THE Queenes Maiestie, hearing credibly by report, that in some partes of her Realme, her people and subiectes are, and of late haue ben vexed and molested, by certayne lewde persons, vnder pretence of executing of Commissions for inquiries to be made, for lands concealed, who do by colour thereof, & without warrant of Commission, contrary to alright, and namely contrary to her Maiesties meaning and intent, intermeddle and cha­lenge (as it is reported) landes of long time possessed by Churche wardens, and suche lyke, vpon the charitable gyftes of their predecessours, to the common benefite of the pa­rishe, yea and certayne stockes of money, plate, cattayle, or suche lyke: and let not also to make pretence to the belles, leade, and other suche lyke thinges belongyng to parishe Churches, or Chappels vsed for common prayers: and further to attempt to make titles to the landes, possessions, plate, and goodes, belonging to Hospitales, and suche like houses, vsed for maintenance of poore people, with many suche o­ther vnleful attemptes and extortions, to a pernitious example, yf the same should be further vsed and suffered by colour hereof. For this purpose, her Maiestie meanyng speedyly to withstande this manner of extortions, and vnleful practi­ses, and troubles of her subiectes, and doubting that the lyke is, or may be vsed in other places of the Realme, though presently complaint be not thereof made, hath lately commaunded, that al Commissions, whiche are extant, and not de­termined, for inquisition of any manner of concealementes, should be by supersedeas out of her Court of Exchequer re­uoked. And yet because the fraudes of offendours in suche cases doo so abounde, as it may be, that they whiche haue al­ready begunne, by colour of commissions to vse suche extortions and vexations for gayne, wyl them selues conceale the reuocation of their Commissions, beyng but by processe of supersedeas: Therefore her Maiestie (to notifie this her gra­tious disposition more publique to her subiectes, and to procure due punishment of the offenders, with restitution of thinges wrongfully taken) geueth to vnderstande by these presentes, that al manner of Commissions nowe extant, that haue passed from any her Courtes, to enquire of any landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes, or of any goodes, or cha­tels concealed, or supposed to be concealed before the date hereof, shal ceasse, and not continue: and that no Commissioner shal, by vertue of any suche Commission, charge any person to enquire further of the contentes of any suche Commissi­on. And yf any manner of person shal haue iust cause to complaine of any other, for any manner of extortion, or mis­usage by colour of suche Commission, the same shal and may exhibite their complaint to the Iustices of assise, now this next circuite, or to any other two or three of the Iustices of peace in the shyre, whom her Maiestie chargeth to cause the trueth of the complaint to be examined, and the offendours to be seuerely and speedyly punished, and to make due and large restitution. Or yf the cases of the extortion shalbe great, or that the offendours can not be founde within the Countie: then that certificat be made thereof by the sayde Iustices of assise, or the peace, eyther to her Maiesties priuie Counsel, or to the Lord Keper of the great Seale, to be further tried & punished in the Starre chamber, for a further ex­ample. And although her Maiestie most gratiously in this sort meaneth to releeue her subiects from wronges & vexati­ons, yet therewith her Maiestie geueth them al to vnderstande, that she intendeth not to forbeare by somme better or­dinary meanes, and by persons of knowen honestie and wisdome, to enquire of suche landes, and other thynges, as duely and iustly do belong to her Crowne, and are withdrawen and concealed, and to the whiche by the lawes of her Realme her Maiestie is iustly intituled: wherein suche care shalbe had, as hereafter no commission shalbe graunted, but to such persons as shalbe reputed of such trust & honestie, as shal by no meanes geue cause to offende any, but suche as of mere wrong wyl kepe and deteyne thynges belonging by order of lawe to the Crowne, to whiche her Maiestie doubteth not, but al good honest subiectes do beare that duetie and reuerence, as they wyl yeelde theyr seruice to the mayntenaunce thereof, as by the lawe of God they are bounde (besydes theyr earthly duetie) to her Maiestie.

And finally, her Maiestie woulde haue her Iustices of assise to haue some special care, not only to the premisses in this theyr Sessions, but also to the refourmyng of certayne couetous and iniurious attemptes, of diuers that haue of late tyme by other colour then for her Maiesties vse, taken away the Lead of Churches and Chappels, yea and the Belles also out of Steeples, and other common goodes belongyng to Parishes, an example not to be suffered vnpuni­shed, nor vnrefourmed. And so her Maiestie eftsones chargeth her Iustices of assise to prouide seuere remedie, both for punishment and refourmation thereof.

Yeuen at her hyghnesse pallace at Westminster, the thirteenth day of February, in the fourteenth yere of her Maie­sties raigne.

God saue the Queene.