HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon surmounted by a crown  
❧ By the queen.  
❧ A Proclamation against the bringing in, dispersing, uttering and keeping of bulls from the Sea of R●me, and other traitorous and seditious Libels, books and Pamphlets.  
THe queens most excellent majesty, considering with herself how mercifully almighty God hath by the space of many yeeres preserved her highnesse most Royal person, and this her realm& other her Dominions, against diuers and manifold most dangerous practices, as well of the Pope, and other foreign enemies, as of sundry disloyal, rebellious and traitorous persons, being natural born Subiects of this realm, who haue not ceased by all possible means they could devise, to compass the destruction of her majesty, and the utter ruin and overthrow of this state and Common weal. For the effecting whereof, they haue contrived and laid sundry complots, not onely for the invasion of the realm by foreign enemies, but also to move and stir up sedition and rebellion at home, by withdrawing her Subiects from their loyal and due obedience, and by preparing them to betray their own natural country,& most ●nnaturally to join with foreign enemies, in the spoil and destruction of the same. For which ungodly and wicked purpose( as it hath evidently appeared and been fully proved) so many Iesuites and Seminarie Priests and other persons of like quality, haue by direction of the Pope been of late yeres sent into the realm: By whom and their Adherents, sundry false, slanderous, and seditious rumors and reports, tending wholly to move the peoples hearts to discontentment and offence, haue been commonly bruited and given out, and diuers seditious and traitorous Libels, books and writings, haue been also by them published and scattered abroad. Whereupon her majesty foreseing in her Princely wisdom the dangerous consequent of such malicious and traitorous practices, hath heretofore by several Proclamations notified the same to her loving Subiects, forbidding thereby the publishing, having or keeping of any such seditious Libels, books or writings, within any her realms of Dominions. And her majesty now finding, that the malice as well of the Pope and other her foreign enemies, as of her rebellious and traitorous Subiects living in the partes beyond the Seas, is more and more increased, and that they haue been of long time secretly levying and preparing great forces and Armies to invade this realm, and other her majesties Dominions, with purpose to put the same in speedy execution by all possible means, thereby utterly to overthrow our most happy estate, and this flourishing common weal, and to subject the same to the proud, servile, and slavish government of foreigners and strangers. And having also certain intelligence, that Sixtus the fift now Pope of Rome, hath of late published and set forth a most malicious and detestable Bull or libel against her majesty, and her most gracious and peaceable government, and against all her loving, dutiful, and faithful subiects: and that sundry other most false, slanderous, and traitorous Libels, books and Pamphlets are lately also contrived, written and printed by diuers seditious and traitorous persons, with purpose to be in covert and secret maner dispersed through this realm, wherein they do not onely go about with most false and abominable lies to slander and dishonour her majesty, and the present most happy and quiet state and government, but also by subtle and pestilent persuasions to withdraw● her Highnesse subiects from their due obedience, and to excite and stir up the people to take arms against God and their sovereign, and to join with the foreign enemies,& so to betray and yield themselves, their parents, kindred and children, and their religion, country, and Common weal, to be subiects and slaves to Aliens and strangers. Therefore her Highnesse thinketh good to admonish her loving, good and faithful subiects, to continue in humble sear and service to almighty God, in their loyal and dutiful obedience to her ●●●tie, and in their faithful readiness to defend themselves and their country against all foreign ene●●es and rebellious traytors whatsoever. And doubteth not, but by Gods merciful goodness( vpon which she 〈◇〉 always, and doth onely depend) with the strength which God hath given her, to withstand their malice, and to preserve her good subiects, and her realms and Dominions from all dangers. nevertheless, least any of her people should be seduced, or their simplicity abused by the false persuasions or malicious surmises con ed in the said infamous and slanderous Bulls, Libels, books and pamphlets: Her Highnesse doth by this her majesties Proclamation straightly charge and command, that no person whatsoever, shall convey, carry, or br●●g into any of her majesties realms or dominions, any of the said bulls, or any transcript or copy thereof, or ●●y the said Libels, books, Pamphlets or writings, nor shall in any wise disperse or utter any of the same. And th●t all such persons, to whose hands any such Bull, or any transcript or copy thereof, or any of the said Libels, Boo●es, Pamphlets or writings, either hath come, or shall hereafter at any time come, do presently with al con ent speed, without showing the same to any person, sand or deliver it to some one of her Highnes privy counsel, if any such be within xx. miles, or if it be above that distance of miles from the Court, then to the Lieutenant, ● to his deputy of the same shire for the time being where the party shall be, that hath or shal haue any such Bull 〈◇〉 any transcript or copy thereof, or any such libel, book, Pamphlet or writing. And that the same Lieute●ant or his deputy, to whose hands any such Bull, or any such transcript or copy thereof, or any such libel, book, Pamphlet or writing shall come: shall without delay, and with all convenient speed, safely send the s●me to the lords of her majesties privy counsel. And that every person, to whom any such Bull, or any Transcript or copy thereof, or any such libel, book, Pamphlet or writing shall be hereafter delivered, offered 〈◇〉 ●hewed, shall immediately apprehended and put in safe keeping the party so delivering, offering or showing the s●●e, if he bee of power and able so to do: to the end that every such offendor may bee forth coming, to be speedily proceeded vpon and punished for the said offence, according to the tenor of this her majesties Procla●ation. Or for lack of such ability, shall with alconuenient speed disclose the name and dwelling place, or place of resort of the party so offending, to some Iustice of Peace of the Shire, where any such offence shalbe committed: who shal thereupon immediately cause the party so offending to be apprehended& put in safe keeping as aforesaid.  
