FOrasmuche as the kynges Maiestie, the Lorde Protectors grace, and the rest of his priuie Counsaill, hath been aduertised and put in remembraunce, aswell by diuerse supplicacions, and pitifull com­plaintes, of his Maiesties poore subiectes, as also by other, wise and discrete men, hauyng care to the good ordre of the realme, that of late by the inclosyng of landes and arable groundes, in diuerse and sun­dery places of this realme, many haue been driuen to extreme pouer­tie, and compelled to leaue the places where thei were borne, and to seke them liuynges in other countreis, with greate miserie and pouertie: Insomuche, that where as in tyme past. x.xx. yea, in some place. C. or CC. christian people, hath been inhabityng and kept houshold to the bryngyng furthe and norishyng of youthe, and to the replenishyng and fulfillyng, of his Maie­sties realmes with faithfull subiectes, who might serue bothe almightie God, and the kynges maiestie to the defence of this realme, now there is nothyng kepte, but shepe or bullockes: All that lande whiche heretofore was tilled and occupied with so many men, and did bryng furthe not onely diuerse families in worke and labor, but also Capōs, Hennes, Chikons, Pigges and other suche furniture of the Mer­kettes, is now gotten by insaciable gredines of mynde, into one or twoo mennes handes, and scarsely dwelled vpon with one poore Shephard: So that the realme thereby, is brought to a meruelous de­solacion, houses decayed, parishes diminished, the force of the realme weakened, and Christian people by the gredy coueteousnes of some men, eaten vp and deuoured of brute beastes, and driuen from their houses by Shepe and Bullockes. And that although of the same thing, many and sundery complain­tes and lamentacions, hath been heretofore made, and by the moste wise and discrete Princes, his ma­iesties father and grandfather, the kynges of moste famous memorie, kyng Henry the. VII, and kyng Henry the. VIII, with the consent and assent of the lordes spirituall and temporall, in diuerse Parlia­mentes assembled, diuerse and sundery lawes and actes of Parliaments, and moste Godly ordinaun­ces, in their seuerall tymes hath been made for the remedy thereof: Yet the insaciable coueteousnes of men, doth not cease daily to encroche hereupon, and more and more to waste the realme, after this sorte bryngyng arable groundes into pastures, and lettyng houses, whole families, and Copiholdes to fall doune, decaie, and bee waste: Wherefore, his highnes is greatly moued, bothe with a pitifull and ten­dre zeale to his moste louyng subiectes, and specially to the poore, whiche, is mynded to labor and tra­uaill for their liuyng, and not to liue an Idle and loyteryng life: and of a moste necessarie regarde, to the suertie and defence of his realme, whiche muste bee defended against the enemie, with force of menne, and the multitude of true Subiectes, not with flockes of Shepe, and droues of Beastes: And further is aduertised, that by the vngodly and vncharitable meanes aforesaied, the saied Shepe and Oxen, beyng brought into a fewe mennes handes, a greate multitude of them beyng together, and so made greate droues and flockes, aswell by naturall reason, as also as it maie bee iustlie thought, by the due ponishement of God, for suche vncharitablenes: greate Rottes and Muttins, bothe of Shepe and Bullockes, hath lately been sent of God, and scen in this realme, the whiche should not by all rea­son so sone fall, if the same wer disparsed into diuerse mennes handes, and the said catell also, by all like­lihode of truthe should be more chepe, beyng in many mennes handes, then as thei be now in fewe, who maie hold them dere, and tary their auauntage of the Merket: And therefore, by thaduise of his moste entierly beloued vncle, the Duke of Somerset Gouernor of his persone, and Protector of all his real­mes, [Page] Dominions, and Subiectes, and the rest of his Maiesties priuie counsaill, hath waied moste de­pely all the saied thynges: And vpon the foresaied consideracions, and of a Princely desire and zeale, to se that Godly lawes, made with great trauaill and approued by experience, and by the wise heddes, in the tyme of the saied moste prudent Princes, should not be made in vain, but put in vre and execucion, hath appoynted, accordyng to the said Actes and Proclamaciōs, a view and enquirie to be made, of all suche as contrary to the saied Actes and Godly ordinaunces, hath made Enclosures and Pastures, of that whiche was arable ground, or let any House, Tenement, or Mese decaye, and fall doune, or other­wise committed or doen any thyng to the contrary: of the good and wholsome articles, conteined in the saied Actes: And therfore willeth and commaundeth, all his louyng subiectes, who knoweth any such defaultes and offences, contrary to the wealthe and proffite of this realme of Englande, and the saied Godly lawes and Actes of Parliament, doen and committed by any persone, whosoeuer he or thei bee, to insinuate and geue informacion of the offence, to the kynges Maiesties Commissioners, who be ap­poynted to here the same, so truly and faithfully, that neither for fauour nor feare, thei omitte to tell the truthe of any, nor for displeasure name any man, who is not giltie thereof: That a conuenient and spe­die reformacion, might bee made herein, to the honor of God, and the kynges Maiestie, and the wealth and benefite of the whole realme.

God saue the Kyng.