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By the Queene.
Elizabeth I
Printer's Ornament
Printer's Ornament
Printer's Ornament
A Proclamation for the ſuppreſsing of ſeditious
Books and Libelles.
T
he Queenes moſt excellent Maieſtie being giuen to underſtand that diuers falſe,
ſlanderous, wicked, ſeditious and trayterous bookes and libelles, are couertly and
in ſecret maner diſperſed through this Realme, by diuers ſeditious and trayterous
perſons, tending not onely to the defacing of true Religion now eſtabliſhed within
theſe her highneſſe dominions, but alſo moſt traiterouſly & iniuriouſly to ſlander the
preſent moſt happie & quiet gouernement, with crueltie and extraordinaire maner of
proceedings in the due execution of iuſtice, and withall, moſt deteſtably and ſlann‐
derouſly to reproche her moſt renoumed and deare father, the dishonour or note
whereof, doth and cannot but touch her ſelfe, as neere as her Highneſſe owne life,
and ſo ſhee taketh it: In ſome of which their moſt ſhamefull, infamous, and deteſtable libelles, they goe about to re‐
proche, diſhonour and touch with abominable lycs (as is well knowne to the whole Realme) not onely many of her
moſt truſtie and faithfull Counſellers, but alſo her Highneſſe Judges and miniſters of the lawe, greatly touching
thereby her Highneſſe ſelfe in her Regall and kingly office, as making choyſe of men of want both of iuſtice, care, and
other ſusfficiencie to ſerue her Highneſſe and the common weale. And further, in the ſayd books and libelles, they bſe
all the meanes, driftes, and falſe perſwaſions they can deuiſe or imagine, to aduaunce ſuch pretended titles, as conſe‐
quently muſt be moſt daungerous and preiudiciall to the ſafetie of her Highneſſe perſon and ſtate, (which the Lorde
long preſerue.) Her higneſſe foreſeeing, that the authors and diſperſers of the ſaide books and libelles, doe by theſe
Wicked and indirect meanes, ſeeke moſt trayterouſly to render and make both her Highneſſe, and her moſt gratious
gourmement, odious and hatefull both abroade and at home: And hauing of late founde by plaine and manifeſt
means and proofes, that their purpoſe and chiefe intent, to bring in obloquie & hatred, her Maieſties principall No‐
ble men, Counſellers, Judges and miniſters of Juſtice, is (as much as in them lieth) to ſlaunder, impeach, and deface
her Maieſties moſt happie gouernement, and there upon to breede ſome troubles within this Realme, whereby their
unnatural, deuilliſh, and trayterous practiſes both againſt her Maieſtie their naturall Soueraigne, and the Realme
their owne natiue countrey, may take their deſired effect: hath therefore thought meete, that ſome order ſhould be pre‐
ſently taken, for the preuenting & ſuppreſſing of ſuch miſchiefes, as otherwiſe through ignorance of the trueth might
enſure thereby. And therefore her Highneſſe doeth by this her Maieſties proclamation ſtraightly charge and com‐
maund, that all ſuch perſonbs to whole handes any of the ſaide bookes or libelles, either hath come, or ſhall hereafter
at any time come, do preſently with all conuenient ſpeede, without ſhewing the ſame to any perſon, deliuer it to ſome
one of her Highneſſe priuie Counſel, if any ſuch be within twentie miles. And if it be aboue that diſtance of miles from
the Court, then to the
Cuitos Rotulorum
, or to his Deputie of the ſame Shite, where the partie ſhall be, that hath or
ſhal have any ſuch booke or libel, and the ſame
Cuitos Rotulorum
or his Deputie, to whoſe handes any ſuch booke
or libel ſhall come, ſhall preſently & ſafely ſend the ſame to the Lordes of her Maieſties moſt honourable priuie Coun‐
ſell. And leaſt that any euill diſpſed and affected perſon ſhould maliciouſly and unduetifully make any wrong or ſi‐
niſter conſtruction of this her Maieſties meaning towards ſuch as mooued with that duetie and reuerence that ap‐
pertaineth, ſhall make deliuery of any the ſayd Bookes and libelles, her Highneſſe pleaſure is, and ſo doeth hereby ſig‐
to all her , that they any of them ſhall be moleſted, impeached, or troubled for the having of
of any of the ſayd Bookes of libels, so as they doo deliver the ſame according to the & true meaning
of this preſent proclamation, and ſo as it do appeare that they haue bene no ſetters foorth, diſpersers, mainteiners
of any of the ſayde bookes on libelles. And in caſe any of the ſayde parties that cyther hath, or at any time
Hereafter ſhal haue any of the ſayd bookes on libelles, ſhal not make deliuery thereof in sort as is before specified: Then
her Highneſſe further pleaſure and repreſſe commaundement is, that the partie or parties ſo offending, ſall be com‐
mitted to perſon, there to remaine without baile or maynepriſe, untill order ſhalbe taken by the Lordes of her Ma‐
iesties printe counſel, for the proceeding againſt ſuch offenders for ſuch their offence, according to the nature and qua‐
of the saſd offence. And her Maiesties further pleaſure is, that all Marchantes, maſters of Shippes, officers
of , or any other that ſhalbe bringer into this Realme of any the ſayde ſeditious bookes or libelles, or a diſperſer
of the ſame, or shaſ hereafter be any way prune to the making, bringing in, or diſperſing of them, or any of them, and
ſhall not immediatly diſcouer ſuch offender or offenders to the next Juſtice of the peace where ſuch offence ſhall be
offenders, whereby the offenders may be apprehended, and brought to be forthcomming to receiue ſuch puniſh‐
ment as his ſayd offense ſhal deſerue: That then ſuch perſon or perſons ſo offending, ſhalbe committed to priſon, there
to remayne without bayle or mainepriſe as aforeſayd, untill he be proceeded on according to Juſtice. And for the bet‐
ter execution of the ſayd Proclamation, her Maiestie is pleaſed, that all ſuch perſons as ſhall detect any of the ſayd
offenders, whereby they may be forthcomming to receiue condigne puniſhment according to their demerits, ſhall
haue the moytie of ſuch forfaitures and penalties, as ſhalbe layde or ifnlicted upon ſuch offenders ſo by them detected,
for ſuch their offences. And in caſe any Maior, Justice of peace, or other publique and inferiour officer ſhall be found
remiſſe in the due execution of the ſayd Proclamation, that then the ſayd partie or parties ſo offending, ſhall alſo be
produced before the ſayd Lordes, to receiue puniſhment for that contempt and remiſſeries bled in that behalf, in ſuch
that as ſhal appertayne to the nature and quality of the ſame offence. Giuen at her Maiesties Honour of Hampton
court , the twelfth day of October, in the five and twentieth yeere of her Maieſties regime.
God ſaue the Queene.
[Fleuron]Imprinted at London by
Chriſtopher
Barker
, Printer to the Queenes moſt excellent
Maiestie.
