of Christe, as Anabaptistes and such lyke, are come from sundrye partes beyonde the seas, into this her Realme, and speciallye into the Citie of London, and other Maritime townes, vnder the collour and pretence of fleyng from persecution, agaynst the professours of the Gospell of Chryste: Whereby yf remedy be not speedely prouided, the Churche of God in this Realme shall sustaine great daunger of corruption, and sectes to encrease contrary to the vnitie of Christes Churche here establyshed.

For redresse wherof: Her Maiestie by aduise of her counsayle, hauynge commaunded the Arche­byshop of Canterbury, Byshop of London, and other Byshops, to see the paryshes in London and other places herewith suspected, to be seuerly visited, and all persons suspected, to be openly tryed and examined, touchyng such phanaticall and hereticall opinions: Wylleth and chargeth al maner of persons, borne eyther in forreyne partes, or in her Maiesties dominions, that haue conceyued a­ny maner of such hereticall opinion as the Anabaptistes do holde, and meaneth not by charitable teachyng to be reconciled, to depart out of this Realme within twenty dayes after this Proclama­tion, vpon payne of forfaiture of all theyr goodes and cattels, and to be imprisoned and further pu­nyshed, as by the lawes eyther ecclesiasticall or temporall, in such case is prouyded. And her Maie­stie also chargeth and commaundeth vpon payne of imprisonment, that no Minister nor other per­son, make any conuenticules or secrete congregations, eyther to reade or to preache, or to minister the Sacramentes, or to vse any maner of deuine seruice, but that they shal resort to open Chappels or Churches, and there to preache, teache, minister, or pray, accordyng to the order of the Church of England, except it be in cases of sickenes, or where noble men and such others that haue in all for­mer tymes ben accustomed to haue deuine seruice sayd in theyr Oratories within theyr houses, for dyuers necessary respectes, vpon payne that whatsoeuer persons or companye shall make suche se­crete conuenticules, euery person to be imprisoned without bayle or mainpryse, vntyll the cōming of the Justice for delyuery of the same Gayle, and then to be punyshed by theyr discretions.

Yeuen at our Castell of wyndsor the.xxii.day of September, the second yere of our raigne. M. D. lx.