A Proclamation set out by the King and Queene for the restraining of all bookes and wrytings tending againg the doctrine of the Pope and his Churche.
WHere as by the Statute made in the seconde yeare of king Henrie the fourth concerning the repressing of heresies, there is ordained and prouided a great punishment, not only for the authours, makers, and wryters of bookes containing wicked doctrine and erroneous and hereticall opinions contrary to the Catholicke faith, and determination of the holy Church, & like∣wise for their fautors & supporters, but also for such as shal haue or keepe any suche bookes or wrytings, and not make deliuerie of them to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse or his Ministers, wyth in a certaine time limited in the sayd Statute, which Acte or Sta∣tute being by authoritie of Parliament of late reuiued,* 1.1 was also openly proclaimed, to the intent the subiectes of the realme vp∣on such Proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penaltie of the sayde Statute, and as yet neuerthelesse, in moste partes of the Realme the same is neglected, and little regarded: The King and Queene our soueraigne Lord and Ladie,* 1.2 therefore. &c. straightly charge and commaunde, that no persone or per∣sones, of what estate, degree, or condition soeuer he or they be, from hencefoorth presume to bring or conuey, or cause to bee brought or conueied into this Realme, any bookes, wrytings or woorkes heereafter mentioned: that is to saye, anye booke or bookes, wrytings or woorkes made or sette foorth, by, or in the name of Martine Luther, or any booke or bookes, wrytings or woorkes made or sette forth, by, or in the name of Oecolampa∣dius, Zwinglius, Iohn Caluine, Pomerane, Iohn Alasco, Bullin∣ger, Bucer, Melancthon, Bernardinus Ochinus,* 1.3 Erasmus Sarce∣rius, Peter Martyr, Hugh Latymer, Robert Barnes, otherwyse called Frier Barnes, Iohn Bale, otherwise called Frier Bale, Iu∣stus Ionas, Iohn Hoper, Myles Couerdal, William Tyndal, Tho∣mas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie, William Turner, Theodore Basill, otherwise called Thomas Beacon, Ihon Frith, Roy, and the booke commonly called Halles Chronicle,* 1.4 or anye of them, in the Latine toung, Dutch toung, English toung, Itali∣an toung, or French toung, or any other like booke, paper, wry∣ting, or woorke, made, printed, or sette foorthe, by any other persone or persones, containing false doctrine contrarie, and a∣gainst the Catholicke faith, and the doctrine of the Catholicke Churche: And also that no person or persons presume to write,* 1.5 printe, vtter, sell, reade, or kepe anye, or cause to bee wrytten, printed, vttered, or kept, anye of the sayde bookes, papers, woorkes or wrytings, or any booke or bookes wrytten or prin∣ted in the Latine or English toung, concerning the common ser∣uice and administration sette foorth in English to be vsed in the Churches of this Realme, in the time of king Edwarde the sixth, commonly called the Communion booke or booke of common seruice and ordering of Ministers, otherwise called The booke sette foorth by authoritie of Parliament, for common prayer & administration of the Sacramentes, or to be vsed in the mother tounge wythin the Church of England, but shall wythin the space of fifteene dayes nexte after the publication of this Proclamati∣on, bring or deliuer, or cause the sayde bookes, wrytinges, and woorkes, and euerye of them remaining in their custodies and keeping, to be broughte and deliuered to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse, where suche bookes, woorkes, or wrytinges be or re∣maine: or to his Chauncellour or Commissaries, without fraud, coulour, or deceite, at the sayde Ordinaries will and dispositi∣on, to be burnt, or otherwise to be vsed or ordered by the sayde Ordinaries, as by the Canons or spiritual lawes it is in that case limitted and appoynted, vppon paine that euerye offender con∣trary to this Proclamation, shal incurre the daunger and penal∣ties contained in the sayde Statute, and as they will auoide theyr Maiesties high indignation and displeasure, and further answere at their vttermost pearils.* 1.6
And their Maiesties by this Proclamation geue full power and authoritie to all Byshops and Ordinaries, and all Iustices of peace, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bailiffes of Cities and Townes corpo∣rate, and other head Officers wythin this Realme and the domi∣nions thereof, and expresly commaundeth and willeth the same and euery of them, that they and euerye of them within their se∣uerall limites and iurisdictions, shall in the default & negligence of the sayde Subiectes, after the sayde fifteene dayes expired, en∣quire and searche out the sayde bookes, wrytings and woorkes, and for this purpose enter into the house or houses, closets, and secreate places of euery persone, of what so euer degree, beynge negligent in thys behalfe, and suspected to keepe any such boke, wryting, or woorkes, contrary to this Proclamation: And that the sayde Iustices, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bailiffes, and other heade Officers aboue specified, and euery of them wythin theyr sayde limites and iurisdictions, fineding any of the sayde subiectes ne∣gligent and faultie in this behalfe, shall commit euery such offen∣der to Warde, there to remaine without baile or mainprise, till the same offender or offenders haue receiued such punishment, as the sayde Statute doeth limite and appoynte in this behalfe. Geuen vnder our Signes Manuel, at oure Honour of Hampton Courte, the thirteene day of Iune, the first and second yeares of our raignes.