A PROCLAMATION that strangers shall pay like custom and subsidy as the kings subiectes.  
FOR AS much as it is the office and duty of chief rulers and gouernours of all civil commynalties, to study devise and practise by sundry ways and means, to advance set forth and increase their common earths, committed to their cures and charges, and to maintain and observe such ordinances and orders, as by them should be devised for the same, if by the experience of them, such goodness profit commodity and benefit succeed therof in and among their civility, as they intended, and if not, then to revoke repeal and reform their said ordinances and orders, and establish new from time to time, as the necessity of their common wealth should require: The kings most royal majesty, HENRY the VIII. by the grace of god king of england and of france, defemder of the faith, lord of Ireland, and in earth supreme heed of the church of england, of his most excellent goodness, deeply pondering and considering his kyngely office and charge, and that although in the time of his most gracious reign, a great multitude of laws ordinances and orders, haue ben devised made and ordained by his most excellent wisdom and policy, for advancement and increase of the common wealth of his realm, and the great profit and commodity of his loving subiectes of the same, yet his most gracious highnes, like a most godly and worthy ruler, not myndynge to cease, but daily to travail and labour in deuisynge and setting forth orders and ordinances from time to time, as his grace by his most excellent wisdom may perceive just occasion of necessity in his common wealth, and now amongs other things calling to his most gracious remembrance, that all be it his highnes is justly and lawfully entytled in the right of his imperial crown, to take and perceive for custom and subsidy of merchants estrangers conueyenge or transportynge, into this his realm or out of the same, their wears, goods, and marchandyses, greater and larger sums of money, than of his own loving and natural subiectes, and being in good hope and confidence, that although the moderation therof should tend to his gracis own detriment and loss, that yet it shal be a great occasion, to haue more plentiful resort trafyke and commutation with in this his gracis realm, with and among his loving subiectes of the same, for their enrychynge earths and commodities. taking therfore more respect to the advancement of his gracis common wealth, than to his own singular profit, and like the most godly and most worthy chief ruler of this realm, myndynge to prove and assay, whether by the attemperaunce and moderation of the said custom and subsidy of strangers, goodness, profit, and commodity, shall succeed, increase and grow to the common wealth of this his realm, according to his gracis hope and expectation in that behalf, Is therfore, and for other considerations, moving his highnes, pleased and contented for the experymente therof, that from the. vi. day of april, in the. xxx. year of his gracis reign, during the full and hole term of .vii. yeres, from traverse next following, no person or persons, being strangers or denysens, conueyeng or transportynge any goods, wears, or marchandyses into any port creak, or other place of this realm, or out of the same, shall for and during the same time of .vii. yeres, pay any other more or larger custom and subsidy, than the kings own loving and natural subiectes, haue used and ben accustomend to do and pay at this present time( custom and subsidy for wolles onely excepted.) And his highness straightly chargeth and commandeth all and singular Customers, controllers, and other his ministers, having charge of receit of his customs and subsidy, that they ne any of them, by any maner of colour or means, during the said time of seven yeres, shall exact take or receive of any stranger or denysen, any other more or larger custom and subsidy, than is above especified in this his gracis proclamation, upon pain of forfeiture of their offices, and making fine at his gracis will: And over that upon pain to yield and render to the parties grieved, ten times so much as they shall exact and take, contrary to this present proclamation. And his highness also chargeth and commandeth, as well the treasurer chancellor chamberlains and Barons of his exchequer, and every of them, as all other his auditors, having charge to take accomtes of his customs and subsidies, that they, ne any of them, from the said sixth day of april, during the said time of .vii. yeres, from thence next following, shall charge any the said customers, controllers, and ministers of any other further or more custom and subsidy, for strangers or denyzens, then above is expressed, as they woll answer to his highnes at their uttermost perils. Sygnifienge and declaring, as well to the said treasurer chancellor chamberlains barons and auditors, and to every of them, as to all and singular the said customers controllers and ministers, that they following and ensuing this his gracis proclamation, the same shal be to them, and to every of them, their heirs and executours, and to the heirs and executours of every of them, a sufficient warrant and discharge against his majesty, his heirs and successors for the same, without any other bill, warrant, writ, or other commandment to be sued in this behalf.  
¶ provided always, that this present proclamation, ne any thing therein contained, shall not extend, to give licence or liberty to any person or persons strangers or other, to convey or transport into this realm or out of the same, any goods wears or merchandises, contrary to the form and effect of the laws and statutes of this realm: But that it shall be understand taken and expounded alonely, that custom and subsidy of strangers and denyzens, shall be agreeable and equal with the custom and subsidy of the kings own natural subiectes, and not above, during the time of .vii. yeres afore limited.  
¶ given at our palace of Westim̄, the XXVI. day of February, in the. XXX. year of our reign.  
GOD SAVE THE king.   

Tho. Berthelet Regius Impressor excu. cum PRIVILEGIO.