❧ By the queen.  
A Proclamation for the restraining and punishment of Forestallers, Regraters and engrossers of corn and grain, and for the prohibition of making of any maner of Search, within her majesties realm and Dominions.  
THe queens most excellent majesty calling to her princely mind the high prices and dearth of corn, which for these late yeeres haue been, and may again without good order increase, to the great impoverishment of her majesties most loving Subiects, if some remedy for the preventing thereof be not therein speedily taken: And her most excellent majesty like a most careful & gracious princess, looking into the causes of the high prices and dearth, and finding the same for the most part not so much to grow by the means of the unseasonableness & unfruitfulness of these yeeres( wherein God be thanked this land hath hitherto been blessed with plenty, as much as any other country of the world besides) but rather through the wicked and unsatiable greediness of sundry bad disposed persons, who preferring their own private gain above the public good) do not onely forestall, regrate, and engross all maner of grain, and so raise high prices thereby, to the great oppression of the poorer sort, but also do waste and consume an infinite quantity of corn for the making of Starch, as well in all Cities, towns, & other places throughout the realm, as like wise even in private houses, not onely for their own uses, but to sell & make gain thereof besides: Which uncharitable and vnchristian waste is such and so great, as it would suffice to feed a number of people that are like to perish by the increase of dearth that is enforced thereby: For redress of all which growing and increasing inconveniences, her majesty by advice of her Highnesse privy council, did about three yeres past publish a book of Orders in print, entitled, A new charge given by the queens commandement, &c. By which Orders, if the same had been well observed, not onely the unmerciful covetousness of Forestallers, Regraters, engrossers, Maulsters, and such like greedy Cormorants, but also the excessive and needless waste and expense of corn in making the said stuff called Starch, and in feeding of Dogges with corn or grain meet for the sustenance of man had been repressed and prevented, as by the said book amongst diuers other godly and politic orders more at large appeareth: Her majesty therefore might for the manifest breach of the said Orders in great contempt of her Princely and royal commandement so published, as aforesaid, for the common good of her loving Subiects( and specially of the poorer sort, whose case her Highnesse doth most graciously tender and pity) not onely punish the offenders therein, & specially such as so contemptuously and unchristianly either haue fed Dogges, or made Starch or such like vain matter of or with corn or grain meet for the sustenance of her poor Subiects, but also by their punishment might haue reaped great fines and sums of money for their offence and contempt in that behalf. Notwithstanding, her majesty, so long as there remaineth any hope of amendment, being most inclinable to mercy, hath of her abundant grace and pity thought it fit by her Highnesse Proclamation, eftsoons to prohibit the inconveniences and disorders abovesaid, signifying withall her majesties express will and pleasure, that if all and every the said offenders shall not from henceforth desist from their said contempts and disorders, that then her majesty will severely chastise and punish such of them hereafter offending, as well by fines as by corporal punishment, as the quality of such and so high offences shall deserve, & not onely for the time to come, but also for all the time past. And therefore her Market, and all other Officers within their several rules, limits and authorities, with all care and diligence to look to the due and streight execution of all laws, Statutes & Proclamations made, and now in force, against Forestallers, engrossers, and Regraters, and against every of them, and to see such Orders duly observed, as haue been devised and set forth by her majesties privy council, by her Highnesse commandement, for the serving of the Markets, and avoiding of such forestalling, regrating and other vices tending to raise the prices of corn, and to see the offenders in that behalf chastised with all severe punishment: And her majesty doth likewise straightly charge and command that no person or persons within this her Highnes realm and other her Dominions whatsoever, whether he be Stranger, Denizen, or subject born, shal from the xx. day of September next coming, employ, waste, or expend vpon feeding of Dogs, any corn or grain meet for the sustenance of man, nor shall by any means directly or indirectly make or cause to be made within this realm or any other her majesties Dominions any maner of Starch of corn or grain for any use whatsoever, nor of any other matter or thing whatsoever, to the end to sell or utter the same in gross or by retail. And her Highnes doth by virtue hereof likewise authorize & straightly charge & command al Iustices of Peace, Maiors, sheriffs, bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, and all other officers whatsoever, to whom it may in any wise appertain, from time to time at convenient times, and in lawful & due maner to make diligent search in all places, where they shall haue any just cause of suspicion to find any such person or persons, as shall offend contrary to the true meaning of this her majesties Proclamation, or any thing therein contained, that due execution may be had against every such offender accordingly, vpon pain of her majesties displeasure, and as they will answer to the contrary at their uttermost perils.  
given at her majesties Mannor of Greenwich the xxiii. day of August 1598, in the xl. 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. 1598.