THe Queenes most excellent Maiestie calling to her princely minde the hie prices and dearth of Corne, which for these late yeeres haue bene, and may againe without good order increase, to the great impo­uerishment of her Maiesties most louing Subiects, if some remedy for the preuenting thereof be not therein speedily taken: And her most excellent Maiestie like a most carefull & gracious Princesse, loo­king into the causes of the high prices and dearth, and finding the same for the most part not so much to grow by the meanes of the vnseasonablenesse & vnfruitfulnesse of these yeeres (wherein God be than­ked this land hath hitherto bene blessed with plenty, as much as any other Countrey of the world be­sides) but rather through the wicked and vnsatiable greedinesse of sundry bad disposed persons, who preferring their owne priuate gaine aboue the publike good) doe not onely forestall, regrate, and ingrosse all maner of Graine, and so raise high prices thereby, to the great oppression of the poorer sort, but also doe waste and consume an infinite quantity of corne for the making of Starch, aswell in all Cities, Townes, & other places thorowout the Realme, as like wise euen in pri­uate houses, not onely for their owne vses, but to sell & make gaine thereof besides: Which vncharitable and vnchristian waste is such and so great, as it would suffice to feede a number of people that are like to perish by the increase of dearth that is enforc't thereby: For redresse of all which growing and increasing inconueniences, her Maiestie by aduice of her Highnesse priuie councell, did about three yeres past publish a booke of Orders in print, intituled, A new charge giuen by the Queenes commande­ment, &c. By which Orders, if the same had bene well obserued, not onely the vnmercifull couetousnesse of Forestallers, Regra­ters, Ingrossers, Maulsters, and such like greedie Cormorants, but also the excessiue and needlesse waste and expense of Corne in making the sayde stuffe called Starch, and in feeding of Dogges with Corne or Graine meete for the sustenance of man had bene repressed and preuented, as by the sayde Booke amongst diuers other godly and politike orders more at large appea­reth: Her Maiesty therefore might for the manifest breach of the sayd Orders in great contempt of her Princely and Royall com­mandement so published, as aforesayd, for the common good of her louing Subiects (and specially of the poorer sort, whose case her Highnesse doth most graciously tender and pity) not onely punish the offenders therein, & specially such as so contemptuously and vnchristianly either haue fedde Dogges, or made Starch or such like vaine matter of or with Corne or Graine meete for the sustenance of her poore Subiects, but also by their punishment might haue reaped great fines and summes of mo­ney for their offence and contempt in that behalfe. Notwithstanding, her Maiestie, so long as there remaineth any hope of a­mendment, being most inclinable to mercy, hath of her abundant grace and pity thought it fit by her Highnesse Proclamation, eftsoones to prohibit the inconueniences and disorders abouesayd, signifying withall her Maiesties expresse will and pleasure, that if all and euery the sayd offenders shall not from hencefoorth desist from their sayd contempts and disorders, that then her Maiestie will seuerely chastise and punish such of them heereafter offending, aswell by fines as by corporall punishment, as the quality of such and so high offences shall deserue, & not onely for the time to come, but also for all the time past. And therefore her Market, and all other Officers within their seuerall rules, limits and authorities, with all care and diligence to looke to the due and streight execution of all Lawes, Statutes & Proclamations made, and now in force, against Forestallers, Ingrossers, and Regraters, and against euery of them, and to see such Orders duly obserued, as haue bene deuised and set forth by her Maiesties Priuy Councell, by her Highnesse commandement, for the seruing of the Markets, and auoiding of such forestalling, regrating and other vices tending to raise the prices of Corne, and to see the offenders in that behalfe chastised with all seuere punishment: And her Maiesty doth likewise streightly charge and command that no person or persons within this her Highnes Realme and other her Dominions whatsoeuer, whether he be Stranger, Denizen, or subiect borne, shal from the xx. day of September next comming, imploy, waste, or expend vpon feeding of Dogs, any Corne or Graine meet for the sustenance of man, nor shall by any meanes directly or indirectly make or cause to be made within this Realme or any other her Maiesties Dominions any maner of Starch of Corne or graine for any vse whatsoeuer, nor of any other matter or thing whatsoeuer, to the end to sell or vtter the same in grosse or by retaile. And her Highnes doth by vertue hereof likewise authorise & streightly charge & command al Iustices of Peace, Maiors, Shirifs, Bailifs, Constables, Headboroughs, and all other officers whatsoeuer, to whom it may in any wise apperteine, from time to time at conuenient times, and in lawfull & due maner to make diligent search in all places, where they shall haue any iust cause of suspition to finde any such person or persons, as shall offend contrary to the true meaning of this her Maiesties Proclamation, or any thing therein conteined, that due execution may be had against euery such offender according­ly, vpon paine of her Maiesties displeasure, and as they will answere to the contrary at their vttermost perils.

Giuen at her Maiesties Mannor of Greenwich the xxiii. day of August 1598, in the xl. yere of her Maiesties reigne.

God saue the Queene.