THE Quenes Maiestie callyng to her good remembraunce howe well this Realme is furnyshed with good lawes and orders, for redresse of many enormi­ties, and howe through negligence of officers, and presumption of offendours, the same neuerthelesse do rather growe then abate: hath thought mete at this present to deuyse with her counsell, howe some fewe necessarye lawes verye beneficiall for this tyme, myght be duely executed and obserued, as they were meant, to the weale of the Realme, and comfort of her Maiestie. For whiche purpose her Maiestie ge­ueth all maner her subiectes to vnderstande, that lyke as the laste yere a certayne abbreuiat of Statutes was made and publyshed by order of her Counsayle vppon her commaundement, and was by the Iustices of peace in diuers countreys diligently regarded, and in a great part put towardes execution, though in some other partes for lacke of tyme, the same toke not so good effecte:

So her Maiestie chargeth all maner her Iustices and other ministers to whom the same shall belonge, to take in hande agayne theyr former charge geuen to them the last yere, for thexecution of the sayde Statutes, hastenyng theyr assembles for that purpose, nowe in the begynnyng of this Sommer, so as theyr doynges may be certified in such sort as they were commaunded and prescribed the last yeare.

And besydes these, her Maiestie fyndeth lyke cause to haue two other great enormities dayly increasyng in this her Realme to be spedely refourmed, for which there do remayne in force good lawes. The one is, the monstru­ous abuse of Apparell almost in all estates, but principally in the meaner sort. The other is, the decaye and dis­furniture of all kynde of Horses for seruice within the Realme. And because her Maiestie perceaueth, that al­though the lawes be very penall in bothe these cases, yet without some speciall direction geuen for thexecuti­on therof, the reformation wyll not ensue: Her Maiestie hath caused the statutes remaynyng in force for bothe the sayde purposes, to be briefly collected, and presently by this her Proclamation, chargeth all maner her She­ryffes to publyshe the same ioyntly with this Proclamation, and to fyx the same vp in places accustomed.

And for the maner of the spedy execution of the Statutes for Apparell and other enormities incident therto: Her maiestie hath caused certayne good ordinaunces to be deuysed, and accorded by her counsell, whiche also her Ma­iesties pleasure is, to be well regarded, straightly kept and obserued, according to the seuerall limitations therof: wherefore there is good hope conceaued by her Maiestie of a spedie redresse by meanes of the saide good orders. And yf in any poynt of the same statutes or orders, any doubt shall aryse for the vnderstandinge of the same: her Maiestie wylleth that the aduise and aunswere of her priuie counsell be required and folowed. And for the other default tendyng to the decaye of horses within the Realme, which partly ryseth by stealyng and carrying num­bers of Horses, Geldynges, Mares, and Coltes out of the Realme, and by neglectyng the breedyng and kepyng of Horses within the Realme, accordyng to the lawes prouyded.

For redresse of the former part concerning carrying out of Horses out of the Realme: her Maiestie chargeth al maner her subiectes, and others within her Realme, to take knowledge of the lawes nowe publyshed for that purpose, and not to trust in any remission of penalties therfore prouided. For the spedier obseruation whereof, her Maiestie meaneth shortly to directe her seuerall Commissions vnder the greate Seale, to suche partes of her Realme where the conueyaunce hath accustomably been, or hereafter may be, to enquire thereof diligently and streyghtly by order of lawe, and therevpon to proceade sharpely to thexecution, as the cases shall require.

And as to the latter parte tendyng to the decay of breedyng & kepyng of Horses: her Maiestie doth lykewyse charge all maner her subiectes to take knowledge of the lawes remaynyng in force, and nowe publyshed at this present tyme. And for that it is thought by her Maiestie, that the same lawes hath ben by diuers persons so long [Page 51] forgotten, that it wyll seme harde to haue the same spedely put in execution: her Maiestie of her gracious dispo­sition, meaneth to proceade to thexecution therof in this maner folowyng.

Her Maiestie intendeth to direct her seuerall Commissions to special persons in euery countie of the Realme, to enquire by order of lawe, what persons shall not haue before the .xv. of August next. Horses accordyng to the Statute by reason of theyr wyues apparell mentioned in the Statute, and what other persons chargeable to breedyng or kepyng of Horses by force of the Statutes, shall not before the .xv. of December nexte, pertourme the meanyng and intent of the sayde Statutes, aswell for breedyng as kepyng. And for the more certayne exe­cution hereof: her Maiestie also meaneth to cause a speciall vieu to be taken through the Realme in September next. of the numbre inquirable by the foresayde .xv. daye of Auguste, as is aboue expressed: and a lyke muster and vieu to be taken in Ianuarye nexte at one instaunt tyme, both of the same numbre, and of all the rest wherof inquisition shalbe made by the sayde Commission, to be prouyded before the sayde .xv. day of December.

After which views and musters taken: her Maiestie intendeth at euery halfe yere to haue the same seuerely exe­cuted by officers specially appoynted, vntyll the Realme be replenyshed with such number of Horses, as may be well kept and mayntayned for the seruice of the same.

Of all these her Maiesties determinations, tendyng only to the weale, good order, and strength of her Realme: her Maiestie hath thought mete in this playne maner to geue notyce therof by this Proclamation to all maner her subiectes, to auoyde the paynes that otherwyse therof must and shall ensue.

Yeuen at her Maiesties Pallaice of Westminster the .vii. of May, the fourth yere of her hyghnes raigne.