❧ By the King. ¶ A Proclamation for prevention of future abuses in purveyance.  
Such is the zeal and inward affection which we have found in all sorts of our loving and loyal Subjects of this our Kingdom, as we are content to acknowledge, that (besides the Christian care which all Kings are bound by the Law of God and nature to take over all their People) our own sense and apprehension of their complaints, doth daily increase with the feeling we have of their honest merits. In which respect, having taken some more particular pains in the examination of divers circumstances, then is common to many Princes; we did not only command all our Officers to be very diligent to try out and punish the offences of purveyors with all severity, but to fall into serious consideration, how all occasion may be taken away hereafter, whereby those inferior Ministers, which are used therein, may make themselves (under colour of our Prerogative Royal) the instruments of corruption and rapine: A matter most odious to our own nature, Who have always more desire to give then to receive from any our Subjects, except it be where necessity enforceth us thereunto, even for the support and preservation of that state and dignity wherein Almighty God hath placed us. For better assurance whereof, We have thought it very convenient at this time, to take some occasion in this manner to express the fruits of our care and consideration concerning this particular point of Purveyances.  
FIrst, when we were informed that some inferior ministers had presumed to go so far beyond their Commission, as they have adventured not only to take Timber trees growing (which being parcel of our subjects inheritance were never intended by us to be taken) without the good will and full contentment of the Owners, but have accustomed also to take up far greater quantities of Provisions for our House and Stable, then ever came or were needful for our use (as most especially in Wood, Coale, Hay and Carriage upon our Progress journeys or removes:) Although we have no cause to doubt, but that our Officers of our Greenecloth have been and will be ever most ready to search out and punish all such offences upon just complaints; Yet we did not leave the pursuit & trial thereof to them only, but did particularly direct our Attorney general to inform against them on our behalf in our Court of star-chamber, where some of them upon their Confession, have already received (by censure of that Court) condign punishment by Fine, Imprisonment, Pillory and losing of their ears, And some others seeking to save themselves by denying that wherewith they were charged do still remain under examination to receive the like punishment, upon due proof thereof to be made against them. By which example we persuade ourselves, that all honest men will rest so well assured of our good intention to reform abuses (even to their greatest satisfaction when there is just occasion) as they will carefully and willingly continue their obedience and conformity to those courses for furnishing such provisions as are necessary for us which were taken by the consent of most of the principal Gentlemen, and good Patriots in several Counties, And whereof above sixteen Shires have had continuance by the space of forty years, Especially considering how many good, and wise Princes of this Realm, that have gone before us, where such agreements have not been made, have held themselves to their Right of purveyance, which is one of the most ancient flowers of the Crown in our Progenitors, and must descend to our Posterity, whom God we hope) both hath, and will so far enable with his blessings, and graces, as they shall prove themselves no less able, nor worthy than any others, to enjoy and preserve the right, of a just and lawful Monarchy. Wherein, because all wise men know sufficiently, that wheresoever there must be a trust in Vulgar persons, it is not possible to keep their actions from errors, & abuses; We have thought it fit for a further demonstration of our great care to prevent the same, to publish that which followeth, as well to terrify the evil, as to comfort the well affected, whose just grief shall ever lie as near us, as our own.  
BE it therefore known hereby, that we do give express charge and commandment, that none of our purveyors, nor other of our Officers or ministers whatsoever, that now are, or hereafter shall be, or any of them, or any of their Deputies or Servants, shall take for us, or in our name, to or for any use whatsoever, any Timber trees of any our Subjects, growing in any place, or places whatsoever, without the express consent, and agreement of the owner thereunto had and obtained. Of which particular abuses we cannot conceal our mislike, both in respect of the injury done thereby to that laudable policy of the Realm for maintaining of Timber, and also in the particular feeling we have in our own affections how grievous it is for any man to behold the fruits, & honest pleasures of his own Labours or his Ancestors, defaced & spoiled by the lewd & ravenous malice of base companions.  
