By the queen.  
THE queens majesty, hearing credibly by report, that in some partes of her realm, her people and subiectes are, and of late haue ben vexed and molested, by certain lewd persons, under pretence of executing of Commissions for inquiries to be made, for lands concealed, who do by colour thereof, & without warrant of Commission, contrary to alright, and namely contrary to her majesties meaning and intent intermeddle and challenge( as it is reported) lands of long time possessed by church wardens, and such like, vpon the charitable gifts of their predecessors, to the common benefit of the parish, yea and certain stocks of money, plate, cattayle, or such like: and let not also to make pretence to the belles, lead, and other such like things belonging to parish Churches, or chapels used for common prayers: and further to attempt to make titles to the lands, possessions, plate, and 〈…〉 es belonging to Hospitales, and such like houses, used for maintenance of poor people, with many such o●●●● unleful attempts and extortions, to a pernicious example, yf the same should be further used and suffered by colour ●●●●of for this purpose, her majesty meaning speedily to withstand this manner of extortions, and vnleful practi 〈…〉 and troubles of her subiectes, and doubting that the like is, or may be used in other places of the realm, though 〈…〉 complaint be not thereof made, hath lately commanded, that al Commissions, which are extant, and not de 〈…〉ed, for inquisition of any manner of concealementes, should be by supersedeas out of her Court of Exchequer re〈…〉. And yet because the fraudes of offenders in such cases do so abound, as it may be, that they which haue al 〈…〉 begun, by colour of commissions to use such extortions and vexations for gain, will themselves conceal the 〈◇〉 of their Commissions, being but by process of supersedeas: Therefore her majesty( to notisie this her gra 〈…〉 disposition more public to her subiectes, and to procure due punishment of the offenders, with restitution of 〈…〉 s wrongfully taken) giveth to understand by these presentes, that al manuer of Commissions now extant, that 〈◇〉 pass from any her courts, to inquire of any lands, tenements, and hereditaments, or of any goods, or cha〈…〉 concealed, or supposed to be concealed before the date hereof, shal cease, and not continue: and that no Commissioner 〈◇〉 by virtue of any such Commission, charge any person to inquire further of the contents of any such Commission ▪ And yf any manner of person shal haue just cause to complain of any other, for any manner of extortion, or mis 〈…〉 by colour of such Commission, the same shal and may exhibit their complaint to the Iustices of assize, now this 〈◇〉 〈◇〉, or to any other two or three of the Iustices of peace in the shire, whom her majesty chargeth to cause the truth of the complaint to be examined, and the offenders to be severely and speedily punished, and to make due and large restitution. Or yf the cases of the extortion 〈…〉 great, or that the offenders can not be found within the county: then that certificat be made thereof by the said Iustices of assize, or the peace, either to her majesties privy Counsel, or to the Lord keeper of the great seal, to be further tried & punished in the star chamber, for a further example. And although her majesty most graciously in this sort meaneth to relieve her subiects from wrongs & vexati●●● yet th●rewith her majesty giveth them al to understand, that she intendeth not to forbear by somme better or 〈…〉 means, and by persons of known honesty and wisdom, to inquire of such lands, and other things, as 〈…〉 and justly do belong to her crown, and are withdrawn and concealed, and to the which by the laws of her realm her majesty is justly entitled: wherein such care shalbe had, as hereafter no commission shalbe granted, 〈◇〉 to suchpersons as shal be reputed of such trust & honesty, as shal by no means give cause to offend any, but such as of more wrong will keep and detain things belonging by order of lawe to the crown, to which her majesty doubeth not, but al good honest subiectes do bear that duty and reue rence, as they will yield their service to the maintenance thereof, as by the lawe of God they are bound( besides their earthly duty) to her majesty.  
And finally, her majesty would haue her Iustices of assize to haue some special care, not only to the premises in this their Sessions, but also to the refourmyng of certain covetous and injurious attempts, of diuers that haue of late time by other colour then for her majesties use, taken away the led of Churches and chapels, yea and the Belles also out o● Steeples, and other common goods belonging to Parishes, an example not to be suffered unpunished, nor ●nrefourmed. And so her majesty eftsoons chargeth her Iustices of assize to provide severe remedy, both for punishment and refourmation thereof.  
given at her highness palace at Westminster, the thirteenth day of February, 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.