WHere in the Parliament holden at Westminster, the second day of Aprill, in the xiii. yere of the reign of our soueraign Lady the Queene, there was for the reliefe of diuers poore decayed towns, & of great multitudes of her poore subiects, who otherwise were likely to perish, or to become vnprofitable and dangerous to the common weale, among other prouided & established, one good & beneficiall statute, entituled, An acte for the continuance of making of cappes. By meane of which statute, great numbers of idle, poore, and im­potent persons were for a season set on worke, while the awe of the said sta­tute, and feare of due execution thereof continued, to the marueilous great commoditie of this Realme, and helpe of the needie, and redresse of yll occupied persons, as by the experience thereof hath bene manifestly proued. And whereas neuertheles by litle and litle, the disobedience and wan­ton disorder of euil disposed and light persons, more regarding priuate fancie and vanitie, then publike com­moditie or respect of duetie, hath increased by want of execution of the sayd law, whereby those good and ho­nest subiects that haue by meanes of the sayd statute, set to worke a great number of poore people, are like to be driuen to giue ouer their sayd trade of making caps, and to send abroad againe into idlenesse and misery, those multitudes that haue bene by them relieued: whereby is likely to grow great enormity and inconue­nience, if speedy remedy therefore be not in time prouided. The Queenes most excellent Maiesty therefore tenderly considering the premisses, straitly chargeth and commaundeth all Justices of Assises, Justices of peace, Maiors, Shirifes, Bailiffes, and other head officers of Cities, Boroughs, and Townes corporate, and the Lord, Stewards, Bailiffes, and other officers of Leetes, Lawdayes, and liberties, and all and singuler Constables, Third boroughs, Tithingmen, Churchwardens, and all other her highnesse subiects, to whom the executing or putting in vre of the same stature any way may appertayn, that euery one of them according to his office, place, and calling, doe their vttermost endeuour for the due execution of the sayd statute: and that they the sayd Bayliffes, Constables, Thirdboroughs, Tithingmen, Churchwardens, and all other in­ferior officers, and euery of them, doe euery Sunday, and festiuall day, make diligent view and search in all Churches, Chappels, and al other places within the circuites and compasses of their offices and authorities, for all and singuler breakers and offenders of the saide statute, and without delay cause the names of al such offendours, and of the parents, gardians, gouernours, and masters of euery child, seruant, and warde, so of­fending, together with the day and place of the offence committed, to be then written, and to be lawfully and orderly presented, at such Assises, Sessions, or Courts (next after such offences) as haue authority to enquire or determine the said offences: And that all Maiors, Shirifes, and Bailifes of Cities, Boroughs & Towns corporate, and all lords of Leetes, Lawdayes, and Liberties, doe immediatly vpon the proclamation hereof, call before them all the sayd Constables, Third boroughs, Tithingmen, Churchwardens, inferiour Bailifs, and all other the abouesaid inferiour officers, that shal be vnder their charge of gouernment, and them and euery of them forthwith in our names doe straitly charge and command, that they, and euery of them, to the vttermost of their powers, do euery Sonday and festiuall day, make such diligent view and search, and such note also of the names of al such offenders, & such presentment of all such offences as is abouesaid: And that all Justices of Assises, and Justices of peace in their Circuits and Sessions, & al Stewards in their Leetes, vpon paine of her Maiesties high displeasure, omit not in any wise from time to time, specially to giue in charge, and cause to be inquired of all offences against the sayd statute committed or to be committed within their seuerall precincts or iurisdictions, and also do duely heare and determine the same, punishing euery of the said offenders according to the said statute: And that al the said lords & owners of Leets and Lawdayes doe as much as in euery of them shall lie, to cause their stewards throughly to execute their office and autho­ritie, according to the same statute, and that vpon euery such offence founde, both the said owners of Leets, and also the rulers and cheife gouernours of euery Citie, Borough, Towne, or Hamlet, where any such of fence shall be tried and found, shall doe their vttermost indeuour by the Law to recouer, haue, and obteine of euery such offender, all the penalties to them or any of them, by the sayd statute forfeited, or to be forfeited.

God saue the Queene.