¶ An act for the keeping of milk kyen, and for the breadynge and rearynge of calves.  
FOr asmuch as of late yeres a great number of persons within this realm haue laid their lands, farms, and pastures, to feadynge of sheep, Oxen, Runtes, shrubs, steers, and Hekfaires, and such other like cattle, having no regard or care to breed and rear up young beasts and cattle, whereby is grown great scarcetie of cattle and victual, necessary for the susteynaunce of diuers sorts of people within this realm, and more is like to be, yf speedy remedy be not provided.  
It is therfore by thauethoritie of this present parliament enacted, that every person which from the feast of the Purification of our lady next ensuing, shall keep or feed above the number of six score shear sheep for the most parte of the year, vpon his or hyr several pastures, lands, feadynges, or fermes, apt or meet for milk kyen, and wherein no other person hath at the making of this present act commen for any cattle of any time of the year, shall by authority of this act, yearly so long as he shall keep or feed the said number of six score shear sheep, for every three score shear sheep so kept and fed, keep one milk cow and shall breed and rear up yearly for every six score shear sheep so kept, as is aforesaid, one calf, vpon pain of forfeiture for every month that any such persons shall not for every three score shear sheep as is aforesaid, keep or feed one milk cow, twenty shyllinges for every cow so not kept. And for lack of rearynge and breeding of one calf, for every six score shear sheep to forfeit likewise twenty shillings, for every calf so not reared and fed. And that every person which after the aforesaid feast of the Purification of our lady vpon his or hyr several pastures as afore is said, shal keep or feed above the number of twenty Oxen, Runtes, shrubs, steers, Hekfaires, or Kine, shal by thaucthoritie of this act, for every ten beasts of the saydesortes so kept or fed, keep and nourish one milk cow, and breed, rear, and wain yearly and keep for one whole year, one calf for every two milk kine so charged to be kept, vpon the several pains and forfey tures afore rehearsed, except the said calf or calves, shall chance to die within the said year, with out couyn or fraud thereto added, the one half of which said forfeitures shalbe to th use of our said sovereign lord and lady the king and queens majesties, and tother half to the use of the party that within one year after the offence committed will sue for the same in any of the king and queens majesties courts of record, or before the Iustices of peace in the same Shire. where any such cause of forfeiture shalbe had at the general Sessions( who by authority of this act shall haue power to hear and determine the said offences) by bill, infourmation, presentment, action of debt, or detinue, in which action or suit, no essoing, protection, wager of lawe, or licence to the contrary shal be allowed.  
provided always, that this act nor any clause thereof shall be extended to bind any person to keep milk kyne, ne yet to breed or rear calves, as afore is expressed, for such sheep or other beasts as the same person shall keep and feed to the intent onely to be spent in his or their house or houses, without fraud or couyn. This act to endure onely unto the end of seven yeres next following the feast of the Purification of our Lady aforesaid, and from thence to the end of the Parliament then next following.  
God save the king and the queen.   

excusum LONDINI IN aedibus johannis Cawodi, typographi Regiae maiestatis, Anno. 1555.