THE Queenes moste excellent Maiestie, beyng credibly enfourmed that many vagaboundes, roges, idle persons, and maisterlesse men, hauyng nothyng to liue on, do dayly resort to the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Sub­urbes of the same, and also to the Borough of Southwarke, and other Villa­ges and Townes neare adioynyng to the sayd Cities and Borough, and there are suffered to lyue very disorderly: by occasion whereof, many robberies, and fellonies, and other horrible crimes and offences be committed and done, to the hygh displeasure of almyghtie God, and to the great hurt of her good and lo­uyng Subiectes. The cheefe occasion whereof, seemeth to be the want of the good execution of the good Lawes and Statutes, made for the punyshment of suche maisterlesse men, idle, and v [...]grant persons wherfore her Maiestie, myndyng with some seueritie presently to haue the sayd good Lawes [...] Statutes alredy prouided agaynst suche persons, to be duely put in execution, hath thought good by this her Proclamation, to notifie the same her hyghnes pleasure, to al her louyng Subiectes: and therfore dooth [...]ly charge and commaund, al persons that by the Lawes of this Realme may be taken for roges or vaga­boundes, and al idle persons, and maisterlesse men, not hauyng wherwith to lyue on, nor lyuyng by any lawful labour or occupation, and beyng her naturall borne Subiectes, that they and euery of them, doo within two dayes next after the publishyng of this Proclamation, departe and auoyde themselues from the sayde Cities of London and Westminster, and Suburbes of the same, and from the Borough of Southwarke, and all other Townes and Villages within seuen myles compasse of the sayde Cities and Borough, and from thence to re­pay [...] to the countreyes and places where they were borne, and there to tarry and abyde in some lawfull worke and exercise, as they ought to do, vpon the paynes and penalties limitted and expressed in the Lawes and Sta­tutes prouided agaynst such offenders. And her Maiesties further pleasure and expresse commaundement is, that the Maior, Aldermen, and Recorder of the sayde Citie of London, and all Iustices of Peace within the Counties of Middlesex, Kent, Surrey, and Essex, and specially al those Iustices that be within the limittes a­forsayde, that they and euery of them, as they wyl auoyde her hyghnesse displeasure, do from tyme to tyme, as occasion shal serue, cause good watch to be set, and searche to be made, in al places where they shal thynke con­uenient, for the apprehendyng, arrestyng, & takyng of al such idle vagarant persons, and maisterlesse men, and that they cause the same with al speede to be imprisoned, & duely punished, according to the tenor and effect of her Maiesties Lawes and Statutes in suche cases prouided, without any tolleration or fauour whatsoeuer to be shewed vnto any of them. And her Maiestie dooth also specially charge and commaund the sayde Maior, Alder­men, and Recorder of London, and all Iustices of Peace, Bailiffes of Liberties and Fraunchises within the sayd Cities, Townes, and limittes, that they and euery of them, within the limittes of their iurisdictions, doo from tyme to tyme cause good searche to be made, as wel in al common tablyng houses, Innes, Alehouses, and typplyng houses, as also in al bowlyng Alleyes, and other places where any gamyng or play is vsed and fre­quented, and there to apprehende and take such suspected persons, beyng maisterlesse men, of euyl name & fame, not hauyng wherwithal to mainteyne their idle lyfe, and the same so apprehended and taken, to commit to pri­son, there to remayne, vntyl they shal receyue such punishment and correction, as by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme is and shalbe due vnto them. And her highnesse is further pleased and contented, that the Ma­ior of the sayde Citie of London, shal haue power and aucthoritie from tyme to tyme, to proclaime and publishe this present Proclamation in all places within the sayde Citie and Suburbes, so often as to hym shall seeme needeful and conuenient.

Geuen at her Maiesties honour of Hampton Court, the .xiiii. day of December. 1576. in the .xix. yeere of her hyghnesse raigne.

God saue the Queene.