THe Uiceadmiralles in euery part of this Realme , shal in theyr owne persons , if they possible may , or els by theyr deputies , repaire immediatly to all the Portes & Crekes within theyr iurisdiction , and callyng vnto them the Maiors . Bailiffes , Iurates , or other gouernours , with the Customers , Comptrollers , and Serchers of euery such Port and Creke , shall impart to them the contentes of these Articles folowyng . For speedy execution wherof , the Queenes Maiesties pleasure is , that euery one of the sayd officers shall endeuour them selues , as to theyr callyng shall appertayne .

Fyrst , the sayde Uiceadmiralles , with the helpe of the sayde officers , shall by an inquest taken , or otherwyse , enquire howe many vesselles do belong distinctly to euery Porte and Creke , who be the owners therof , what the burdens and names therof be : and if they be gone to the Seas , then to vnderstande when they departed thence , with what Captaines or Masters , with howe many personnes , with what wares or marchaundizes : how much customed , howe much not , to what partes their iourney was entended , and when their returne was loked for . And this inquisition made , the sayde Uiceadmirals shall cause the same to be put in wrytyng , and subscribed by the handes of him selfe and these officers abouesayde .

The lyke shal be done touching all other vesselles remayning in any port , and not sent forth to the Seas : and it shal be vnderstande that it is not requisite to certifie by force hereof anye vesselles vnder the burden of .xvi. Tonnes , except it shal appeare that any vnder that burden are departed to the seas suspiciously to do some euyll , in which case they shall certifie as muche as shall seeme to them conuenient .

Item they shall enquire and certifie howe many Mariners be dwellyng within euery Port and Creke , howe many of them Masters and Pilotes , howe many others , and howe many maried , howe many vnmaried , howe many owners of Shippes and Uesselles , and how many not .

Item it shal be enquired whether any vessell of any Port , or any person haue gone foorth out of any Porte or Creke sithens March last , being not a notorious marchaunt man , or a dayly fysherman , without good suertie geuen for his good behauiour , as by auncient order hath ben vsed : and of these , certificat shal be made in maner and fourme aboue expressed .

Item after this viewe taken in euery Port and Creke , the owners of euery vessel shal be enioyned vpon payne of forfaiture of theyr vessel , not to suffer theyr vesselles to go to the seas without good suertie geuen to the Uiceadmirall , or to the principall officer of the Porte , for to aunswere all maner of thynges that shal be obiected agaynst them : so as the Queenes Maiestie meaneth to charge eyther the Uiceadmirall or the chiefe ruler of the port towne , to aunswere hereafter for all maner of spoyles to be done by any vessell of such Port : And therfore the sayde Uiceadmirall and other officers , shall do well to see to the obseruation of this charge , and yet to exact nothyng vppon anye of them for the sayde assuraunce : but suche as be not to be suspected , to take theyr owne ●andes : and of others to take suerties . In this matter , except they see cause , they shall not nede to trouble the honest ●yshermen , that do wekely go to the Seas and wekely returne .

Item commaundement shal be geuen in euery Port and Creke , that no maner of shyppe , other then knowen Marchauntes and fysshermen , shall from that time folowing , be permitted to come into any Porte or Creke to receaue any succour of victuall , or to discharge or set vpon lande any maner of thyng , vntyll eyther the Uiceadmirall or his deputie , or the principall officer of the towne or place shall haue due knowledge whether the sayde ship haue haunted the seas for any other purpose then for Marchaundizes or fisshing , or for some speciall seruice done by aucthoritie of her Maiestie : and yf any shal be found suspected of any euil doyng , the same shal be arested and examined , and as the cause shall require , certificate to be made to the Lorde Admirall of Englande .

Item because there be diuers Skottyshmen and some Englishe with them , that haunte the Seas vnder colour of a letter of Marke , to take the subiectes of the king of Portugale , whereby many inconueniences haue lately ensued : order and commaundement shal be geuen , that if any shippe or vessell shall come into any Porte or Creke , with any wares or goodes that may be suspected to haue ben taken by colour of such letter of Marke , or if any person pretendinge to haue any such letter of Marke , shall come to any Porte or Creke for victuall or any succour : The Captayne , Master or Pylot of the same shal be arrested , attached , and examined , and the same beyng certified to the sayde lorde Admirall , shall not be permitted to departe before aunswere geuen from her Maiestie , her priuie Counsayle , or the sayde Admirall . And yf any person shall repayre to any suche suspected vessell eyther to buye any thyng of them , or to succour them with any thynge , the same shal be commytted to pryson , and there remayne vntyll the sayd Lorde Admirall shall geue order therein .

Fynally the sayde Uiceadmirall and thother offycers shall consult emonges themselues , howe they may not onely execute these articles effectually , but also howe it maye be surely ordred by some other lyke meanes , that neyther such as be Pyrates and Rouers shall haue succour , but be apprehended : and howe also none other may hereafter be permitted to go to the seas for such euil entent and purpose , and their perticuler orders in that behalfe shal be by them certified to the Lord Admirall . For such is the principal entent of her Maiestie , to prouide that in time of peace both her owne subiectes and other Princes might vse the trade of Marchaundizes in this Realme , or fysshyng vpon the costes without the daunger of depredacion .