WHereas by the auncient treaties of entrecourses, which from time to time haue bene renewed betweene the Queenes Maiestie our most gracious soueraigne Lady, and diuers of her highnes most noble progenitors, Kings of this Realme, and the Princes and Lordes of the lowe Countries, it hath bene alwaies agreed and thought meete, for the wealth and profit of them both, that there should be a mutuall and free traficke & trade betweene the mar­chants of both the Countries: And thereupon hath ensued be­tweene them, and the marchants of the Staple of England, in their staple marchandises, a continuall traficke, and namely in wooll and wooll felles, for the drapery of sundry of their Towns there, which through the great troubles, and ciuill warres lately had in the sayd low Coun­tries, hath bene of late something discontinued, all passages being either stopped by the ene­mie, or so full of daunger, as no trade could be conueniently had into those partes, without great perill of losse of the whole aduentures, which impediments are now remoued (thanks be to God) in the best and most commodious places of the said Countries, for the sayd tra­ficke the countries of Holland and Zealand being in good peace and quiet, without any feare or danger of new troubles to fall amongst them, And therefore the people of the said coun­tries are desirous to renew their former olde trade, for thr which the States of those coun­tries haue solicited and sued to her Maiestie by their letters and messengers: The Queenes most excellent Maiestie, of her great clemencie and godly disposition, hauing great commi­seration and pitie of the afflictions and miseries of the subiects of those parts, and in respect thereof, and of the said humble request, and being credibly informed, that it is commodious and not vnprofitable for the state of this her Maiesties common weale, to recontinue the an­nent anutie and entrecourse with her said neighbours of the lowe Countries. And that through and by the discontinuance of the sayd trade of the marchants of the Staple of late yeeres, all wooll felles, aswell marchantable as others, haue beene and are altogether pul­led and the wooll thereof for the most part, wrought by strangers here in England, into sun­dry new and vnnecessary deuises not profitable for the Realme: Her Maiestie therefore by the aduise of her most honourable priuie Counsell, intending to preuent those mischiefes, and to prouide remedy for the premisses, as also being willing to satisfie and relieue the sayd sub­iects of the lowe Countries, and to auoyde diuers other inconueniences that may grow and ensue, if the inordinate pulling of marchantable wooll fels should not be restrained, straight­ly chargeth and commaundeth, that from Shroue Tuesday next comming after the date hereof, and so yerely from that day commonly called Shroue Tuesday, as it shall fall, vntill the last day of Iune yerely following, no maner of person of persons, vpon paine of her Maiesties indignation, displeasure and imprisonment, and further punishment at her High­nesse pleasure, by any wayes, arte, or meanes, directly or indirectly, shall pull or clippe, or cause to be pulled or clipped, any maner of wooll fell, commonly called Marchantable or Staple felles, accustomed heretofore to be dryed for the marchants of the Staple, but that all the same marchantable and Staple felles, falling by slaughter or otherwise, from the sayd Shroue Tuesday vntill the last day of Iune yeerely bee dryed, according to the forme and true meaning of this Proclamation. And for the better execution hereof, her Maiestie by the aduise aforesaid, straightly chargeth and commaundeth all and singuler her Iustices of the peace, Maiors, Sherifes, Baylifes and other head officers, of any Counties or Shires within the Realme, aswell within liberties as without, not onely as much as in them lieth, to see this present Proclamation truely executed, but also if any person bee justly accused be­fore him or them, for contemning or breaking this Proclamation, or any part thereof, they shall commit such party to warde, there to remaine without bayle or mainprise, till her Ma­iesties and her most honourable Counsels pleasure be further knowen. Prouided alwayes, that if beefore the first day of August, euery yeere yerely, all such marchantable wooll felles be not bought by the marchants of the Staple, that then it shall be lawfull for the Felmon­gers, Glouers, and other persons, to pull all such felles as shalbe then remaining and vn­bought of the former yeeres growth, any thing in this present Proclamation to the contrary notwithstanding, And this Proclamation to continue during her Maiesties pleasure.

Giuen at her Maiesties Palace of Westminster, the xxviii. day of February, in the one and twentieth yeere of her Raigne.

God saue the Queene.