DIEV ET MON DROIT  
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
❧ By the King.  
¶ A Proclamation against abuses in preparing and preferring Bills and other Writings to his Majesty's Signature.  
THe King's most excellent Majesty, obserning the inordinate liberty that hath been taken, chiefly of late times, in exhibiting to his Royal Signature, as well Bills to pass his great and privy Seal, and warrants for preparing such Bills, as also Letters, and other instruments, and writings of sundry natures, drawn by Scriveners, and other like persons, and not by his Majesty's Officers, to whom the care thereof appertaineth, whereof ensueth a continual vexation to his Majesty, and many times exceeding danger and prejudice both in his revenue and otherwise, Is fully resolved to abolish those abuses, which have of late years crept into his service, and to reduce it to the ancient order and institution. And therefore his Majesty doth hereby straightly charge and command, That no person or persons whatsoever (other than his Majesty's own ordinary Officers, to whose places it appertaineth) do at any time hereafter presume to intermeddle with the drawing, writing, or preparing for his Majesty's Signature, of any Bill, Warrant, Letter, or other instrument or Writing whatsoever, upon pain of his Majesty's indignation and displeasure, and such imprisonment and other punishment as may justly be inflicted for their contempt: And that no person or persons, under the like pain, presume to prefer to his Majesty to be signed any such Bill, Warrant, Letter, or other instrument or writing, not drawn or allowed by such his Majesty's ordinary Officers, and by them signed and docqueted, in cases where the like instruments have heretofore been used to be signed and dorqueted: And that none of his Majesty's own Officers, do presume to draw or prepare for his Highness' Signature, any Bill, Warrant, Letter, or other instrument or writing, until they have received direction to draw the same, either by some signification of his Majesty's own Royal pleasure, or by Warrant from such as have been accustomed and allowed to give such Warrant, upon pain of his Majesty's displeasure, and to be debarred from the exercise and execution of their offices and places for such their default and abuse.  
Given at his Majesty's Court at Roiston, the seventh day of October, in the nineteenth year of His Reign of Great Britain, France and Ireland. 
 God save the King.   

❧ Imprinted at London by BONHAM NORTON, and JOHN BILL, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. M.DC.XXI.