By the King.  Royal blazon or coat of arms.  
¶ A Proclamation against the disorderly Printing, uttering, and dispersing of books, Pamphlets, &c.  
WHereas the three and twentieth day of june, in the eight and twentieth year of the reign of Our late dear Sister, queen Elizabeth, for the repressing of sundry intolerable offences, troubles, and disturbances, as well in the Church, as in the civil government of the State and commonweal, occasioned by the disorderly Printing and Selling of books, a Decree was made in the High Court of starchamber, containing many just and provident Ordinances for preventing of those inconveniences; And amongst the rest, That no person or persons should imprint, or cause to be imprinted, any book, work, or Copy, against the form and meaning of any Restraint or Ordinance, contained, or to be contained in any Statute or laws of this realm, or in any injunction, made or set forth by her majesty, or her privy council, or against the true intent and meaning of any Letters Patents, Commissions, or Prohibitions under the Great seal of ENGLAND, or contrary to any allowed Ordinance, set down for the good governance of the Company of Stationers within the City of London, vpon pain of imprisonment by the space of six Moneths, without bail or mainprize, and such further punishment as in the said Decree is set down; And that every person that should witting sell, utter, put to sale, bind, stitch or sow, or witting cause to be sold, uttered, put to sale, bound, stitched, or sowed, any books or Copies whatsoever, Printed contrary to the intent and true meaning of the Ordinances or Articles aforesaid, should suffer three moneths imprisonment for his or their offence. The true intent and meaning of which said Decree hath been cautelously abused and eluded, by Printing in the parts beyond the Sea, and elsewhere, as well sundry seditious, schismatical, and scandalous books and Pamphlets, as also such allowed books, works and Writings, as haue been imprinted within the realm, by such, to whom the sole Printing thereof by Letters Patents, or lawful Ordinance or authority doth appertain, according to the true intent of the said Decree, and by importing the same into this Our realm. Wee willing, not onely to tread in the steps of Our said dear Sister, but to add such further strength as shall be meet, to those provident and good Orders made in Her time, Haue thought fit to publish and declare unto all Our Subiects, That it is Our express Will and Commandement, that the said Decree be from henceforth strictly observed, and put in execution.  
And to meet with the malice and craft of such, as by slight or cunning shall attempt, or go about to undermine, or avoid all or any part of the said Decree, We do straitly prohibit and forbid, that no person or persons whatsoever, either Our natural born subject, Denizen, or Stranger, do at any time hereafter, either within Our own Dominions, or without, imprint, or cause to be unprinted, or bring in, or cause to be brought in, into this Our realm, or sow, stitch, bind, sell, put to sale, or disperse any seditious, schismatical, or other scandalous books, or Pamphlets whatsoever, or any other book or books( though lawful or allowed to bee Printed by such to whom the Printing thereof doth belong) which shall be Printed contrary to the true intent of the said Decree, or shalbe Printed out of this realm, of purpose to avoid the said Decree, or any prohibition or restraint contained in any Letters Patents, privilege, or lawful ordinance, vpon pain of Our indignation and heavy displeasure, and of the pains, punishments and imprisonments, contained in the said Decree, and such further censures, as by Our Court of Star-chamber, and high Commission respectively, shall be thought meet to be inflicted on them, for such their offences.  
And We do straitly charge, authorize, and command the Master and Keepers, or Wardens of the mystery or Arte of Stationers of the city of London, and their Successors and their Deputies, that they from time to time( taking with them such Officers, as in, or by their Charters or the said Decree are appointed) do make careful and diligent search for all such scandalous and offensive books or Pamphlets, as are, or shall be imported into this realm, or here imprinted, contrary to this Our royal Commandement, and seize the same, and do their uttermost endeavours, as well for suppressing thereof, as for bringing the Offenders unto Iustice, as they the said Master, Wardens, and their Deputies, and every of them will answer their neglect at their perils:  
Willing, and hereby straitly charging and commanding all and every Our Iustices of Peace, Mayors, Sheriffes, bailiffs, Constables, and Headboroughes, and all Customers, controllers, Searchers, waiters, and all other Our Officers, Ministers, and Subiects whatsoever, as they tender Our favour, and will avoid Our indignation and displeasure, from time to time, to their uttermost powers, to see this Our royal pleasure duly executed, and to be aiding and assisting to the persons before mentioned in the due execution of this Our commandement.  
given at Our Mannour of Hampton Court, the five and twentieth day of September, in the one and twentieth year of Our 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.XXIII.