SEcondly, because we have considered that our Subjects may be sometime over burdened (against the meaning of our principal Officers) by the unreasonable taking of Wood, Coale, Hay, Oates and such like provisions in time of Progress: We do expressly charge and command all our Officers, ministers, or any of their Deputies & servants, to forbear to take either Wood, Coale, Hay, or Oats in larger proportion, than shallbe found necessary to be expended for the service of our House and Stable.  
ANd further our pleasure is, that none of our Purveyors or takers of carriage, or carttakers (for the time being) nor any of their deputies or servants, nor any other of our Officers or Ministers whatsoever, shall upon our journeys, removes, or progress, take up any carts or carriages for any Nobleman, Gentleman, Artisan, or others whatsoever, not being our servants in ordinary, & necessarily for that time to attend us. In which point that it may the better appear, how sparingly it shall be used, we do expressly command, that there be no more carriages taken, then shall be particularly comprised in a list, which shallbe made for that purpose, and signed with the hands of the principal Officers of our Chamber, Household, and Stable: And for the rest, whatsoever they be, either Noblemen, Gentlemen, Artisans, or others that do follow us, our express pleasure and commandment is, That they from henceforth at all times hereafter provide their carriages (such as they shall like to have or use) at their own proper costs and charges, and by their own means, without using in any fort either our name or authority, or any of our Purveyors, or any of their deputies or servants, for, or about the same.  
ANd we do withal hereby signify unto all and every our Purveyors, their deputies and servants, and all others that may receive any order from them touching purveyance of carriages, or the making of any the provisions aforesaid for any our progress, journeys, or removes, That if in any point therein they do carry themselves contrary to this our express prohibition in that behalf made, that for such their offences they shall be proceeded against in the severest manner, and receive such exemplary punishment, as by our Laws may be inflicted upon them.  
ANd we do straightly charge our principal Officers of our Household and Stable, and other Officers of our Greenecloth, upon due information, and proof made before them of any our Ministers offending in any the kinds before specified, to deliver the said offenders into the hands of some of the justices of Peace of the said Shire or County, where the said offence, or offences were committed, to the end they may proceed against them in as severe manner, as the Law and justice of our Realm requireth, or alloweth. And if any of the offences aforesaid shall seem fit to be proceeded withal in the Court of Star chamber, then in the Counties where the offences shallbe committed; Then we do straightly charge and command our Attorney general for the time being, that if information be given unto him by any our justices of Peace of the misdemeanour of any person so delivered, to see the said offender prosecuted, and duly punished. Provided always, that our meaning is not hereby to prohibit any our justices of Peace, upon just complaints of any of our loving Subjects, to examine, to bind over to the Sessions, or (if need require it) to commit any such offenders in their several Shires: And then, certifying the cause of such commitments to the Officers of our Greenecloth, to proceed (upon good proofs) in further punishment of the faults, according to the Laws of the Realm.  
ANd we do in like manner expressly prohibit and forbid all persons, after the end of this Session of Parliament, to make any purveyance without Commission for every several Shire, containing the kinds, and quantities (so near as may be) which they are to purvey within such a Shire. And that to the same Commissions blank Schedules be annexed, which cannot be taken off, wherein they shall truly, in presence of such High Constable, or Constables, petty Constable, or Constables, Headborough, or Headboroughes, as shall (by precept to him or them directed) be privy to the delivery of any the provisions in the said Commission specified, enter their take presently, whereunto the said Constable, etc. shall subscribe their names or sign Manuel. And that the owners or sellers, if they will, may presently likewise subscribe their names or marks to the same. And that when they have finished their take in any such Shire, That then they deliver a Duplicate of the said Schedule containing their take, and a true Copy of their proportions appointed, to one of the next justices of Peace, to the end it may appear that their take exceed not their Warrants.  
furthermore, where We have been informed, that divers complaints have been made of some hard course taken by our Officers of our Greenecloth towards divers of our loving Subjects, at such times as they have informed against Purveyors and such like Officers upon abuses; Although We have no doubt, that any of our Officers will in any such case so much forget their respect to justice or Duty to Us (the principal Officers being Counsellors of State, and the rest Knights and Gentlemen of good quality and discretion) yet to the intent our people may be satisfied that We have no purpose to suffer any interruption of justice, under pretext of our authority; We do hereby declare it, and so is our will and pleasure, that in case any of our loving subjects shallbe imprisoned for so doing, that the judges of our High Court at Westminster shall award a Habeas corpus for their relief, according to our Laws.  
