AN act for the having of horse, armor and Weapon.  
FOR THE BETTER furniture and defence of this realm. Be it enacted by the king and queens majesties with thassentes of the lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons in this present parliament assembled, and by aucthorytie of the same, that as much of al and every act and Statute concerning onely the keeping or finding of horse, horses or armour, or of any of them heretofore made or provided, and al and every forfeiture and penalty concerning onely the same, shal be from henceforth utterly void repealed & of none effect.  
And be it further enacted by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that every noble man gentleman and other temporal person, after the rate and proportion hereafter declared, shall haue and keep in a readiness such horses, geldinges, armor and other furniture for the warres, at the feast, and in such sort and maner as is and shalbe in this act, here after expressed and declared. That is to say, all and every person temporal, having any honors, lordships, manors, houses, lands, meadows, pastures or woods, of estate of inheritance or frehold, to the clear yearly value of one thousand pound or above, shall from and after the first day of May which shalbe in the year of our lord God a thousand five hundred fifty and eight, haue, find, keep, sustain and meinteine within this realm of england, of their own proper and at their own proper costs and expenses .vi. horses or geldinges, able for dymylaunces, whereof three of them at the least to be horses, with sufficient harnesses, steel saddles, & weapon, requisite and aperteyning to the said dymylaunces, horses or geldings, and ten light horses or geldings able and meet for light horsemen, with the furniture of harness and weapon requisite for the same, and also forty corselets furnished, forty almayne rivets or in stede of th● said almayne rivets, forty coats of plate, corselets or brigandines furnished, forty pikes, thirty long bows, thirty shefes of arrows, thirty steel caps or gaols, twenty black bills or halbertes, twenty haquebuttes, & twenty morions or salads. And every person temporal having any honors, lordships, manors, houses, lands, meadows, pastures, or woods, of any such estate as is aforesaid, to the clear yearly value of a thousand marks or above, and under the clear yearly value of a thousand pound, shal haue, find, sustain, and maintain, within this realm of their own proper and at their own proper costs and expenses, four horses, or geldings, able for dimilaunces, whereof two at the least to be horses, with sufficient harnesses and weapon and sadels meet and requisite to the said dimilaunces, horses or geldinges, and six light horses or geldings able and meet for light horsemen, with furniture of harness and weapon requisite for the same. And also of armour and weapon thirty corselets furnished, thirty almayne ryuyttes, or in stede of the said almayne rivets, leavy coats of plate, corselets or brigandines furnished, leavy pikes, twenty long bows, twenty shefes of arrows, twenty steel caps or gaols, ten black bills or halberdes, ten haquebuts, and ten moryans or salads. And every person temporal having honors, worships, manoures, houses, lamdes, meadows, pastures, or woods, of any such estate as is aforesaid to the clear yearly value of four hundrethe pounds or above, and under the clear yearly value of a thousand marks, shall haue, find, keep, sustain, and maintain, as is aforesaid, two horses, or one horse & one gelding able for dymylaunces, with sufficient furniture of harness steel sadels & weapon for the same as is aforesaid, & four geldings able forlyght horsemen, with sufficient harness and weapon for the same, and also .xx. corselets furnished .xx. almayne riuettes furnished, or in stede of almayne riuettes twenty coats of plate corselets or brigandines furnished, twenty pikes, fifteen long bows fifteen shefes of arrows, fifteen steel caps or gaols, syxe haquebuttes, and sire moryans or salletes. And that every person temporal hauying lordships, manors, houses lands meadows, pastures or woods, of any such estate as is aforesaid, to the clear yearly value of. C C. pounds or above, and under the clear yearly value of. C C C C. pounds, shal from the said first day of May, haue, keep, sustain and maintain one great horse or gelding, able for a demi-lance, with sufficient furniture of harness, steeled saddle, and weapon for the same, & two geldinges, able for light horsemen, with harness and weapons suffiryent, as is aforesaid, for the same, and also ten corselets furnished, ten almayne rivets, or in the place of almayne riuyttes, ten coats of plate, corselets or brigandines furnished, ten pikes, eight long bows, eight shefes of arrows, eight steel caps or scules three haquebuttes, and three morions or salads. And every person temporal having any lordships, manors, houses, lands, meadows, pastures, or woods of any such estate as is aforesaid, to the clear yearly value of one hundred pounds, or above, and under the yearly value of two hundred pounds, shall from and after the said first day of may, haue, keep, and maintain( as is aforesaid) two geldings, able and meet for light horsemen, with sufficient harness, and weapon requisite for the same. And also three corseletes furnished, three almayne ryuyttes, or in stede of them so many coats of plate, corselets, or brygandines furnished, three pikes, three long bows, three shefes of arrows, three steel caps or seulles, two haquebuttes, and two morions or sal lets. And also every person temporal having lordships, manoures, houses, lands meadows, pastures, or woods of any such estate as is aforesaid, to the clear yearly value of a hundred marks or above, and under the yearly value of a hundred pounds, from the said first day