[ 21011                        22 July 1571—22 July 1572.               w. seres. |^^^3^7^ ]

[ This page is entirely hlank in the Original. ]

[The following Proclamation was issued at a most anxious time for the English government. The Rebellion in the
North under the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland—which had lasted from the 14th November to about the
21st December 1569—^had been followed by John Felton's hanging the Papal Bull of Excommunication on the gate of the
Bishop of London's palace in Paul's Churchyard on the 25th.May 1570 (for which act Pelton himself was subsequentljr
hanged &c before the Bishop's gate): and there had now been newly detected the Conspiracy in Norfolk, under John
Throgmorton, which—undaunted by the grievous failure of the Northern attempt—had been planned to commence on
Midsummer's Day at Harleston fair. So that there was no knowing as to where these conspiracies would end, or how many
more ' simple folk' would die through them; the victims of the Romish propagandism. In this Notification, we seem to
see the Privy Council striving to sound the darkest depths of treason, and we can hereby realize the perpetual strain on
their minds, to be ever on the watch for such rebellious explosions as those they had lately witnessed. Most certainly was
this a fierce hand-to-hand fight between the Crown and 8tate of England and the priest-king of Rome and his abettors.
In it open force (especially moral force) did at length vanquish—as it ever will in this country—secret treachery ; though,
as Mr Froude has shewn, the active Protestant section carrying on the Government were less than one half of the nation.

This Proclamation also bears testimony 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 himself told John Stow, executed rebels in every market town between New¬
castle and Wetherby, that is, over a district 60 miles in length by 40 miles in breadth.

Hjj iht ®.ntt%t.

Boo)t(^> %i\U% anSjr WixiXm^t^ [o« tht Tst Sttlfi 1570]

|HE Queenes Maiestie being of late certenly mfourmed of the trayterous boldnes of certen
wicked and seditious persons, that enuying and malicing the good vniuersall quiet of this
her Realme and subiectes, do by secrete maner contriue and scatter certain infamous scroUes
and billes in some partes of her Realme, and into some other partes bring in trayterous
bookes and Bulles, as it were from Rome, therby with vntruthes and falsehodes, yea
with diners monstrous absurdities to the slaunder of the Nobilitie and Counsell of this
Realme, and not sparyng also in the same to vtter hygh Treasons agaynst the estate and Royal dignitie
of her Maiestie, to ingender in the heades of the simple ignoraunt multitude, a mislykyng or murmuryng
agaynst the quiet gouernement of the Realme, and namely in malitious deprauyng 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 furie of Rebelles, and intended inuasions hj outwarde enemies : Hath hereupon
thought good and necessary to warne al her her good faithfull subiectes, that if any such trayterous or
lewde and slanderous billes or bookes, in writing or in print, 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 Realme, or any of her Counsell, or tending to the slaunder
of any other publike estate and officer : that immediatly without shewyng or report or speeche
therof to any person, he shall bring and deliuer it to the handes of the Lieuetenaunt of the same Shire,
or to his Deputie. Or if in case the same Lieuetenaunt or his Deputie shalbe so farre of, as the finder for
pouertie or other necessary impediment cannot speedily resort to them therwith : Then the sayde fynder
shall without makyng any other priuie thereto, bring it to the next Justice of peace, or head Officer that
can reade : who being infourmed therof, shal examine the fynder of the maner and other circumstaunces,
to his discretion necessary, how the same was founde: And thereupon shall seale it^ vp close, with the
examination of the fynder, if any person be thereby chargeable, and shall sende it immediatly to her
Maiestie, and her Counsell, without geuyng knowledge of the contentes thereof to any other maner [of]
person : And shall also vpon the examination of the fynder, do his vttermost by his owne aucthoritie, 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 aucthom^s, or any wyse participantes of the
sayd slaunderous and seditious billes, bookes, or scrolles, to the intent the same persons 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 person, the same beyng not able by readyng to discerne what the same is, not knowyng
who th^ person is by whom he shall attayne to it: The sayde person so beyng ignoraunt of readyng, shall
foorthwith shewe the same to some honest discrete Officer, nearest to the place, that can reade it. Who
fyndyng it to be any wyse seditious or slaunderous, shall foorthwith cary it and the brynger also, and
deliuer them both in lyke maner to the Lieuetenaunt of the Shire, or other Officer, in lyke maner as if he
had ben the first fynder therof hym selfe.

And if any person can by any meanes discouer who are the aucthours or wiiters, counsellers, or
conueyers of any such trayterous or slaunderous bylles, bookes, or writinges, that alredy hath ben or
shalbe hereafter dispersed : the same so doyng in such sort as it may come to the knowledge of her
Maiestie, or her Counsell, shalbe so largely rewarded, as duryng his or their lyues they shall haue
iust cause to thinke them selues well vsed. And if he haue ben any wyse a partener in the same faulte,
and yet wyll discouer the principal aucthours or offenders therin : he shall not onely be fauourably
pardoned for his concealement or offence, but shall also be so well rewarded, as he shall neuer haue
cause to repent of his discouerie. And ii cause shall so require, 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 publication'hereof, shalbe proi'ed to haue fcund or ben made
priuie to any suche slaunderous Bookes, or Writmges, and not to haue vsed them as afore is prescribed :

{Continued on opposite page.)
I. 452