THough it be manifest, that the kinges maiesty & his most honorable coū sail, haue bene most careful in the deuising & setting furth of remedies, for such disordres as long time haue bene, & daylye growe within thys realme, wherin beside their trauaill, his highnes specially to declare in effect the earnest desire he hath toward the relief of his good subiectes, & commune wealth, hath geuen ouer the reuenue & profites of his mintes whiche was of no smal importaunce toward the maintenaunce of hys royal astate. Yet al this notwithstanding, the malice of wicked menne doth somuch reigne, that whatsoeuer lawes, proclamations, or ordres, be deuised, it booteth so litle, that the thinges for the most part, doe rather dayly empaire then amende. Wherefore, seing that these ordres cānot with gentle procedinges take place, his highnes must of necessite against thobstinate disobedience of those wicked subiectes, vse such strong remedies as their vnreasonable, and froward doinges do re­quire. And bycause a great part of thoccasiō of y^e derth of thinges, hath growē vpon thalteration of the coine which was done in the time of king Henry the .viij. of most famous memory, & so continued .v. or vj yeres. The kinges maiestie tendering more his common wealth, then his owne profit, hath not only geuē ouer the reuenue of his mintes, as is aforesaid, but also hath now of late, begon to bring the coine to a perfection, hauing altered a great part of it, and entending to reduce the rest into fine siluer and golde, according to a proclamation lately set furth touching the ordre of that matter. This notwithstanding, diuers and sondry couetous merchauntes, some gredy Goldsmithes, and other like, haue contrary to the sayd proclamation, enhaunced the prices both of gold, and siluer, farre aboue thordre appoincted by his highnes, insomuche that some haue not bene ashamed, opēly to buy & sel Angelles & other coines, farre a­boue the values rated in the sayd proclamation, not only to the great & heinous contempte of his high­nes most royall prerogatiue, aucthorite and commaundement, but also to the merueilous hinderaunce & detriment of the whole cōmon wealth, for the which his highnes hath presently caused certeine of thoffē ­dours to be opēly punished, according to their demerites, and entendeth hencefurth to pardon none that shalbe found faulty in that behalf. Wherefore his highnes hath determined, this ones by proclamation to admonish his people again, that no maner of persō be so hardy, as to buy, or to sel, either gold, or siluer at higher, or other price, thē by the last proclamatiō is limited: or to geue, or take, for any maner of coine, of gold, or siluer currant within this realme, more, or lesse, then by his maiesties proclamations are ap­poincted, vpon payne not only of forfaioture of the same coine, but also that the party so offending, shal susteyne open punishment, and abide suche fine as shal please his highnes.

And further, where it is prohibited▪ by diuers lawes & proclamatiōs, that no mā shal either melt doune, cul out, batter, or wilfully breke, any maner of y^e kinges maiesties coines, to thintēt to sel it, & that no ma­ner of persō, cōuey any maner of money, gold, or siluer out of this realme, into any forein partes, or domi­nions: his highnes doth streightly charge & cōmaund, al maner of persons frō hence furth to haue such regard therunto, as their allegiaunce and the common wealth of his realmes & dominions, do require. For the better and more assured execution wherof, his highnes geueth knowlege, that what person soe­uer, whether he be prentise, seruant, or other̄, that shal geue information, and be able sufficiently to proue any mā from hence furth an offendour▪ in any of these poinctes before rehersed, or if the buyer, wil in thys case accuse the seller, or if the conueyer of any Money, Gold or siluer, into any foreyne partes, that accuse the sender, or owner, thei and euery of them, by whome the said offences shalbe knowen, shal haue for their reward, the fourth part of the Money, Gold or Siluer, by thē discouered, to be bought, sold, molten doune or conueyed in forme aforesayd, and further, suche thanckes and reward, as their trouthe & good will to­warde thexecution of these reformations shal deserue. And so his highnes, straightlye chargeth & com­maundeth, al Mayors, Shiriffes, Iustices, Bayliffes, & al other his highnes ministers, and subiectes, to haue a special eye and regard to this matter, as they wil auoyde his maiesties high indignation, and displeasure. Yeouen at our palace of Westminstre the .xxi. day of Decembre, the .v. yere of our reigne.

God saue the King