of May, shall haue, keep, maintain and sustain one gelding able and meet for alight horseman, with the harness and weapon sufficient and requisite for the same two corselets furnished, two almain ryuittes, or in stede of the same two coats of plate, or brigandines furnished, two pikes, two long bows, two shefes of arrows, two steel caps or gaols, one haquebut, one moryan or salad. And also every person temporal having lordships, manors houses, lands, meadows, pastures or woods, of any such estate as is aforesaid, to the yearly value of forty pounds or above, and under the yearly value of a hundred marks, shal from and after the said first day of May haue, maintain and keep two corselets furnished, two almayne riuettes, or in steede of the same, two coats of plate, corselets or brygandines furnished, two pikes, one long bow, one sheaf of arrows, one steel cap or skull .ii. haquebuts two morions or salletes. And also every person temporal having lordshypes, manoures, houses, lands, meadows pastures or woods, of any such estate as is aforesaid, to the clear yearly value of twenty pounds or above, and under the yearly value of .xi. pounds, shall from the said first day of may, haue, keep, and maynetaine, one corselet furnished, one pike, one haquebut, one morian or salad, one long bow, one sheaf of arrows, and one steel cap or skull.  
And also every person temporal having lordeshyps, manoures, houses, lands, meadows, pastures, or woods, of any such estate as is aforesaid, to the clear yearly value of ten pounds, or above, and under the yearly value of .xx. pound, shal from and after the said day haue, keep, and sustain, one almayne ryuitte, cote of plate or brigandine furnished, one haquebut, one morian or salad, and one long bow, and one sheaf of arrows one steel cap or skull. And also every person temporal having lordshyps, manors, houses, lands, meadows, pastures or woods, of such estate as is aforesaid, to the clear yearlye value of five pounds or above, and under the yearly value of ten pounds, shall from and after the said first day of may haue, keep, and sustain, one cote of plate furnished, one black bill or halberte, one long bow, one sheaf of arrows, and one steel cap or skull. And also every person temporal having goods or cattels to the value of one thousand marks or above, shall from the said first day of may haue, finde, keep, sustain, and maintain, as is aforesaid one horse or gelding able for a demi-lance, with sufficient harness steel saddle and weapon requisite and conuenyente for the same, and one gelding able and meet for alight horseman with harness and weapon sufficient and requisite as is aforesaid for the same, or eyghtence cerselettes furnished, in the stede of the said horse, and gesdynge, and furniture of the same at his choice. And also shal from the same day haue, finde, keep, & mayntayue of armour and weapon, two corselets furnished, two almain rivets, or for the same almainryuets, two coats of plate, two corselets, or two brigandynes furnished, two pikes, four long bows, four sheaf of arrows, four steel caps or gaols, & three haquebuttes, with .iii. morions, or salads. And also every person temporal having goods or cattels, to the valves hereafter in this present act specified and declared, shall from and after the said syrste day of may haue find, keep, sustain and maintain such geldings, armour, weapon, and furniture for war as is hereafter declared. That is to say, having to the value of four hundred pounds or above, and under the value of a thousand mackes, one gelding able & meet for a light horseman with sufficient harness and weapon requisite and meet for the same, or nine corselets, furnished at his election, and also shall haue, finde, and keep one other corselette furnished, one pike, two almayne riuetes, or plate coats or brigandines furnished, one haquebut, two long bows, two shefes of arrows, and two steel caps or gaols. And having in goods and cattels, to the value of two hundred pounds or above, and under four hundred, one corselet furnished, one pike, two almayne ryuetes, plate coats, or brigandines furnished, one haquebut, one murryan or salet, two long bows and two soefe of arrows, and two gaols or steel caps. And having in goods and cattels to the value of a hundred pounds or above and under two hundred pounds, one corselette furnished, and one pike, one pair of almayne ryuyttes, one plate cote, or pair of brygandines furnished, two long bows, and two shefes of arrows, and two gaols. And having as is aforesaid, in goods and ratteses, to the value of forty pounds, or above, and under a hundred pounds, two pair of almain ryuittes, or two coats of plate or brygandines furnished, one long bow, and one sheaf of arrows, one steel cap or skull, and one black bill, or halberd. And having as is aforesaid in goods and cattelles to the value of twenty pounds or above, and under .xl. pounds, one pair of almain riuetes, or one cote of plate, or one pair of brygandines, two long bewes, two shefes of arrows .ii. gaols or stecle caps, and one black bill or halberd. And having as is aforesaid to the value of ten pounds or above, and under twenty pounds, one long bow, one sheaf of arrows with one steel cap or skull, and one black bill or halberte. And also that every person temporal not being above charged by this act: having or that hereafter shal haue any Innuitie, or annuities, or yearly fee or fees, for term of life, or of any estate of inheritance or any copyhold, or copyholdes for term of life, or of any estate of inheritance to the clear yearly value of .xxx. pounds or above, shal be charged and chargeable with such furniture of war, as is aforesaid, ineuerye degree, qualytye, and condition, according to the proportions and rates before expressed, limited and appointed for goods and cattelles.  
