22 July

[210tl
[ This

page

1571 22

is entirely

^B''\k^%
Toy.

July 1572.

blank in the Original.

[The following Proclamation was issued at a most anxious time for the English government. The Rebellion In the
North under tlie Karls of NiiRTHrMBEKi.AND and \VEsT.vioiiEi.AND-~which had lasted from the Uth November to about the
2l8t Deceml)er 156!1 -had been followed by JoH.s Fklto.n's hanging the Papal Bull of Excomniutiication on the gate of tha
liishop of London's palace in Paul's Churchyard on the 25th May 1.WO (for which act Kelton himself was suteequently
hanged kc. before the Bishoji's gate): and there had now been newly detected the Conspiracy in Norfolk, under John
Throomorton, which undaunted by the grievous failure of the Sortheni attempt had been planned to commence on
Midsummer's Day at Ilarlestnn fair. So that there was no knowing as to where these conspiracies would end, or how manj
more simple folk wovUd die through f hem the victims of the Uondsh propagandism. In this Notification, we seem to
see the Privy Council striving to sound the darkest doptlia of treason, and we can hereby realize the perjjetual strain on
Most certainly was
tlieir minds, to Ix; erer on the watch for such relxilUous explosions as those they had lately witnessed.
this a fierce hand-to-hanc! fight between the Crown and State of Kngland and the priest-king of Rome and his abettors.
though,
In it open force (especially moral force) did at length vanquish - as it evor will in this country secret treachery
as Mr Froude has sliewn, the actij Protestant section carrying on the Government were less than one half of the nation.
This Proclamation also bears testinsony to the activity of the Romanist presses, both at home and on the Continent and
likewise shows us what a deadly thing the mere possession of one of the books or tracts produced by them was at a time
in which Sir George Bowes, as he him.5elf told John Stow, executed rebels in every market town between New.
castle and Wethorby, that is, over a district 60 miles in length by 40 miles in breadth.
'

'

proclamation

SI

l$ooU($> '&i\\t%

against ssctrittous awJr traiitcvotm

Mtvittnacs [on the Ist Snlo 1370]

