WHereas the cuſtody and ſafe keeping of our ſeuerall Counties and Shires of our Realme of England, are by our ancient Commonlawes committed to ſeuerall Shiriffes, being ancient Conſeruators of the Peace, and Miniſters of Iuſtice within the ſame, who by force of their Offices may aſſemble, and take the power and ſtrength of our ſayd Counties and Shires committed to their charge, not onely for the due execution of Iuſtice, but alſo for the preſeruation of our Peace, and the ſpeedy and timely diſſolution and ſuppreſſing of all Inſurrections, Rebellions, outragious Riots, Routes, and other exorbitant and vnlawfull aſſemblies, to the end that ſuch dangerous attempts might bee ſuppreſſed in their beginnings, and our louing Subiects liue and exerciſe their ſeueral vocations in al peace and plentie; The good effect of the execution of which Lawes hath well appeared, in that the moſt deteſtable and diabolicall Rebellion of Percy and his Complices in our Counties of Warwicke, Worceſter, and Stafford, (that had bene ſo ſecretly contriued, and ſo long in hatching) was by the peaceable Miniſters of our Lawes, and by due execution of their Offices, without any extraordinary power or forces, moſt loyally, reſolutely, and ſpeedily ſuppreſſed: And whereas ſome queſtion or ſcruple hath bene (as wee are enformed) mooued amongſt ſome of the vulgar, Whether any of our Sheriffes may, with the Power of their ſeuerall Counties or Shires, in purſuit of Rebels and Traitours, follow them into any other County, Albeit by the Lawes of this Realme, Sheriffes, as it falleth out in dayly experience, in priuate caſes betweene party and party (matters of no ſuch eminent and publike danger and conſequence as this is) iuſtly and lawfully doe the like, whereof Wee preſume few or none can be ignorant: Yet Wee meaning to giue ſatiſfaction to all, doe hereby publiſh and declare, That ſuch purſuit of Rebels and Traitors into other Counties, is not onely in ſuch caſes lawfull and iuſtifiable, But, that if any of our Subiects being thereunto required by any of our Sheriffes, ſhall not follow and aſſiſt them in ſuch purſuit, that they are to bee ſeuerely and ſharpely puniſhed for their high contempt and offence in that behalfe.

But if in ſuch purſuite the Sheriffe of the ſame Countie or Shire (whereunto ſuch Rebels or Traytors ſhal flye or eſcape) ſhall alſo come with the power of his Countie before ſuch Rebels or Traytors bee apprehended or ſuppreſſed, Then the Sheriffe ſo purſuing from any other Countie or Shire ſhall aſſiſt and ioyne with the Sheriffe in his proper Countie or Shire, for the apprehenſion or ſuppreſſing of ſuch Rebels and Traitors. And it ſuch Rebels or Traytors ſhall flie or eſcape into any houſe or other place of ſtrength and defence, and ſhall not yeeld themſelues being thereunto required by the Sheriffe or any of his companie that ſo ſhall purſue them, but obſtinately and wilfully make reſiſtance, That then it ſhall be lawfull for euery ſuch Sheriffe ſo purſuing with ſuch power and ſtrength, as he ſhall collect, or ſhall aſſiſt him, to beate downe, burne, or otherwiſe waſt any ſuch houſe or place of defence for the better apprehenſion or ſuppreſſing of ſuch Rebels and Traytors. And albeit we deſire that ſuch induſtrie and care may be taken, as that ſuch offendors may be apprehended aliue, Yet wee let it be knowen, that if otherwiſe through their rebellious obſtinacy and reſiſtance, ſuch Rebellion cannot be ſuppreſſed; That it ſhall be lawfull and iuſtifiable in thoſe caſes of neceſſitie, for the Sheriffe and his Company aſſiſting him, to kill and deſtroy ſuch Traytors and Rebels. And as the faithfull endeuours of our louing Subiects with ſuch alacrity as they haue ſhewed in this late Rebellion, is very acceptable vnto vs; So if in any ſuch caſe any perſon or perſons ſhall vnder pretence of our publique ſeruice, maliciouſly and vniuſtly ſeeke to reuenge any priuate quarrell, We let them know that they ſhall not eſcape without ſeuere and condigne puniſhments according to their demerits in that behalfe.