And be it further enacted by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that every person which by virtue of thacte made in the Parliament holden at Westmiuster in the .xxxiii. year of the reign of king Henry theyght, was bound( by reason that his wife should wear such kind of apparel or other thing, as in the same Statute is specially mentioned and declared) to keep or finde one great stoned trottinge horse, and is not by this act before charged to haue maintain and keep any horse or gelding, shall from the said first day of may, haue, keep, and maintain one gelding able and meet for alight horseman, with sufficient harness and weapon for the same, in such maner and form, as every temporal person having lordeshyps, houses, lands, meadows, pastures or woods of such estate as is aforesaid, of the clear yearly value of one hundred marks, is charged or appoynted, to finde, haue, and maintain by this present act.  
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that yf any person chargeable by this act, as is aforesaid, shall by the space of any three whole months after the said first day of may, lack or want the said number and kinds of horses, geldinges, armour, weapon, and furniture aforesaid, or any of thē, after such rate, proportion, maner, and form as is in this act above limited, declared, and appoynted. That then every such person shall forfeit and lose for every such three months that he shall so lack and want the same number and kinds of horses, geldings, armour, weapon, and furniture, or any parte therof, for every horse or gelding so lacking ten pounds. And for every dymylaunce and furniture of the same three pounds, and for every corselet and furniture of the same .xi. s. And for every almayne ryuet, cote of plate, or brigandine, and the furniture of the same .xx. s. And for every bow and sheaf of arrows, bill, halberd, haquebut, steelecappe, skull, morryan, and fallet .x. s. the one moytye of which said forfeitures shal be to the king and queen our sovereign lord and Lady, and to theirs and successors of the same our sovereign Lady. And the other moiety to him or them that will sue for the same, in any court of record, by bill, plaint, action of debt, or information, in the which bill, plaint, action, or information, no wager of lawe, essoygne or protection shalbe allowed, or admitted.  
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the inhabitants of every city, borough, town, parish and hamlette within this realm, other then such as are specially charged before in this act, shal haue, find, keep, sustain, and maintain at their common charges and expenses, such harness and weapon, and as much thereof as shalbe appointed by the commissioners of our said sovereign lord and lady, and of the heires and successoures of the same our sovereign Lady, for the musters or view of ar moure within such city, Burroughe, town, parish or Hamlette, there to be kept in such place, as by the said commissyoners shalbe appoynted. And the numbers & kinds therof to be written and comprised in a pair of indentures, to be made between the said commissioners or two of them at the least, and twelve, eight, or four, of the cheyfeste of every such city, Burroughe, town, parish or Hamlette, whereof one parte to remain with the chief officer of the same city, Burroughe, town, parish or Hamlette. And the other parte to remain with the clerk of the peace of the shire or county where every such city, town, burrow, parish, or Hamlet, shall stand or be. And yf the same inhabitants of every such city, Borough, town, parish, or Hamlet, other then such as are specially( as is afore said) charged, shall lack or want such harness or weapons, or any parte therof, as shall be unto them appoynted by the said Commissioners for the musters or view of armour, as is aforesaid, by the space of any three months to gether next after any such appointment made. That then the same inhabitants shal forfeit for every the said three months, for every such harness or weapons so lacking, after the rate above limited, the one moiety therof to be to our said sovereign lord and lady, and to theirs and successoures of our said sovereign lady. And tother moiety to him or them that will sue for the same, in any of the courts of record of our said sovereign lord and lady, and of theirs and Successoures of the same our sovereign lady, by bill, plaint, action of debt, or information wherein no wager of lawe, essoygne or protection, shalbe admitted or allowed.  
