THe Quenes Maiestie vnderstandinge, that of late tyme sundrye persons beynge infected with certayne daungerous and pernicious opinions, in matters of religion, contrarye to the fayth of the Churche of Chryste, as Anabaptistes and suche 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 Christe: Whereby yf remedy be not speedely prouyded, the Churche of God in this Realme shall susteyne 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, hauyng commaunded the Arche­bishop of Canterbury, Byshop of London, & other Bishops to see the parishes in London and other places here with suspected, to be seuerly visited, and all persons suspected to be openly tryed and ex­amined, touching such phanaticall and heretical opinions: Wylleth and chargeth all maner of per­sons borne eyther in forreine partes, or in her Maiesties dominions, that haue conceaued any ma­ner of such hereticall opinion as the Anabaptistes do holde, and meaneth not by charitable tea­chynge to be reconciled, to depart out of this Realme within twenty dayes after this Proclamati­on, vppon payne of forfayture of all theyr goodes and Cattelles, and to be imprysoned and further punyshed, as by the lawes eyther ecclesiasticall or temporall, in such case is prouyded. And her Ma­iestie also chargeth and cōmaundeth vpon payne of imprisonment, that no Minister nor other per­son, make any conuenticules or secrete congregacions, 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 Churche of Englande, ercept it be in cases of sickenes, or where noble men and such others that haue in al for­mer tymes ben accustomed to haue deuine seruice sayde in theyr Oratories within theyr houses, for dyuers necessary respectes, vpon payne that whatsoeuer persons or company shall make suche secrete conuenticules, euery person to be imprisoned without bayle or mainprise, vntyll the com­myng of the Iustice 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 seconde yere of our raigne. M. D. lx.

God saue the Quene.