All such proclamacions, as haue been sette furthe by the Kynges Maiestie (and passed the print) from the last daie of Ianuarij, in the firste yere of his highnes reigne, vnto the last daie of Ianuarij, beeying in the .iiij. yere of his said moste prosperous reigne, that is to saie, by the space of iiij. whole yeres. Anno 1550

The .iij. daie of Iuly. A Proclamacion, inhibityng the cariage of Victualles, and other Marchan∣dise, out of the Realme.

THe Kynges moste excellent Maiestie callyng to his prin∣cely remembraunce, how, ac∣cordyng to the regall power and state, to hym cōmitted by almigh∣tie God, ouer this realme of Englade, and other his highnes dominions, no∣thyng can better declare, the zeale and affeccion by his highnes, borne towar∣des the common weale, then when by all good meanes, suche orders procede from his maiestie, as maie best tende to

the generall plentie of thynges, here nedefull for the commodious liuyng of his highnes naturall Subiectes, and namely suche thynges as bee brought furthe, and here geuen vs by God, as the peculier cōmodities of this realme maie be perceiued and enioyed, by the Subiectes of thesame, to their vtilitie and mutuall benefite, emong theimsel∣fes in moste plētiful sort, and chepenes of price, before others, accordyng as of auncient tyme hath been accustomed.

For asmuche as of late yeres, the∣said commodities, haue not onely been reduced, to a great scarcitie, but ther∣by also, to an vnwonted excessiue price the cause wherof, to no one thyng may soner bee erected, then that now com∣monly those cōmodities, which ought specially to serue the turne, & bee em∣ployed to the vse and sustentacion of the subiectes here inhabityng, are in o∣uerlarge maner cōueighed into forain regions, aswell by colour of licences, vnlawfully vsed, as also by stelth and couin, muche to the defraudacion, and

impouerishemēt, of the common weale and to his highnes no lesse discontent∣ment and displeasure: Be it therefore published and knowen, to all maner persones, that his Maiestie, by the ad∣uise of his highnes priuie Counsaill, straightly chargeth and commaundeth that no maner kynde or sort of victual∣les, Corne, Bere, wolles, Felles, Le∣ther, Hides, Tallowe, Belmettall, wodd, or Cole, whiche haue been vsu∣ally bought or solde, as marchaundise, and are presently restrained, from car∣riyng furthe of this realme, by the la∣wes and statutes of thesame, shall frō the daie of the date hereof forwardes, be shipped, conueighed, or transported into any forrain partes, out of this realme (the Toune of Calice onely ex∣cepted) by any person or persons, En∣glishe or straungers, by vertue or pre∣tence, of any licence or licences (here∣tofore made or graunted) vntill here∣after vpon further respectes it shall please his maiestie to enlarge thesame nor that by force of any other graunt,

allegacion, colour, pretence or meanes any person or persons, attempt or pro∣cure, from hencefurthe to ship or tran∣sporte into forain partes, any kynde or sort of the aforesaid victualles, Corne, Bere, wolles, Felles, wodd, Cole, Le¦ther, Hides, Belmettall, or Tallowe, vpon pain, that whosoeuer shall do, to the contrary hereof, shall not onely therefore, besides the penalties expres∣sed in the Statutes, restrainyng the transportacion of thesame, incurre the losse and forfaicture of thesaied thyn∣ges, or any of theim so shipped, contra∣ry to this restraint, the one halfe to be immediately confisqued, to his highnes Cofers, and the other halfe to the pre∣sētor of thesame, into his graces court of the Exchequer, & like wise the ship or other vessel, wherein any of thesaid thynges prohibited, shall hereafter be shipped, to be forfaicted to his highnes but also that thesaid principal offēdor, or offendours, and as many as shalbee aidyng, and cōsentyng to the shippyng and conueighaunce, of any of the afor∣saied

thynges prohibited, shall suffer imprisonment, and fine at the Kynges Maiesties pleasure. And that it shalbe lawfull, to euery of his highnes Sub∣iectes, or others, to present and pursue the accion, against any suche principall offendour or offendours, at any tyme within the space of three yeres, nexte after the tyme of any suche shippyng, or cōueighaunce, as is before expressed and to haue pardon of his imprisonmēt fine or other penaltie, in case he were before aidyng or consentyng, to thesaid principall offendours act.

Prouided alwaies, that this present Proclamacion, nor any thyng therein conteined, shall not bee preiudiciall to the Maior and felow ship, of the Mar∣chauntes Estaples at Calice, but that thei maie still continue their said trade accordyng to their Charters of priui∣leges, in as ample maner as before.