And her majesties further pleasure and express commandement is, that if any person shall witting and willingly offend in, or touching the bringing in, dispersing, uttering, or malicious having or keeping of any such Bull, or of any Transcript or copy thereof, or of any the said Libels, books or pamphlets, contrary to this her majesties Proclamation: that every such offender shall with all severity bee proceeded against, and punished ac●●rding to the Martiall Law by her majesties Lieutenants, or by their Deputies, by direction from the same Lieutenants in that behalf within the several limits and precincts of their several Commissions of Lieutenancie, and shall suffer such pains and punishments in that behalf, as by the said Lieutenants or their Deputies, by such direction as is aforesaid, or any of them within their said Limits and Precincts, shalbe inflicted vpon them, and that thereupon also the goods and chattels of every such offender, shall be confiscate and forfeited to her M●iestie. And for the better execution of this present Proclamation, her majesty doth not onely grant and c●mmit full power and authority to all and every her said Lieutenants and their Deputies, having such direction as is aforesaid: but doth also hereby straightly charge and command them, and every of them, to proceed against the offenders aforesaid, with all diligence and severity according to the said Martiall Lawe. And further granteth by these presents, that none of her said Lieutenants or their Deputies, shall in any wise be impeached in body, lands or goods, at any time hereafter, for any thing to be done or executed in the punishing of any such offenders according to the said Martiall Lawe, and the tenor of this her Highnesse Proclamation, any Lawe or Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. And for the better discovery of the said offences and the mo●t speedy apprehension of such traitorous, seditious, and wicked persons, as after admonition given by this her Highnesse Proclamation, shall presume maliciously and wilfully to offend against the same: her majesty traitly chargeth and commandeth as well all her said Lieutenants and Deputies and every of them, as all and every her Iudges, Sheriffes, Iustices of Peace, Maiors, bailiffs, and all other her Officers& ministers, and good and loving Subiects, that they shall with all care& diligence in all places, aswell exempt as not exempt, en t and search for all such bulls, Transcripts, Copies, Libels, books and Pamphlets, and for al such persons whatsoever as shal bring in, publish, disperse, or utter any of the same bulls, Transcripts, Copies, Libels, books, 〈◇〉 Pamphlets, and them to arrest and apprehend and to put in safe keeping, that they may bee speedily proceeded 〈◇〉 for the said offences, according to the Martiall Lawe as is aforesaid. And her majesty is pleased that all 〈◇〉 persons as shall apprehended or detect any such offender against this Proclamation as is aforesaid, whereby 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 offender may be forth coming to be proceeded vpon, and to receive punishment according to the quali●● of t●e offence, shall haue the moiety of all the goods and chattels of the same offender which shalbe so apprehen●● 〈◇〉 detected by them. And in case any sheriff, Maior, Iustice of Peace, or other public and inferior offi●●● 〈◇〉 any other to whom it shal or may appertain, shall be found remiss or negligent in the due execution of this P●●●●●●ation: then the said party or parties so offending, shalbe brought before the lords& others of her high●●●● Pauie counsel, to receive punishment for that remissness and contempt, as shall appertain to the nature 〈◇〉 tie of the same offence.  
And ●●nally, her majesty of her most gracious and merciful disposition, doth hereby signify to all her loving ●●●●ects, that her will and pleasure is, that they nor any of them shalbe molested, troubled, or impeached for any 〈◇〉 heretofore passed in the receiving or having of any of the said bulls, Transcripts, Copies, Libels, books, 〈◇〉 P●●phlets, so as they do deliver the same according to the effect and true meaning of this Proclamation,& so 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 appear that they haue been no authors, bringers in, setters forth, dispersers, or maintainers of the same 〈◇〉, Transcripts, Copies, Libels, books or Pamphlets. And her majesty willeth and granteth, that this ●er ●●ghnesse Proclamation shalbe a sufficient warrant to all her said Lieutenants and their Deputies, and all ●●d every her Iudges, Sheriffes, Iustices of Peace, Ministers and Officers, and all other her loving Subiects ●●atsoeuer, to proceed in the due execution of the premises, according to the tenor of the same Proclamation. ●●d therefore her majesties will and pleasure is, that the same shalbe made and published under her great seal 〈◇〉 England.  
given at her highnesse Mannour of greenwich, the first day of july 1588. in the xxx. year 〈◇〉 her reign. 
 God save the queen.   

❧ Imprinted at London by the deputies of Christopher Barker, printer to the queens most excellent majesty. Anno 1588.  
Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.