❧ By the King.  
FOrasmuch as his majesty understandeth, that there be diuers ancient & other good and necessary laws and statutes of this his kingdom of England, which do inflict and impose diuers grievous corporal and pecuniary pains & punishments, extending in some cases to sentence of death( the last and greatest punishment,) and in some cases to final exile & banishment out of their natural country for ever, vpon such as unlawfully hunt or enter into any forest, park, Chase, or Warren, to kill or destroy any Deere or Game with any Dogs, Nets, guns, crossbows, Stonebowes or other Instruments, Engines, or means whatsoever, or by any such unlawful means or devises to spoil or destroy the Game of Pheasants, Partridges, Hearne, Mallard, & such like, And also diuers other good laws and Statutes, provided for the preventing of the said offences, and therefore do prohibit vpon great pains and penalties aswell the having or keeping, as the using of any Deere hays, Buckstalles, Dogs, guns, crossbows, nets and other Engines, as by the same laws and Statutes appeareth: And yet his Maiestic understandeth withall, that the same good laws and Statutes haue had( especially of late time) little or no effect, in respect there hath not been any due execution( the life of all laws) of the same, by such to whom the care and charge thereof appertained: by means whereof, such boldness and disobedience hath grown, specially in the vulgar sort, as that of late peers, the several Games above mentioned, haue been more excessively and outrageously spoilet & destroyed, then hath been attempted & practised in former ages. His majesty intending a due and speedy reformation of the said abuses and offences, And that the said good laws and Statutes be hereafter put in due execution. And yet of his Princely clemency and benignity, now in the beginning of his most happy and prosperous reign towards all his loving Subiects, is graciously pleased, and doth by these presents vouchsafe to publish to all his Subiects his intention and determination therein, to the end that none of them,( which his majesty desireth) might hereafter incur the severity and punishment of the said laws and Statutes: but like good and natural Subiects for their own safety and good, obey and observe the same. And therefore doth straightly charge and command all and every person and persons, of what estate and degree soever, not to Hunt, Kill, Take, or destroy, by any of the ways or means abovesaid, or by any other unlawful mean, device, or invention whatsoever, any of the Games abovesaid, contrary to any of the aforesaid laws or Statutes: Nor that they haue, keep, or use any of the said Deere hays, Buckestalles, Dogges, guns, crossbows, nets, and other things above mentioned, or any of them, contrary to any of the said laws or Statutes. And that if any person or persons, shall, after this Proclamation made and published, oftend in any of the premises, against any of the said laws and Statutes, that then he shall not onely undergo and suffer the severe sentence and punishment of the same, as well for such offences hereafter to be attempted or done, as for the like offences formerly committed, but also such pains and penalties as may be inflicted vpon such as wilfully contemn and disobey his Commandement Royal. And his majesty doth further charge and command al Iustices, Officers and Ministers whatsoever, to whom in these cases it doth appertain, that they from henceforth diligently and carefully look to the due executing, aswell of the said laws and Statutes and every of them, as of his majesties pleasure and Royal Commandement, signified and declared by these presents, And that without respect of any person or persons of what estate or degree soever, as they will answer the contrary at their uttermost peril.  
given at our Mannour of Greenwich the 16. day of May in the first year of our reign of England, France and Ireland, and in the six and thirtieth of Scotland. 
 God save the King.   

❧ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent majesty. Anno 1603.