inaSxc
iwxti

[HE Queenes

Maiestie being of late certeiily infourined of the trayterous boklnes of certen

wicked and seditious persons, that euuyiiii; and inaHcing the good vuiuersall quiet of this
her llealnie and subiectes, do by secrete niauer coutiiue and scatter certain infamous scrolles
and billes in some partes of her Reiihne, and into some other pai-tes bring in trayterous
bookes and Bulles, as it \vere from Home, tlierliy with vntruthes and falsehodes, yea
witli diuers monstrous absm'dities to the slaunder of tlie NobiUtie and Counsell of this
Reahiie, and not sparyng also in the same to vtter hygh Treasons agaynst the estate and Royal diguitie
of her Maiestie, to ingender in the lieades of the simple ignorauut multitude, a mislykyng or niurmuryng
agaynst the quiet gouernemeut of the Realrae, and namely in malitious depi'auyng of such actions as are
and haue ben by good counsel prouidently deuised, necessarily attempted, and wel atcheeued by her
Maiesties order, for defence not only of her Maiestie, but of the very hole body and people of the
Realme from the open fucie of Rebelles, and intended inuasions by outwarde enemies liatli hereupon
thought good and neces.sary to warne al her her good faithfull subiectes, that if any such tiajlieroas or
lewde and slanderous billes or bookes, in writing or in i)riiit, shall any wyse come to the handes of any
person that can or may by readyng of any part of the same, finde the same to be of suche lewde qualities
agaynst her Maiestie, or the Nobilitie of the Uealme, or any of lior Cjuusell, or tending to the slaunder
that immedia'tly without shewyug or report or speeche
of any other publike estate and officer
therof to any person, he shall bring and deliuer it to the liaudes of the Lieuetenaunt of the same Shire,
Or if in case the same Lieuetenaunt or his Deputie shalbe so farre of, as the finder for
or to his Deputie.
Then the sayde fynder
pouertie or other necessary impediment cannot speedily resort to them therwith
shall without makyug any other ])riuie tliereto, bring it to tlie ne.xt lustice of peace, or head Officer that
maner
and
other circimistaunces,
fynder
of
the
can reatie who being infourmed therof, shal examine the
And thereupon shall seale it vp close, with the
to his discretion necessary, how the .same was founde
examination of the fyndei', if any person be tliereby chargeable, and shall sonde it immediatly to her
Maiestie, and her Counsell, without geuyng knowledge of the contentes thereof to any other maner [of]
jierson
And shall also vpou the examination of the fynder, do his vttermost by his owne aiicthoritie, or by
aduertising to any other hauyng aucthoritie in the same Shire or libertie, or otherwyse, to cause to be
apprehended all the persons charged or suspected as aucthours, or any wyse participantes of the
sayd slaunderous and seditious billes, bookes, or scrolles, to the intent the same i)ersons so charged or
suspected may be further tryed and ordered, with such seueritie as their desertes shall require.
And furthermore, if any maner of writing or scrolles shal happen in any suspitious maner to come to the
handes of any perse m, the same l)eyng not able by readyng to disceme what the same is. not knowyns'
who the person is by whom he shall attayne to it The sayde person so beyng igiioraunt of readyng, siiall
foorthwith shewe the same to some honest di.screte Otlicei', nearest to the place, that can reade it. Who
fyndyng it to be any wyse seditious or .slaunderous, shall foorthwith caiy it and the brynger also, and
deliuer them both in lyke maner to the Lieuetenaunt of the Shire, or other OtHcer, in lyke maner as if he
had ben the first fyndei- therof hyni selfe.
And if any person can by any uieanes discouer who are the aucthours or writers, counsellers, or
couueyei's of any sucli trayteious or slaunderous bylles, bookes, or writinges, that alredy hath ben or
the same so doyng in such sort as it may come to the knowledge of her
shalbe hereafter dis])erse(l
Maiastie, or her Counsell, shalbe st) largely rewarded, as duiyug his or their lyues they shall haue
And if he haue ben any wy.se a partener in the same faulte,
iust cause to thinke them selues well vsed.
he .shall not onely be fauourably
and yet wyll discouer the principal aucthours or ofl'endors therin
l>ardoned tor his concealement or offence, but shall also be so well rewarded, as he shall neuer haue
cause to repent of his discouei-ie. And if cause shall so ie<piire, both such discouerers shalbe preserued
from the note of blame of accusing, as farre foorth as may be any wayes deuised.
And contrarywise, if any person after the jiublication hereof, shalbe proued to haue found or ben made
priuie to any suche slaunderous Bookes, or Writinges, and not to haue vsed them as afore is prescribed
:

(Continued on opposite page.)

I.

452

H."T7y.

22 Julj 157122 July 1572.

i^se[ This

page

is entirely

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211

blank in the Original. ]

Or that any

person, other then suche Officers as are in inaner afore expressed and appoynted to receaue
suche scrolles of the fynders, shalbe made priuie thereto by the Fynders, or by any otlier person, and
shall not disclose their knowledge in maner aboue expressed, as yf they had ben the fyrst fynders : Her
Maiestie willeth it to be vnderstand, that all suche persons so concealing the same, shall vpon proofe
therof, be attached and committed closely to the nexte Gaole, as concealers and mayneteyners of sedition
and tiimultes, and shall not be bayled nor deliuered, without expresse coniniaundement or knowledge of
the Lieuetenauntes of the Shires, or the Queenes Maiestie, or her priuie Couusell.
And for the suppressing of these kindes of seedes of Treason and Sedition Her Maiestie chargeth all
her Lieuetenauntes and Officers, to whom the execution hereof may any wise appertayne, to be ready,
careful], and diligent to the apprehending of these kinde of wicked sowers of sedition, and to the straight
examination of all persons that may be any wise suspected by their disordered hues or speeches, or by any
other probable meanes, to be parteners hereto, or otherwise sowers of seditious Tales, with such seueritie
as the same requireth
For so is it scene very necessary at this time. Wherein appeareth a raalitious,
hidden, and cankred purpose of some wycked number of lewde people, that haue an inwarde and greedy
desyre to styrre vp tuinultes and vprores, and violently to burst a sunder the bandes of the publike peace
whiche the Realme enioyeth, whereby they and theyr like confederates miglit make spoyle and hauooke of
all the good Subiectes of the Realme, and as Traytours make tlieir gayue by conspiring and confederating
with forreyn enemies, to the hazard, or at the least to the great charges of the Realme, to be necessarily
susteyned for the defence of the same, agaynste suche attemptes, evther at home, or from abrode.
Geuen at her Maiesties manor of Otelande the fyrst day of July. 1570. in the twelfth yere of her
Maiesties raigne.
God sane the Queene.
:

Y^

Imprinted at London in Powles Clmrchyarde,

by Richarde lugge and J^okn Caioood, Printers to fhe Queenes Maiestie.