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the Lord chancellor of england, for the time being, shall haue full power and authority by virtue of this present act, from time to time, to grant out commyssyons, under the great seal of England, to the Iustyers of Peace, within every shire, or county of this realm, or to so many of them as by his discretion shalbe thought meet and convenient, for the appointing and lymitting of the s●yd harnesses and weapons, to be found kept and maintained in every such city, Burroughe, town, parish, and Hamlette, at the common charges of thinhabitauntes thereof as is aforesaid.  
provided always that this act or any thing therein contained shall not extend to take away or discharge any tenant or fermour, of his service or covenant towards his lord for the finding of horse, armour, or weapon, or for doing of service by himself or any other, which, by the tenor of his land, or ferme, he is bound to do, at the time of making of this act. But that he shall yield, pay, and do the same in as large ample maner and form as though this act had never been had ne made.  
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the Iustices of peace of euetye shire, shall haue power and authority by virtue of this act, from time to time to make search and view, of and for the said furnitures of horses, geldings, armour and weapon, to be found, maintained, and kept, by any person above said, having lord ships, manors, houses, lands, meadows, pastures, or woods, to the clear yearly value of. CC. pounds or under, & not above the yearly value of. CCCC. pounds, or to be found maintained or kept, by any person or persons chargeable by this act, by reason of his or their goods, catteles, annuities, fees, or coppyhosdes, as is aforesaid, and to here and determine at their quarter sessions al and every the defaults committed or done contrary to this act, within the county where such Sessions shalbe kept, by inquisition presentment, bill, or information, before them exhibited, or by examination of two lawful witness, at the discretion of the same Iustices, and to award process thereupon as though they were indicted before them by verdict of twelve men or more. And vpon the conuyction of the offender, by information or suit of any other then the king or the queen, or of theirs or Successoures of the queen, to make estreats of thone moiety of the said forfeitures to be levied to th use of our said sovereign Lord and lady, or of theirs or successors of the same our sovereign lady, as they use to do of other fines, issues, and amercyamentes, growing in the sessions of peace. And to award execution of tother moiety for the complaynaunte or informer against the offender, by fieri facias or capias, as the kings Iustices at Westminster may do and use to do. And yf any such conviction shall hereafter happen at thonely suit of our said sovereign lord and lady, or of the heires or successoures of the same our sovereign lady, that then the whole forfeitures to be estreated and levied to their uses onely.  
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that whensoever any person shal at any time hereafter be convicted by virtue of this act for any default or thing mentioned in this act, that then the same person shall not otherwise or eftsoons be vexed, troubeled, sued, or convicted, for the same default or thing, wherefore he shall be so conuycted. ¶ And be it moreover enacted by thauctorytye aforesaid, that yf any souldioure shall at any time hereafter make sale of his horse, harness, and weapon, or any of them contrary to the form of the said statute made in the said second and third yeares of the said late king, that then not only the same soldier shall incur the penalties of that statute, but also the said sale made by such soldier to any person or persons knowing him to be a soldier, shall be void and of none effect, against him or them that found or set forth the said horse, harness, and weapon, or any of them, to or for the furniture of such soldier to serve with the same.  
provided always that no person shall be impeached or troubled for any offence done contrary to this act, unless presentment or suit therof be had, made, or taken within one year next after the offence done, any thing in this act to the contrary therof in any wise notwithstanding.  
