THe Queenes most excellent Maiestie, considering howe within these few yeeres past, and now of late, certaine seditious, & euill disposed persons towards her Maie­stie and the Gouernment established for causes Ecclesiasticall within her Maie­sties Dominions, haue deuised, written, printed, or caused to be seditiously and secretly published and dispersed, sundry schismatical and seditious bookes, diffama­torie Libels, and other fantasticall writings amongst her Maiesties Subiectes, containing in them doctrine very erronious, and other matters notoriously vn­true, and slaunderous to the State, and against the godly reformation of Religion and Gouernement Ecclesiasticall established by Lawe, and so quietly of long [...]t continued, and also against the persons of the Bishoppes, and others placed in authoritie Ecclesiasticall [...]nder her Highnesse by her authoritie, in rayling sorte, and beyond the boundes of all good humanitie: All which Bookes, Libels, and writings tend by their scope, to perswade and bring in a monstrous and apparaunt [...]ngerous Innouation within her dominions and Countries, of all manner Ecclesiasticall Gouernement nowe in vse, and to the abridging, or rather to the ouerthrowe of her Highnesse lawfull Prerogatiue, allowed by Gods lawe, and established by the Lawes of the Realme, and consequently to reuerse, dissolue, and set at Li­bertie the present Gouernment of the Church, and to make a daungerous change of the forme of doctrine, and [...]se of Diuine seruice of God, and the ministration of the Sacraments nowe also in vse, with a rashe and ma­licious purpose also to dissolue the Estate of the Prelacie, beeing one of the three auncient estates of this Realme vnder her Highnesse, whereof her Maiestie mindeth to haue such a reuerend regard, as to their places in the Church and Common wealth appertaineth. All which saide lewde and seditious practises doe directly [...]nd to the manifest wilfull breach of a great number of good Lawes and Statutes of this Realme, inconueni­ences nothing regarded by such Innouations.

In consideration whereof, her Highnesse graciously minding to prouide some good and speedy remedie to with­stand such notable daungerous and vngodly attempts, and for that purpose to haue such enormious malefactors discouered and condignely punished, doeth signifie this her Highnesse misliking and indignation of such daunge­rous and wicked enterprises, and for that purpose doth hereby will, & also straightly charge and commaund, that all persons whatsoeuer, within any her Maiesties Realmes and Dominions, who haue, or hereafter shall haue any of the saide seditious Bookes, Pamphlets, Libels, or Writings, or any of like nature already published, or hereafter to be published, in his or their custodie, containing such matters as aboue are mentioned, against the present Order and Gouernment of the Church of England, or the lawfull Ministers thereof, or against the rites and ceremonies vsed in the Church, and allowed by the Lawes of the Realme: That they, and euery of them doe presently after, with conuenient speede bring in, and deliuer vp the same vnto the Ordinarie of the Diocesse, or of the place where they inhabite, to the intent they may be vtterly defaced by the said Ordinarie, or otherwise vsed by them. And that from hencefoorth no person or persons whatsoever, be so hardie, as to write, contriue, print, or cause to be published or distributed, or to keepe any of the same, or any other Bookes, Libels, or Writings of like nature and qualitie, contrary to the true meaning and intent of this her Maiesties Proclamation. And likewise, that no man hereafter, giue any instruction, direction, fauour, or assistance, to the contriuing, writing, printing, publishing, or dispersing of the same, or such like Bookes, Libelles, or Writings whatsoeuer, as they tender her Maiesties good fauour, will auoyde her high displeasure, and as they will answere for the contrary at their vt­termost perils: and vpon such further paines and penalties, as by the Lawe any way may be inflicted vpon the offendors, in any of these behalfes, as persons mainteining such seditious actions, which her Maiestie mindeth to haue seuerally executed. And if any person haue had knowledge of the Authours, Writers, Printers, or dis­persers thereof, that shall within one moneth after the publication hereof, discouer the same to the Ordinarie of the place where he had such knowledge, or to any of her Maiesties priuie Counsell: the same person shall not for his former concealement be hereafter molested or troubled.

Giuen at her Maiesties Pallace of Westminster, the xiii. of Februarie, 1588. In the xxxi. yeere of her Highnesse reigne.

God saue the Queene.