Cum
[The following Proclamation
with a general warning to her

>-^ %

priuilegio

Regiae Maiestatis.

a necLar.ation of the Queen's thankfulness to God

simple folk lest they should be beguiled iii future.

i.s
'

and her loving trust in her people

'

B^

the iBttteene*

jJvoirlamattou atjaMUist maitttci>ncv!5 of dctrtttou$

))cr$on$> anSJ of tvaotcvotm tjooftcs antr tudttngcs^^
jHE

Queenes Maiestie consydering with her selfe, howe it hath pleased ahnightie God at this
present to conserue her Realme in an vniuersall good peace, and her subiectes in a constant
obedience vnto her Maiestie, notwithstandyng the suntby secrete malitious sollicitations of
certayne fugitiues and rebelles, beyng Hed, and nowe remaynyng out of the Realme, by
their seditious mes.sages and false reportes sent into the same, tendyng to prouoke others to
be paitakers of their malitious treasons
Can not but first geue the due thankes and prayse
therof to almi^htie God, and therwith connnende both the loyaltie of her good subiectes for their
obedience, and allowe of this their vniuersall constaucie in the coiiseruation of them selues together within
the baude of common peace. And furthermore also to geue admonition and warnyng, siiecially to the
simple sort of her good louyng subiectes, that they be no wyse abused with the wicked practises of tlie
sayd fugitiues and rebelles, by any their adherentes secretly remayning or repayring into the Realme, and
wandring in comers, mouyng good subiectes to be disobedient to the lawes, and scattering false rumois
and newes, both by speache, and by bookes and wrytinges, onely of intent to breake tlie common peace of
the same, and tfi procure more partners with them in their treasons and rebellions. And therfore her
jMaiestie chargeth and conmiauncleth all maner [of] her good subiectes, to be eaniestly ware hereof, and to
employ their vttermo.st diligence in the ajiprehention of such .secret perswadors of disobedience, and
hreakyng of lawes, and of the sowers and stin-ers of sedition, and specially of such as do or shall bring
into this Realme aiiy seditious bookes, wrytinges, or such lyke trayterous deuises agaynst the lawes or
gouernment of the Realme, or any wyse preiudicial to the royal states of her Maiestie.
And if any
slialbe founde wyllingly to ayde or comfort any such seditious persons in their sayd malitious attemptes, or
shal receaue and keiie, or conceale any inaner of such seditious bookes, wrytinges or bulles, in print or
written, and shal not presently discouer the said persons, and procure them to be apprehended, nor cause
the .said kynde of writinges to be spedyly jiresented to the superiour officers, as hath ben by Proclamation
lately la.st ordered and deuised
her Maiestie geueth it to vnderstande, that then al and euery such person
s(( offending after this admonition, shalbe taken, reputed, and punisheil, as aliettors and maynteynors of
the principall Traytors that were auctliors of the same
Meanyng in this behalfe, consydering this playne
admoniti^in, not to be hereafter luoued to snare the execution of such ott'endors, vpon jiretence or allegation of simplicitie or ignorance, to excuse tlicir defautes.
Geuen at our honour of Hampton Court the. xiiii. of Nouember. 1570. the twelfth yere of our
raigne.
God naue the Queeiie /
:

y-^ Imprinted at Ijondon in Powles Clnu-ehyarde

hij

Richarde lugge and lohn Cawood Printers

Cum
The above

arc reprinted

to the

Queenes Maiestie.

priuilegio Regiie Maiestatis,

from the GreuviUe Collection

of ProdohtutitMif, pp.

ia:i,

n4, and

1;J7,

in the IJritish

MuBeum.]
I.

453