❧ By the queen.  
THe queens most ercellent majesty, being credibly informed that many vagabonds, rogues, idle persons, and masterless men, having nothing to live on, do daily resort to the Cities of London and Westminster, and the suburbs of the same, and also to the Borough of southwark, and other Villages and towns near adjoining to the said Cities and Borough, and there are suffered to live very disorderly: by occasion whereof, many robberies, and felonies, and other horrible crimes and offences be committed and done, to the high displeasure of almighty God, and to the great hurt of her good & loving Subiects. The chief occasion whereof, seemeth to be the want of good execution of the good laws and statutes, made for the punishment of such masterless men, idle, and vagrant persons. Wherefore her majesty, minding with some severity presently to haue the said good laws & Statutes already provided against such persons, to be duly put in execution, hath thought good by this her Proclamation, to notify the same her Highnesse pleasure, to all her loving Subiects: And therefore doth straightly charge & command, all persons that by the laws of this realm may be taken for rogues or vagabonds, and all idle persons, and masterless men, not having where with to live on, nor living by any lawful labour or occupation, and being her natural born Subiects, that they and every of them, do within two dayes next after the publishing of this Proclamation, depart & avoid themselves from the said Cities of London & Westminster, and the Suburbs of the same, and from the Borough of southwark, and all other towns and Villages within seven miles compass of the said Cities and Borough, and from thence to repair to the countries & places where they were born, and there to tarry & abide in some lawful work and exercise, as they ought to do, upon pains and penalties limited and expressed in the laws and Statutes provided against such offenders. And her majesties further pleasure & express commandementis, that the Maior, Aldermen, & Recorder of the said city of London, & al Iustices of Peace within the Counties of Middlesex, Kent, Surrey, & Essex, and specially al those Iustices that be within the limits aforesaid, that they & every of them, as they will avoid her Highnes displeasure, do from time to time, as occasion shal serve, cause good watch to be set, and search to be made, in al places where they shal think convenient, for the apprehending, arresting, and taking of all such idle vagrant persons, and masterless men, and that they cause the same with al speed to be imprisoned, and duly punished, according to the tenor and effect of her majesties laws and statutes in such cases provided, without any toleration or favour whatsoever to be shewed unto any of them. And her majesty doth also specially charge and command the said Maior, Aldermen, and Recorder of London, and all Iustices of Peace, bailiffs of Liberties and Franchises within the said Cities, towns, and limits, that they and every of them, within the limits of their jurisdictions, do from time to time cause good search to bee made, as well in all common Tabling houses, inns, Alehouses, and Tiplinghouses, as also in all Bowling alleys, and other places where any game or play is used and frequented, and there to apprehended and take such suspected persons, being masterless men, of evil name and famed, not having where withall to maintain their idle life, and the same so apprehended and taken, to commit to prison, there to remain, until they shal receive such punishment and correction, as by the laws & statutes of this realm is & shalbe due unto them. And her Highnes is further pleased & contented, that the Maior of the said City of London, shal haue power & authority from time to time, to proclaim & publish this present Proclamation in al places within the said city and suburbs, so often as to him shall seem needful and convenient.  
given at her majesties Honour at Hampton Court, the xiiii. day of December, 1576. in the xix. year of her Highnes reign. 
 God save the queen.   

❧ Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, Printer to the queens most excellent majesty. 1576.   

Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.