THE Queenes Maiestie is crediblie enformed, that sundrie persons of good wealth and calling, hauing their habitation within sundrie Shires borde­ring vpon the Sea coast, haue of late time departed from their saide houses, and part of them withdrawen themselues from their houses on the Sea coastes, and some other part out of the Maritime Counties into Inlande Countreis, and manie of them to the Citie of London, or to places neere a­bout, whereby not onelie the accustomed hospitalitie in those places, but spe­ciallie the habilitie and strength for defence of those Countries are notablie decayed: Whereof her Maiestie, in respect of her Roiall estate and dignitie, to whom the speciall charge hereof belongeth, cannot but giue order, and prouide speedie remedie for the same. And therefore, her Maiestie chargeth and commandeth, vpon paine of her Highnesse indignation, besides such forfeiture of their landes and goods, as iustlie by her authoritie Royall they may incurre, that euerie person of [...] degree, which hath within these two yeeres next passed before the last feast of Michaelmas, had habita­tion in anie Countie that bordereth vpon the Sea, shall, if he be there, so continue his habitation: and if he haue remoued from his said habitation to anie place more distant from the Sea within the said two yeeres, than he shall (except he be alreadie restrained by authoritie to continue in some places certaine) without delay returne to his saide former habitation, and within one moneth after the publication hereof in the saide Coun­ties, shall stable his houshold in the same former place, with such number of seruants, or mo, as before time were there kept. And because it may so happen, that by great sickenesse, or by imprisonment, or such like vnuolun­tarie or vnfained impediment, this her maiesties commaundement cannot be so speedilie performed as her Maiestie desireth: Her pleasure is, that no excuse shall be allowed as anie iust cause for not performance here­of, but such as shall be within the said moneth duelie certified to anie of her Maiesties Lieutenants of the same place, or in their absence to their Deputies, and by them also certified to her Maiestie, or to her priuie Coun­sell, to be allowed, or for some time tollerated, and so the parties to receiue knowledge of the allowance or tolle­ration from the Lieutenants vnder their handwriting.

Furthermore, her Maiestie findeth cause, that all maner of persons, that either are Iustices of peace in any countreys, or that haue any Stewardshippes of any of her Maiesties Honors, Hundreds, or Manours, or the rule of any of her Tenants, or that be appointed to any charge either of footemen or horsemen in any Countie of the Realme, and that now are either at London, or Westminster, or any place neere thereunto, either by co­lour of suites in Lawe or otherwise to soiourne thereabouts, or remoued to any place from their most usuall place of dwelling, shall within twentie dayes after the publication hereof depart home to their former habita­tions, except they be such as are Officers necessarily to attend in any of her Maiesties Courtes at Westmin­ster, or that their absence shalbe allowed vpon causes to be thought reasonable by any sixe of the Lords or o­thers of the priuie Counsel, and that allowance or toleration to be deliuered to any such person so to be excu­sed, in writing. And if any such person as is aforesayd, shall haue cause by Proces or otherwise to attend vpon any her Maiesties courtes at Westminster, her Maiesties pleasure is, that the Iudges of the Court shal so di­rect their causes, as they may answere by their atturneys, or els to adiourne their apparances vnto the next Terme, or otherwise so to giue expedition, as they may depart to their Countreys without cause or excuse. And this her Maiestie commandeth to be without fraude obserued vpon pain of Imprisonment, and such fine as according to the qualities of the offence shalbe thought good for the breach of her Maiesties commande­ment, tending to the publique seruice of the whole Realme.

Giuen at Richmond the second day of Nouember, in the nine and twentieth yeere of our Raigne.

God saue the Queene.