provided alway and be it enacted by thauctoritye aforesaid, that yf at any time hereafter it shall fortune any person or persons aforesaid, to be sued or impeached for any forfeiture or penalty, for not having, sustaining, or keeping such furniture of corselets, pikes, haquebuttes, or moryans, as by this act is before limyted, ranted, and appointed, and for his or their excuse and answer shall allege and plead that the same furniture so lacking, could not by him or them conveniently be had gotten or provided, for want and lack of the same within this realm, according to the tenor and purport of this act, the same matter of want and lack as is aforesaid, shalbe allowed, and taken for a good and sufficient answer and bar in the lawe, in case it be true, and yf the same be denied or traversed, that thereupon an issue shall be joined, and that the trial shall be of every such issue onely had by the certificate to be made by the lord chancellor, lord Treasurer, the lord president of the council, the lord Steward of the kings and queens most honourable household, the lord privy seal, the lord admiral, and the lord chamberlain of the said household, or by three of them, in writing under their reales, or the seals of three of them, this presentacte, or any statute lawe or usage heretofore had to the contrary notwithstanding.  
provided also and be it enacted by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that no person or persons chargeable by virtue of this act, to or for the finding or having of any horse, gelding, armour, weapon, or furniture for the war as is aforesaid, shalbe charged with th● same, or with any of them both, for his manors, houses, lands, meadows, pastures & woods, and also for his goods, cattels, fermes, leases, copyholdes, rents, annuities.  
provided also and be it further enacted by thauethoritie aforesaid, that this act or any thing therein contained, shal not in any wise extend or be adiudged, or interpnted to abrogate, repeal, or make void, any part, sentence, matter, clause, article, or thing contained, or specified in the statute, made in the .xxxiii. year of the reign of the late noble Prince of worthy memory king Henry the .viii. for or concerning the having of long bows, and arrows, and the using, order, exercysyng, and maintenance of archery, and shooting in long bows, but that the same statute and every article, clause, sentence and thing therein contained and specified, touching, or in any wise concerning the having of long bows, arrows, using, order, exercising, or maintenance of archery, and shooting in long bows, shal stand and remain in force, and be observed, persourmed, and kept, according to the tenor effect and true meaning of the said act, upon the pains contained in th● same, as this act had not been had ne made, this present act or any thing therein contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.  
provided also that yf it shall fortune the said furniture of armour aforesaid, or any parte therof, at any time hereafter to be lost or spent in any service of defence of this realm, or elles the horses, or geldings aforesaid, to be killed or destroyed, or elles by some other occasion to be dead, that in such case or cases, no person or persons, shalbe charged with any forfeiture or penalty aforesaid, for not having such quantity or number of armour, horses or geldinges, as is aforesaid, so that he or they within one year next after such loss or want, do supply the same again, in all points, according to the true meaning and purport of this act, any thing in the same act to the contrary therof notwithstanding.  
provided also that the want of any gauntlet or gauntletttes, shall not be deamed, accounted, or taken for any lack or want of furneiture for acorselet, any words before expressed sounding to the contrary notwithstanding.  
provided also and be it enacted by thaucthoritie aforesaid, that every person and personnes charged with the finding of any haquebut, and his or their servant or servants shall and may exercise and use shotynge in the same haquebut, at such marks, as are limited and appoynted by the statute made in the .xxxiii. year of the taygne of king henry the eight, or at their own proper games, so that they carry not, or use not the same haquebut, in any high way, unless it be coming or going to or from the musters, or marching towards or from the service of defence of the realm, any clause or article in the said act of the .xxxiii. year, to the contrary notwithstanding.  
provided always that this act ne any thing therein contained, shal extend to charge any person or persons, dwelling or abiding within the Countries of north-wales, and south-wales, and within the County Palentine of Lancaster, and Chester, or either of them, with the finding or having of any haquebut, but that they and every of them, shal and may at their will, liberty, and pleasure, haue and keep, in stede and place of every haquebut, charged by this act, one long bow, & one sheaf of arrows, over and besides such other armour and munition as is by the laws of this realm limyted and appoynted, any thing in this act to the contrary notwithstanding.  
provided always that the lord chancellor of England, or keeper of the great seal for the time being, shall and may from time to time by virtue of the king and queens highness Commission, name, assign, and appoint commissioners, in every city, borough, and town corporate, wherein ther be Iustices of the peace, aswell in england as in Wales, so many of the same Iustices of Peace, with such and as many other persons to be joined with them dwelling out of the said cities, boroughs, and towns Corporate, as he or they shall think meet, to take view of armour in every of the same Cities, boroughs, and towns Corporate, according to this present act, and also to assign what harness and armour shalbe provided and kept by the inhabitants of every such city, borough, and town Corporate as is aforesaid, according to this present act.  
God save the king and the queen.   

excusum LONDINI IN aedibus johannis Cawodi, Tipographi Regiae Maiestatis.   

Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.