THe Quenes Maiestie being in good and perfect peace with all Princes & Coun­treys, and meanyng, with the assistaunce of almightie God, to continue in the same: Hath thought conuenient, accordyng to the treatise of peace betwixte her Maiestie and other Princes her neyghbours, for auoydyng of sundry offen­ces vpon the Seas, to notifie to her Subiectes certayne Articles to be by them obserued, the lyke wherof, her Maiestie vnderstandeth are ment for the same purpose to be published and obserued on the part of the kynges and princes her neighbours.

Fyrst her Maiestie strayghtly commaundeth, that all maner of shyppes and [...] armed for the warre, and beyng nowe vpon the Seas, shall with all spede retourne from the Seas, and disarme themselues, except they be such as haue alredy geuen good and sufficient suertie not to offende any of the Subiectes of the Kynges and Princes with whom her Maiestie is in amitie, vpon payne to be ac­ [...]pted as breakers of the common peace, and to be punyshed with all seueritie.

Secondly, that no maner of shippes or vesselles be suffred from henceforth to go out of any Port or Creeke, without good and sufficient suertie first geuen in the Court of the Admiraltie, or to the principall officers of the Portes, accordyng to the auncient good order heretofore vsed, for not offendyng of any maner of person beyng in peace with her Maiestie, except such vesselles as shalbe prepared by Marchauntes, well knowen only for the exercisyng of marchaundizes, or for fysshyng, or to make ordinary passages of persons, or such as [...]albe specially appoynted by her Maiestie (yf cause shall so require) to be armed and passe to the Seas, for clearyng of the same from pirates or rouers, vpon payne that whatsoeuer officers of any Portes shall suffer or ayde any maner of person to do to the contrary, the same officers or ministers to be taken as breakers of the common peace, and the offendours them selues to be vsed as pirates.

Thirdly, her Maiestie strayghtly chargeth and commaundeth, that no maner person shall receiue directly or indirectly, any maner of pirates or rouers vpon the Seas, excepte it be without fraude to arrest and ap­prehende them, nor that they shall succour any of them with victuals, money, apparell, for them selues or theyr vesselles, or any other thyng whatsoeuer, vpon payne to be taken, vsed, and punyshed as abbettours and maynteyners of the sayde pirates. And for the reliefe of such as shal chaunce to be robbed or spoyled by any Pirates, and for the recouery of theyr goodes, with the least charges, and in most spedy maner that may [...] Her Maiestie doth order and commaunde, that where any pirates or rouers vpon the Sea, shall come in­t [...] any Port or Creeke, that there vpon the fyrst arryuall of them, arrest shalbe made forthwith of the per­sons ves [...]elles and goodes, & lykewyse a perfect Inuentory of the same goodes, with theyr markes, qualities, and quantities. Of all whiche there shalbe, by the officers of the Port where the sayde Pirates shall aryue, [...] vnto them at the least fiue or sixe persons mete to be witnesses) due certificat made vnder the hands [...] common seales of the sayde officers, and subscribed by the handes or markes of the sayde witnesses, and [...] same so in good fourme made and sealed, shalbe closed vp & sent the next day after the arrest made, with­out delay, by the officers of the port which haue made the arrest, to the iudge of the Admiraltie, or to his de­putie, resident in the Citie of London, conteynyng therin the tyme and place of the sayd arrest. And the said Iudge or his deputie shall receiue the same, takyng an othe of the messenger that he hath made neither alte­ration nor disclosyng of the sayde certificat. And shall further cause the same certificat to be safely kepte, to [...]nde that such persons as shall come to complayne and seke for restitution, may exhibite to the said Iudge or his deputie, theyr proues of theyr claymes, and so thereafter as it shall seme probable that the goodes do [...]long to the complaynantes, the same to be sent to the places where theyr goodes shalbe, to recouer the [...]ame by order of lawe, as the proues shall fall out. And the sayde Iudge or his deputie, shall reasonably and [...]auourably assesse and geue order what the parties spoyled shall pay for the charges of bryngyng the said cer­ [...]ificat, hauyng therof before taken knowledge of the same by the messenger. And further it is ordered, for auoydyng of certayne vnlawefull exactions, whereof complayntes haue ben lately made, that no maner of [...]fficer▪ nor other person, shall haue any allowaunce made vnto them, by retaynyng to them selues of any of [...]he goodes and marchaundizes taken, but only in redy money for theyr charges or dueties for theyr labours or any other thynges done for the recouery or preseruation of the sayde goodes. Finally to auoyde certaine [Page] fraudes whereof complaynt hath also ben made of officers and others, seasyng the goodes brought in by pi­rates, and sellyng of them spedely vnder theyr valure, for theyr owne lucre: Her Maiestie ordereth & straight­lye commaundeth, that no maner of person be suffred to make price or sale, or to disperse abrode any parte of the wares or commodities that shalbe brought to any portes by any pyrates or rouers, or by any other that shall haue taken them vpon the Sea from any pyrates or rouers, duryng the space of .vi. monethes, from the tyme that the same wares and cōmodities shalbe so brought into the port, vpon payne that whoso­euer shall within the sayde space do the contrary, shalbe taken and ordered as a fautour of the sayde piracye, except it shalbe in such cases as the sayde wares or some part therof, shalbe without fraude iudged by the of­ficers of the port, with the consent of .iiii. or .vi. other honest persons of good behauiour and vnderstanding, to be of such nature as they cannot be preserued so longe tyme without corruption or notoryous detryment: In which case, the same shalbe prised in the next market place if any be neare, or els in some other open place, by the othes of .vi. honest descrete persons at the least, and so after open proclamation made in three seuerall places of the sayde port, to be put to sale within twelue houres after the last proclamation, to the best pryce that can be obteyned for the same. And that good sureties be geuen to the head offycers of the port, for the aunsweryng of asmuch in value to such persons as shal afterwarde make title and proues to the same, vpon the sayd title approued good by order of lawe: of which sureties the sayd offycers shal take good regarde, that therein be no fraude nor deceipt vsed, as they wyll aunswere thereunto. And for all other good meanes to withstande the offences vpon the Seas, or to make spedy and fauourable administration of Iustice to al ma­ner of persons that shall make pursuite therefore: Her Maiestie geueth strayght charge, and therewith also requyreth all maner her officers, ministers, and good subiectes, to haue regarde to the execution of all other auncient lawes and orders heretofore made, deuised, or vsed to this intent, and them to reuyue and put in ex­ecution as they shall se cause, and as they wyll aunswere if they shalbe charged with the contrary: Wherein her Maiestie intendeth heareafter to vse some seueritie in the fauour of Iustice, and for the satisfaction of her Alyes and confederates, of whom she is promised for her Subiectes, to haue the like fauour to all pur­poses and intentes.

Yeuen at Her Maiesties Manour of Enfield the last day of Iuly. 1564. in the .vi. yere of her hyghnes raigne.

God saue the Quene.