THe Queenes Maiestie hearyng by reporte of some of the subiectes of her good brother the kyng of Spayne, that notwithstandyng both the seueritie of Iustice diuers tymes extended by her Maiestie agaynst sundry Pirates with paines of death, and also her often armyng of certayne vesselles to the Seas, for thapprehensiō of such offenders: yet of late by colour of certaine of the subiectes of the Queene of Scottes, hauntyng the Seas, for to take and sease the subiectes and shippes of the king of Por­tingale: vpon pretence of certayne olde letters of reprisalles, diuers lewde and disorde­red Englyshe men, are thought to resorte and accompany the sayde Scottyshmen vpō the Seas: Hath therfore thought mete to vse diuers good meanes to remedye the said disorders with spede. And consideryng it may be, that sundry of ignoraunce haue both repayred to the sayd Scot­tyshmen, and receaued theyr goodes, without knowledge or partakyng of any theyr euyll factes. Before her Ma­iestie wyll extende her force of armes or Iustice agaynst any such: her Maiestie warneth them all to retourne with spede, eyther to theyr dwellyng places, or to the next porte that they may attayne vnto after the notice hereof, and there to geue knowledge of theyr names & dwellyng places, and of all theyr enterprises done eyther by them selues, or by such in whose company they were, whylest they were vpon the Seas.

And for further proceadyng against such others as wyll not retourne from that trade, but wyll perseuer therin: Her Maiestie meaneth, by sendyng of certaine her shippes to the Seas, to cause them to receaue by force and by Iustice, such extreme punyshemente as they haue deserued, to thexample of all others. And yf any poore Mary­ners haue ben entyced by pretenses of trade of Marchaundizes, or fysshyng, to serue and accompanye some lewde capitaines and masters of shippes: her Maiestie is contented to shewe fauour and mercye to all such persons, so as they shall playnelye do their endeuour to attache the Capitaines or masters of any shippe that hath committed any Piracie, and to bryng them to lande.

Fynally her Maiestie strayghtly chargeth and commaundeth, that no maner of shippe or vessell, that shalbe by any colour to be suspected of Piracie, or that shall not be knowen to be a notorious marchaunde, shalbe suffred to passe out of anye porte or creke, vntyll the master, capitayne, or owner therof shall haue put in suerties before the Uiceadmirall, Maior, Baylyffes, or other officers of the porte where they shall prepare to embarke, to aunswere to all maner of thynges that may be obiected agaynst such as haue or shall possesse, or sayle in the same shyppe.

Other perticuler orders her Maiestie meaneth further to prescribe vnto the Uiceadmirals of all coastes, for repres­syng and auoydyng of all Pirates and rouers vpon the Seas, which her highnesse wylleth to be obserued of all ma­ner her subiectes. And besides straightly chargeth all Uiceadmiralles, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bayliffes, and other her officers and subiectes, to haue a diligent and carefull eye to thexecution hereof, in that may touche them or any of them, as they wyll aunswere for the contrary at theyr vttermost peryll.

Yeuen at Ingatestone the .xxi. day of Iuly, the thyrde yere of the Queenes Maiesties raigne.