❧ By the King.  
¶ A Proclamation concerning Fines for Alienations of Lands holden in chief, made without Record.  
WHereas it is acknowledged by all men( as it must needs be) that Fines for Alienations of Lands holden in chief, are of right due unto us and our crown, as one of the most Ancient, just, and Royal revenues belonging to the same; And yet it is as well known, that Lands of that nature haue been, and are often Aliened by feoffments, Grants of reversions, Wils, Exchanges, covenants, and other like conveyances made without Record, for which no Fines are answered, only because the Conueiances are not of Record,& therfore cannot come( without great charge) to the knowledge of our Officers, to whose care the same doth appertain, but are wilfully, and against conscience by the Purchasers hidden and concealed, whereas Fines are as well due in that case, as if the same conveyances were of Record, and are accordingly required& paid without exception, wheresoever they are discovered: In which respect, there was about a year past, in diuers Counties a course taken, as well to find out such Alienations without Record by Commissions of enquiry, and other lawful means, as also to require and take such Fines as should be found due according to the lawe, of all those that should appear to be liable to the same Fines.  
Forasmuch as we haue ever been inclined to use grace and favour, rather then severity, even in those things which all men know to be most clearly due to us, as in this case amongst others, wherein no man can challenge any exemption in course of Iustice from payment of a full yeeres value of the Lands so Aliened, especially being such as haue so ill deserved any favour at our hands, from whom they haue so long withheld our Due, and meant still to do, unless they should be by some extraordinary care and charge laid open& discovered, we haue been pleased( notwithstanding all their former courses, so far to the prejudice of us in our just Dueties and demands) both to make stay of execution of all and every of those Commissions, and other inquiries formerly sent out, whereof the charge and disquiet would fall heavily vpon our Subiects: and haue also resolved by this our gracious Proclamation to make known to all those who know themselves answerable for any such fines, that We will be content out of our princely favour to forbear those means which will easily discover truth, and remit unto them the greater part of our Fines, according to the Articles hereunto annexed. provided always, that they shall willingly and dutifully pay the rest of that which we shall not forgive, for our own proper use into the Office of Alienations, where our Ministers will be ready to give them a discharge vpon receipt thereof.  
Of which great favour, ease& benefit, though we are well persuaded that most of our loving Subiects, as well in discretion as in duty, will be glad to take hold, and to yield us a grateful acceptation; nevertheless, because Wee haue had good experience that many persons are more apt to show themselves backward in taking hold of grace and favour, when the same is offered, then otherwise, Wee find it likewise necessary for us in cases of this nature( where by Fraud and Couine our ancient Rights are sought to be concealed or extinguished by the practise of private men, or are omitted or neglected by those that should search after things of that nature) to declare hereby, that whosoever shall not offer himself to make such satisfaction as is expressed in the Articles hereafter mentioned, before the end of hilary term next, at the furthest, must not expect any further favour at our hands, then that which they may challenge by the course of our laws, which no man can bind us to mitigate further then he should deserve, or We shall be disposed to do out of our inward clemency, which Princes seldom use, when wilfully the same is not accepted, according to that grace and bounty wherewith it is offered.  
given under our hand at our Honour of Hampton Court the first day of October, in the sixth year of our reign of great britain, France and Ireland.   

❧ The Articles in this Proclamation mentioned.  
NO Fines shalbe required for Alienations without record, but where those Alienations were made sithence the fourteenth year of the late queen Elizabeth.  
THe Fines for Alienations of Estates of inheritance past, shalbe for such as come in, and offer Composition vpon this Proclamation, but a third part of the yeeres value: But if they come not in between the date of this Proclamation, and the end of hilary term next, then to pay,( as by Law they ought) the yeeres value.  
ANd for A●ienations of Estates for lives past, the Fines shalbe the fourth part onely of the yeeres value, if they yield themselves voluntarily within the time aforesaid, Or otherwise to pay the whole yeeres value, As in the case of Estates of Inheritance, the Law making no difference in these Cases.  
VPon Alienations of Estates of Inheritance that shall be made hereafter without Record, there shall be payed but two parts of the three, of so much as shall bee due by Law, in such Cases both vpon Pardons and Licenses, if the parties themselves within four moneths after such Alienations made, shall first discover the same, and offer Composition at our Office of Alienations.  
VPon Estates for lives that shal be made hereafter without Record, there shalbe paid vpon Licenses and Pardons both, but the half of that, that by Law ought to bee paid in such Cases, if the parties themselves discover the same, and offer Composition within the four moneths as aforesaid.  
THe valuation of Lands in these Cases, shall not be made according to the very value, but as is used in the Office of Alienations, where these Alienations shall be ordered as all others are: And therefore for instruction in that behalf, it will be necessary that the conveyances be brought and shewed to the Officers there.  
NO Fine at all shall bee required vpon Alienation of Estates for life or lives past, where the Estate is ended without fraud.  
such as shall pay their Composition for Alienations past, shall haue this ease in passing of their Pardons, that many may be joined in a Pardon, and pay among them but the charge of one Pardon, and the same charge shalbe no more then the charge was for the Pardons granted vpon the Coronation.  
such as shall pay their Composition in such Case for the time past, shall not bee compelled to pled their conveyance in the Exchequer at large, as the use is.  
¶ They that shall compound, shall not need to appear in person, but may take order by Attorneys or Solicitors to dispatch that business in the term time at the Office of Alienations, where they shall find the Officers ready to give them dispatch.  
God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent majesty. Anno 1608.