By the queen.  
forasmuch as it is notorious, in what sort, sithence the public arrest first made of the queens majesties subiectes, and of their ships and goods in the low countreys of the king of spain, in the later end of December, in the year of our lord God. 1568. her majesty hath ben pleased to give sundry orders for the preservation of the goods of the subiectes of the said king, being afterward arrested in this realm, for the indemnity of her majesties subiectes, without yeeldyng to make any sale of them, saving some small portions, which otherwise would haue perished, although sale was before made generally in the low countreys of the goods of her majesties subiectes there arrested: and howe also afterward her majesty was well pleased, that certain of her merchants should repair into the low countreys, to treat with the Duke of A●lua, lieutenant to the said king, who had already sold their goods, for some treaty of a mutual restitution of al manner of things arrested or stayed in any of the kingdoms and countreys of both the said princes, whereby not only the subiectes of both partes, being owners, might be relieved by recovery of their own, but thereby th occasion of vnkindnesse, that might for lack of restitution ensue betwixt both the princes, might also be avoyded. Whereupon did also follow, that certain persons in the name of both the princes, haue treated for the manner of restitution, wherein many delays haue ben used by the ministers of the part of the said king. And yet when by the frequent solisitation of her majesties ministers used, it was thought that al the great difficulties of the treaty had ben fully past, and that the articles and covenants were ordered to be faire written, or, as the common speech is, put into mundum, so as it was on the queens majesties part daily looked, that the same should haue ben subscribed and sealed by the ministers on both sides, and so order for restitution to haue followed without delay: her majesty notwithstanding this her preceadyng, findeth that contrary to her expectation, the ministers that treated on the part of the king of spain, not only lacked sufficient authority to conclude, as reason was they should, and as they had from the beginning thereof ben oftentimes remembered, to procure sufficient commission: but also they did, when the conclution was looked for, newly offer before her majesties counsel, to add such other strange clauses and conditions, as could not be accepted in any reason, without the manifest prejudice of her majesties honour, and principally, without a plain and open gate or way to defeat the very certainty of restitution to her majesties subiectes, with a special provision notwithstanding for a certainty for the subiectes of the king of spain. Whereof, though the said ministers were plainly and at good length informed by her majesties counsel, & most earnestly required to reform the same, and to make al the covenants equal & reciproke for both partes: yet they would not be induced thereto, pretending that without further authority from the Duke of Alua, they could not alter those their new clauses. wherefore, her majesty considering the long delays herein used, the decays of the goods here arrested, the lamentable complaints of her merchants for lack of relief, with this also, that in the low countreys the goods of her majesties subiectes were already sold, by order of the Duke of Alua long time sithence, and that in spain also such as were of any value, were sold by order of the kings ministers there, and the rest, for the most part, wasted for lack of keeping: hath by aduise of her said counsel, as it were thereto urged by very necessity, determined to cause a public sale to be made of the goods of the said kings subiectes arrested in any of her majesties dominions. In which sale, her majesties determination and pleasure is, that al dexterity and sincerity shalbe used: and for that purpose, her majesty hath by aduise of her counsel, caused a competent number of expert, skilful, & honest merchants, aswell Englishe men, as strangers of sundry nations, to be appoynted, whereof also such of the subiectes of the said king of spain, as conveniently could be found, haue ben name, called, and offered to be parties yf they will, who vpon their oaths shal make open sale of al the ships, goods, wears, and merchandises arrested, to the most advantage and advancement in price they can or may, without showing any affection therein directly or indirectly, to themselves, or to any other person whatsoever. And for the better execution thereof, her majesty is pleased, and doth licence every proprietary or owner of any the said ships or goods so arrested or detained here, as is aforesaid, or the factor, or lawful attorney of any such owner, safely and freely to come into this realm, at any time within thirty dayes after the publication hereof, presenting themselves with al convenient speed after their arrival, to such as shal be appoynted to sell the said merchandises, and not doing or attempting any thing to the derogation or hurt of her majesty, her subiectes, or realm, but to depart after the said sales made to them without they shal be otherwise licenced: and that they may also lawfully buy al such goods, wears, an merchandises, as by their marks, or otherwise may be proved to belong to them, giving as much as any other reasonably will for the same, and that all and every person and persons buying any of the said ships, goods, wears, or merchandises, may carry and transport the same into any place or country beyond the seas, where it shal seem good to them, yf the same can not as profitably be sold here, paying al dueties and customs due and payable for the same. And for the further declaration also of her majesties good disposition and intent, her majesty doth by these presentes notify to al persons, that notwithstanding the proceeding of this sale, none shal be refused that shal come from the said king fully auctho●●●ed by commission, but shal be willingly heard to treat further, and conclude any thing that may tend to the benefit and good of both their kingdoms and countreys, and to the weal of the merchants and subiectes on both partes. And forasmuch as it is suspected, that diuers persons haue imbecelled and conveyed, and yet do withhold diuers goods, wears, and merchandises belonging to the subiectes of the said king of spain: her majesty doth straightly charge and command al manner of persons within her dominions, which haue sithence the time of the foresaid arrest had any ships, goods, or money, belonging to the subiectes of the said king of spain, in his or their custody or possession, whereof there is no report yet made, according to a proclamation set forth the last of june. 1570. shal within forty dayes after the publication hereof, bring or send a tuft report thereof, to such persons as shal be assigned or appointed for the sale of the wears and merchandises, vpon pain that any making default of such report, shal not only incur her majesties displeasure, but shal also after this admonition, be charged & punished as concealors and deteynors thereof with felonious mindes and intents.  
given at her highness palace of Westminster, the fourteenth day of Ianuarie, in the fourteenth year of her majesties reign.  
God save the queen.   

❧ Imprinted at London in Powles churchyard, by richard jug and John Cawood, Printers to the queens majesty.  
Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.