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¶ By the Quene.
ALthough the Quenes most excellent Maiestie myght accordyng to the good exam∣ple of good and wyse Prynces, leuie great sommes of money at this presente, by ••ue execution of sundrye holsome lawes, vpon great nombre of her subiectes, for transgressyng the same, and namely for the weryng of such excessiue and inordinat apparell, as in no age hath ben sene the lyke, wherby also shoulde ensue such no∣table benefite to the common wealth, as harde it were by any other wayes to de∣uyse so greate. yet the singuler goodnes of her Maiesties nature is such, to for∣beare thextendyng of anye sodayne and vnloked for extremitie, that in these caces her Maiestie hath thought rather necessary by this Proclamation to notifie her hyghnes determinacion, with her priuie counsayle, amonges many other her weyghtie affayres for this that foloweth, then sodenly textende the penaltie of her lawes.
Fyrst her Maiesties sayde counsayle, by her commaundement, shall and wyll presently take order that the sta∣tute made in the first & seconde yeares of kyng Phyllyp and Quene Mary, and certeyne other braunches of an other Statute made the .xxiiii. yeare of kyng Henry the eyght, agaynst excessiue apparell, shalbe put in executi∣on both within her Maiesties court, and in theyr owne houses, with a certeyne fauourable proceadynge, tou∣chyng such as can not presently without theyr ouergreat losse, chaunge theyr vnlawefull apparell which they presently haue. Wherein because her Maiestie trusteth that thexample shall enduce the rest of her subiectes to reforme theyr disorders: Her Maiestie hath wylled her sayde priuie counsayle, to publyshe by her aucthoritie theyr decree and order in this behalfe.
And for lyke tolleracion toward such as liue in the countrey out of her court, her Maiestie chargeth forth∣with all Maiors and gouernours of Cities and Townes corporate, al Sheryffes and Iustices of peax in shires, all noble men of thestate of Barons and aboue, al gouernours and heddes of any societies or companies, eyther Ecclesiasticall or Temporall, fourthwith, or at the furthest within the space of .xii. dayes after the publication hereof, to deuise, accorde, and take order, eyther accordyng to thexample of her Maiesties counsell, or els after some other better maner, as the place shall require for thexecution of the foresayde Statute and braunches spe∣cified hereafter, in a briefe abstract and draught annexed to this Proclamacion within the limitte of theyr charge, so as her Maiestie may take some comfort of her tolleracion, and the common wealth some reliefe of the greate damage hereby susteyned. Wherein yf her Maiestie shall see her expectacion deceiued, she shal therby haue iust occasion to procede with execution of her lawes, both to the benefite of her common weale, and to the cha∣stisement of such disordred subiectes, as being fauourably warned, wyl not amende. Which thyng her Maiestie purposeth certeynely to do in more effectuall sorte than heretofore hath bene. And because the tolleracion of these abuses shall not be drawen to any sinister occasion of continuaunce of this abuse:
Her Maiestie chargeth and commaundeth that there be no tolleracion had, nor excuse allowed, after the xx. day of December next, as touchyng all the contentes of the sayde Statute, in the first and seconde yeares of kyng Phyllyp and Quene Mary, neyther after the last of Ianuary next, as touchyng the braunches of thother Statute of the .xxiiii. yere of kyng Henry the eyght, noted hereafter in thend of this Proclamacion, other then is conteyned in the same Statutes and braunches. Except it be for certeyne costly furres and riche enbroderies bought and made by sundry gentlemen, before this Proclamacion, to theyr great costes, with which her hygh∣nesse is pleas•••• ••o dispence.
Yeuen at her highnes palays of Westminster, the xxi. day of October, the fyrst yeare of her Maiesties reigne.