THe kynges moste excellent Maiestie hath certaine knowlege geuen aswell to his owne maiestie , as to his moste dere Vncle Edwarde duke of Somerset , gouernor of his person , and Protector of all his Realmes , dominions and subiectes , and to the rest of his highnes counsail , that in diuers his Maiesties Counties of this his Realme , there be dispersed and seuered abrode , sundry light , lewed , idle , sedicious , busie , and disordred persones , whereof the moste part haue neither place to inhabite in , neither seketh any stay to liue by , but hauyng been either comdempned of felonies and prison breakers , runne from the warres , and sea rouers , departed from the kynges Guarrisons and loyterers , wherby they become desperate persones , and nowe enploy and labor themselfes , runnyng & postyng from place to place , countie to countie , toune to toune , by day to day , to stirre vp rumors , raise vp tales , imagyn newes , whereby they seke to stirre , gather together and assemble , the kynges true subiectes of simplicitie and ignoraunce deceiued , and by that pretence , suche lewed ruffyans , tale tellers , and vnruly vacabondes , become ryngleders and masters of the kynges people , sekyng to spoile , robbe , and rauin , where and whom they list or may , and so to liue , waxe riche , and feede of other mennes labors , money & fode , they themselues nother willyng to serue where they might , neither abidyng when they be well entertained : And beyng thus in seueral places of this his realme , at the last not hable long to continue together with their assembles , accordyng to their mischiuous purposes , the same assembles beyng in substaunce , of suche the kynges poore subiectes , as though by ignoraunce and enticementes of those foresayd tale tellers they offende , yet shortly by the goodnes of God acknowlege their faultes , and returne themselfes to their dueties , most sorowfully repent , receiuyng for the same , the kynges Maiesties great mercy by his pardon , & by the reason of the quiet ordre , the fallyng , cessyng & appealyng of suche assembles , the sayd runnagates , tale tellers , & sedicious persones , faile and lacke their purposes & mischeuous intentes , so that they accustomyng their euil nature and escapyng from the places of their first attemptes , haue & do daily resort to newe places , and so from place to place , Shere to Shere , neuer quietyng themselfe , but deuisyng slaunderous tales , and diuulgyng to the people suche kynde of newes , as they thynke may moste readely moue them to vprores and tumultes , and for the further deceipt also , pretend to them they seke to redresse the commen wealth : Therfore his Maiestie by thaduise of his sayd deare vncle the lorde Protector and the rest of his Maiesties preuie counsail , to the aduoidyng of the great inconueniences . whiche of the sufferaunce hereof dayly doth ensue , and to admonishe his good subiectes , whiche hitherto haue not felte the peril of these poysoned euil people , moste straitly chargeth and commaundeth all maner and euery his Iustices , Shiriffes , Constables , Bayliffes , Hedboroughes and all other his Maiesties ministers and officers whatsoeuer thei be , to be most diligent , and from tyme to tyme , to be in their charge attendant , and therin also to take some good especial pollitike order for the apprehension and attachyng of all maner of suche persones whatsoeuer they be , whiche either as vacabundes , waifaryng men , straglars , or otherwise , in what maner soeuer he be , shal bryng any tale to any place , or inuent or tel any newes , or conceale and kepe close lenger then he may conuenient , the brynger , inuentor , or teller , whiche tale or newes so brought , inuented or tolde , shall , doth , or may cause , any vnlawfull assembly of people , or any tumulte and vprore , or shal sounde slaunderous to the kynges Maiestie his croune , the lorde Protector and other of his counsail , or any otherwise shall moue the people vnlawfully to remedy or redresse their owne causes , and griefes by force & without lawe , whiche office belongeth onely to the kynges Maiestie and to the Magestrates vnder him , and therin daily , his Maiesties sayd dere vncle and counsail , moste studiously trauaileth . And the same lewed person or persones so apprehended , to be brought vnto the kynges Maiestie or his sayd vncle and counsail , or to any one of his sayd counsal , for euery the whiche so brought , The kynges maiestie assureth his officer and minister , the brynger of him not onely his costes and charges fully to be payed : But also to haue his Maiesties moste heartie and effectual thankes . And if any other the kynges Maiesties louyng subiectes , shall at any tyme knowe certainly any suche tale carier , or rumor runner , newes spredder , or sedicion sower , and of him so informe and geue knowlege to any of the kynges Maiesties officers or ministers , so that the same euil person , either might or is taken and apprehended by the same officer and by force of the sayd informacion , then likewise the same informer . knowlege geuer , accuser , and vtterer , shall haue of the kynges Maiesties rewarde , for euery suche malefactor by him disclosed and apprehended in maner as is abouesayd xx . crounes , besides like heartie thankes from his Maiestie . Geuen at Richmount the viii . of Iuly , the third yere of the reigne of the kynges excellent Maiestie Edward the . VI .