❧ By the queen. ❧ The queens majesties Proclamation, 1. For observation of former Orders against Jngrossers, & Regraters of corn, 2. And to see the Markets furnished with corn. 3. And also against the carrying of corn out of the realm. 4. And a prohibition to men of hospitality from removing from their habitation in the time of dearth. 5. And finally a straight commandement to all Officers having charge of Forts to reside thereon personally, and no inhabitant to depart from the Sea cost.  
THE queens majesty having had of late time consideration of great dearth grown in sundry parts of her realm, judging that the rich Owners of corn would keep their store from common Markets, thereby to increase the prices thereof, and so the multitude of her poor people having no grain growing of their own, to sustain great lack, caused special orders to be made and published to all parts of her realm, in what sort the Iustices of peace in every quarter should stay all engrossers, Forestallers, and Regraters of corn, and to direct all Owners and Farmers having corn to furnish the Markets rateably and weekly with such quantities as usually they had done before time, or reasonably might and ought to do: By which orders, many other things were prescribed to be observed for the staying of the dearth, and relief of the people: Yet nevertheless, her majesty is informed, that in some parts of her realm the dearth doth not diminish, but rather increase for lack of due execution of the said orders, and specially by the covetousness of the Owners, forbearing to furnish the Markets, as reasonably they might do, and by secretly selling out of their houses to a kind of people that commonly are called Badgers, at prices unreasonable, who likewise do sell and regrate the same out of the Markets at very high and excessive prices. For remedy whereof, her majesty chargeth all officers to whom the observation of the said orders hath been directed, presently as they haue any natural care of their Christian brethren & countrymen, being in need, to cause all and every part of the said orders from point to point to be executed, and the offenders against the famed to be severely punished, to the terror of others. And besides this manifest cause given of unnecessary increase of prices, there is spread amongst her people by the said engrossers and Regraters a false report, that there should be much quantity of corn carried by Sea out of the realm, and thereby occasion given of want of corn to serve for the necessary use of the people of the realm: By which false report, not onely her majesties poor people are discomforted with the fear of lack for their sustenance, but also the covetous owners of corn do pretend to preserve their store, and thereby do refrain to serve the Markets: which slanderous report, her majesty doth affirm, for any thing to her knowledge, or for any licence, or sufferance for carrying any corn out of the realm, to be untrue. And yet nevertheless, for that contrary to her majesties will, there may be some fraud used in some parts of the realm, either by her own officers or by others, where corn is provided in some one part of her realm, to be carried by Sea to some other place that is known to haue need thereof, notwithstanding by the very special orders of all the Ports, there ought none to be carried from Port to Port, but vpon special bonds in great sums of money to be taken of the owners of the Ships and of the corn, where such transportation shall be made, for the true carriage of the same to the Ports therein name, and not by any colour or pretence to carry the same out of the realm: And therefore for further provision to be made for avoiding of such fraud, besides such bonds to be taken, her majesty commandeth and giveth licence to any person that shall haue cause to suspect that any such corn is or should be shipped, or provided to be shipped, by lawful authority to be carried to any other Port, that the same may be by fraud carried out of the realm, such person having such cause to suspect, shall give information thereof to any Iustice of peace or public officer dwelling nere to the Port, which Iustice or officer shal with the said Informer repair to the custom house of any such Port or Creeke where corn is shipped, or provided to be shipped, and there shall duly examine both the officers of the custom house, & the sellers, buyers, & shippers of the corn, vpon their several oaths, whether they know of any intention directly or indirectly to haue the said corn to be carried out of the realm. And further also when by their oaths they shall clear themselves of any such intention( thereby the suspicion conceived being cleared) yet the officers of the Ports, that haue authority to take bonds, shal show the parties, who vpon suspicion shall require the same, and give them in writing the contents of the bond with the names of the parties bound, being sufficient to answer the same, the true quantity of the grain, and the Ports, to which it is intended to haue the same carried; and, if notwithstanding such provision of good assurance taken, there shall afterwards any doubt follow, that notwithstanding the said bonds, the said corn shalbe carried out of the realm: the party that shall haue cause so to suspect the same, shall repair to some Iustice of Peace, whom her majesty doth hereby command to examine the truth at the Port, whereunto the said corn was appointed. And for that purpose the officers of that Port shall make plain declaration, whether any such corn, and what quantity thereof came to that Port within the time limited. And if by good proof it shall any ways appear, that there hath been any fraud in any officer of the Port, or falsehood in the transporter by carrying it out of the realm, the officer of the Port shalbe deprived of his office, and suffer imprisonment, and make fine to her majesty at her pleasure. And the transporter for carrying it out of the realm, and the seller and buyer, or either of them being privy thereto, shall be committed to prison for the space of one year, and the Ship forfeited. And the Informer for his labour and reward shall haue both the half of the value of the corn transported, and the half of the fines imposed vpon the offenders. And for the trial of these offences, and execution of the punishments and fines, the same shalbe tried in her majesties Exchequer, as all informations are vpon penal Statutes, where all expedition shall bee used, or before the Iustices of assize in their circuits, or before any Iustices of Peace in the Sessions, where the offence shall be committed, having any authority to hear and determine any penal Lawe.  
Finally her majesty is particularly informed of some intentions of sundry persons of ability to keep hospitality in their Countreys, to leave their said hospitalities, and to come to the city of London, and other Cities and towns corporate, thereby leaving the relief of their poor neighbours, as well for food, as for good rule, and with covetous minds to live in London, and about the city privately, and so also in other towns corporate, without charge of company; for withstanding whereof her majesty chargeth all maner of persons, that shall haue any such intention during the time of this dearth, not to break up their housholds, nor to come to the said city, or other towns corporate: and all others that haue of late time broken up their housholds, to return to their houses again without delay. And whilst her majesty had thus determined for relief of her people to stay all good householders in their Countreys, there in charitable sort to keep hospitality, her majesty hath had an instant occasion given her to extend her commandement even for the necessary defence of her realm: willing and straitly commanding all maner of persons that be deputies to any Lieutenants in any Counties of the realm, to repair to their Countreys; And that all persons having charge of any Castles or Forts vpon the Sea coasts, do presently repair to their charge, and there to reside personally during all this Winter season, and to haue care how the same forts are furnished, and to make petition for their defects. And likewise her majesty chargeth all persons dwelling in any Port town to continue their habitation there, and to furnish their households with able persons for defence of the said Ports. These her majesties present commandements her highnesse mindeth and willeth to be inquired of by the Lieutenants of every Shire, and specially by them of the Maritime Counties, whom her majesty chargeth to inquire diligently hereof, and by their commandements to see the defaults reformed, or otherwise to advertise her majesty or her privy counsel of the offenders. The observation of all which, her majesties commandment is to be performed vpon pain of her majesties heavy indignation.  
given at her majesties Mannour of Richmond the second day of november 1596. in the eight and thirtieth year of her majesties reign.  
God save the queen.   

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