ANd for the better satisfaction of our people, of whose loyalty and inward affections we stand so much assured, as they will not repine at any provision delivered by Virtue of our Commission, if it may appear to come to our use, our will and pleasure therefore is, that our justices of Peace in every several County or Country where any provision shallbe taken by virtue of our Commissions, shall at their quarter Sessions take particular reckoning of the high & petty Constables of all warrants coming unto them from any minister of ours, together with what provisions or carriages they have delivered unto them by virtue of our Commission; the true and just Certificate whereof they shall half yearly at the least, under the hands and Seals of some of them certify to our Treasurer and Comptrowler, or other our officers of Greenecloth, who presently by the parcels and accounts of our house shall duly examine the receipt from such Purveyors. And if it be found by Certificate of the said justices or otherwise, that they have taken more than they have delivered for our use or expense, unless it shall appear to have had just cause of miscarrying by the way: then we require our officers of Household, upon pain of our displeasure, without delay to send the party so offending into the County where such offence or offences shall be committed, there to receive punishment of life and member, as the good and ancient laws of our Realm have formerly ordained and appointed.  
furthermore, as we did in our return out of Wiltshire, being our first progress, upon the examination of some abuses, draw down the number of our carriages to such a proportion as two full third parts was diminished of the numbers before time used: even so at this time, because we conceive that the matter of carriages is the greatest grievance, And that it is oftentimes no less trouble to our people to come empty with their carts to Court to take in carriages, then to convey them; We do therefore hereby also command all persons used in the service of Carttaking for our removes, to forbear to take either more carriages than are of necessity to be used, or to warn or charge carts in any City, Town, Burrow, or hundred above fourteen miles at any time distant from the place where they are to receive their loading, upon pain of losing their Office and Service, and such further punishment as is to be inflicted upon them for their contempts. And we do likewise require all high Constables, upon receipt of any warrants from any our carttakers, their servants or deputies for warning of Carts within their hundreds, that they presume not to warn any but in such part of the hundredth as shall be within compass of the fourteen miles above specified, upon pain of the penalties before expressed; unless it shall appear by the judgement and order of the justices of that County, or six of them at the least, that it shall be more for the ease of the country to enlarge the extent of the number of miles aforesaid.  
further, we charge and command the Purveyors of our Woodyard and Scullarie, upon taking of any proportion of Wood or Coal for our provision, not to meddle or assume authority unto themselves for warning any Carts for Carriage of the same, but by the direction of two at the least of our justices of Peace next adjoining of that County, where such Wood, or Coals shall be taken, to the end the same may be performed with the greatest ease to our loving Subjects, upon pain of losing their office, and such further punishment, as their contempt shall require: Not doubting, but those justices, which are made privy to their Commission, will use such care, and expedition at all times, for the furtherance of our service, and for the good and quiet of their country, as we shall not be forced by their Remissness, to return the wont authority into the hands of the Purveyors.  
ANd lastly, as a further demonstration of our inward affection to our people, notwithstanding our ancient Right and Prerogative of purveyance so long continued, we have caused some of our privy Council, (together with our chief Officers of the Greenecloth) to fall into present consideration how to provide (as soon as may be) some such convenient number of Carts, wholly to be maintained upon our own charge, as may serve us whensoever we shall make any sudden remove, or private journeys for our exercise, and recreation, without being forced to use any Commission, or to put the Countries to any charge for furnishing us upon any of those uncertain occasions.  
Given under our Sign manuel at our palace of Westminster the 23. day of April, in the fourth year of our Reign of Great Britain, France and Ireland. God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most excellent Majesty. 1606.