THE Queenes Maiestie is presently geuen to vnderstand of some yll disposed persons, who partly to moue misliking amongst the common and meaner sort of her louyng people, partly of couetousnes, to enhaunce the pryces of Corne, haue of late secretely spred abrode in Markettes and other places, that the pryces do ryse, and are lyke day­ly to encrease, by reason that certayne persons haue bought some quantities of graine to her Maiesties vse in sundry countreys: And that also her Maiestie meaneth to graunt to some about her. licence to carry Corne out of the Realme. Upon which ru­mours beyng maliciouslye spred, it may in deede happen, that although there be no scarcitie in the Realme (thanked be almightie God) yet thereby, the couetousnes of [...] haue eyther of theyr owne store, or by vnlawfull bargaynes ingrossed into theyr handes, great quantitie [...] of grayne, wyll take occasions to inhaunce the pryses therof without necessary cause, to the detriment [...] of the multitude whiche haue lacke. Therfore her Maiestie myndyng to preuent the inconueniences [...] aryse, doth strayghtly charge and commaunde all maner of persons, and specially such as haue go­ [...]ettes, to apprehende and commit to pryson, such as do or shall vtter and sprede abrode any such [...] dearth or offence amongst her good subiectes. And secondly, her Maiestie wylleth all her good [...] to vnderstande for a trueth, that she hath no meanyng to do, or suffer any thyng to be done, whereby any [...] should ryse amongst her people, neyther hath she graunted licence to any person about her, to carry [...] of grayne, and therefore yf any be so named of euyll intent, the same is also misused. And as to [...] or buying of any grayne by any of her ministers in her Maiesties name, other then hath ben ordina­ [...] [...] for her housholde, and her garrisons vppon the frontures, she is pleased, that the trueth of her good [...] vnderstande, whiche was this. Hauyng sundry earnest requestes made to her Maiestie, by dyuers of [...] belongyng to the kyng of Spayne her hyghnes good brother in the lowe Countreys, to haue licence [...] and carying out of certayne quantitie of Wheate, and other grayne for theyr necessitie: Her Maiestie [...]t best, neyther fully to graunt, nor flatly to denye the same, vntyll it myght be fyrst vnderstande, howe the [...] m [...]ght be done without hurt to her owne Countrey. And therefore fyrst order was geuen to certayne of her [...], to proue at what pryces certayne seuerall quantities of grayne in sundry Countreys, myght be bought [...] redy money, without vsyng any other meanes, then commonly is vsed betwixt subiect and subiect, meanyng if it [...] appeare, that a conuenient quantitie myght be prouyded at reasonable pryses, and without enhaunsyng of [...] other damage to the Realme, then her Maiestie woulde gratifie her neyghbours therewith, in lyke sort as [...] Realme hath ben oftentymes of late yeres, from the other partes beyonde the seas, in tyme of scarcitie here. [...] in that maner, her Maiestie thought better to make a proffe by her owne ministers, what might be reasona­ [...] prouyded, rather then to permit straungers and theyr factours, to trauayle abrode in the Countreys, [...] both the pryses shoulde be disordered, and yet they not satisfied. Neuerthelesse, consideryng it appeareth, [...] number of couetous men, hauyng ingrossed into theyr handes in sundry Counties of the Realme, and speci­ [...] [...] to the sea coastes, great quantities of all maner of grayne, specially of such as serue for bread and drynke, [...] pretence of this her Maiesties good and louyng intention, through spreadyng of false rumours, threatened a [...] and by forbearyng to bryng theyr Corne to the Markettes as they were accustomed, haue geuen some colour [...] and so the pryses be growen sodenly very great, and not to be well indured, nor such as can beare the sending [...] any grayne out of the Realme, without occasion of great inconuenience to the multitude of the meaner sort.

For helpe whereof, and for the tender fauour whiche her Maiestie beareth towarde her louyng subiectes, whom [...] moste toucheth: Her Maiestie hath geuen order to her ministers, in respect of the greatnes of the pryses [...] are, to forbeare from the transportation ouer the Seas of the sayde grayne, and to disperse it among her [...] people. And doth most strayghtly charge and commaunde, that no maner of grayne shalbe caryed out of the Realme, by any maner person Englyshe or straunger.

And further, that due searche be made immediatly in all places, what quantities of Corne hath ben bought [...] maner of person, by way of ingrossing, and to extende, as reason is, her lawes against them to the vttermost, [Page] [...] all others that by [...] or otherwyse by forestallyng or regratyng, or by vnordinat [...] kepyng of grayne, [...] occasion to enhaunce the pryces thereof, as of late they haue ben made [...]. Ans so her Maiestie wylleth and chargeth all maner her officers and other [...]ers, to see to the execution of the premisses, as the spreaders of rumours, who haue geuen, or shall geue, and threaten cause of dearth, and suche persons as by ingrossyng, forestallyng, or any other vnlawfull [...], hath or shall geue lyke cause of dearth, may be duely punyshed. And for the further remedying of the in­convenience aforesayde: her Maiestie meaneth forthwith, to sende speciall commission to persons of speciall trust, in sundry Counties, requisite to inquire vpon the statutes prouyded agaynst ingrossyng, forestallyng, or enhauncyng of the pryces, as well of grayne, as of other victayles, and to prouyde also, that the Markettes shal be duely serued of necssary grayne and victayle.

Gyuen at her Maiesties Pallayce of Westminster, the twentith day of January. 1565. in the eyght yere of her Maiesties raigne.

GOD saue the Queene: