WHereas certayne obstinate and irrepentant traytours , after theyr notorious rebellions made against this theyr naturall countrey , haue fledde out of the same , and haue remayned in forraigne partes , with a continual & wylful determination ( as it appeareth ) to contriue al the mischeefe that they can imagine , to impeache and subuerte the vniuersall quietnesse and peace of this Realme , whereof they do behold with deadly enuie this theyr natural countrey , by Gods speciall grace directyng her Maiestie in her gouernment , to haue ben of long tyme moste comfortably possessed , both inwardly at home , and with al outwarde countreyes next adioynyng : and that nowe synce they haue wasted theyr whole tyme for the prosecutyng of theyr rooted malice , by congregatyng themselues together in routes , with shewes of conuenticles , and of forces , ( wherin they haue condemned and despised such of their former companions , as haue duetifully sought for mercy for their offences ) and by combination with others of this countrey byrth , of lyke disposition , beyng founde as persons vagarant and wylful fugitiues , they haue sought by and with them to excite by al kinde of sinister meanes , diuers estates and gouernours abroade , to mislyke , and to enter into enimitie agaynst the Queenes Maiestie , her Realme , and people : and that notwithstandyng these theyr labours and practises , they see that neyther they haue nor coulde preuaile as they desyred , by reason of the great wysdome , honour , and graue consyderation of the sayde persons of estate , whom they haue muche troubled and annoyed with theyr importunate suites and clamours , and specially with theyr false , malitious , and traiterous suggestions , and calumniations against the Queenes Maiestie , her gouernment , and this Realme : Therefore at the last beyng desperate of those theyr former trauayles and practises , and fyndyng her Maiesties amitie is had in good estimation with other the greate prynces and estates her neyghbours , and the amitie also of the same princes reciprocquely imbraced by her Maiestie , to the honour and benefite both of her Maiestie , and her alies and confederates , and their countreyes and subiectes , they are fallen into another crooked course of malitious persecutyng the happy estate of this countrey and gouernment , by choosyng out of certayne shamelesse , spiteful , and furious braynes , hauyng a trade in pennyng of infamous libelles , not only in the Englishe , but also in Latine , & other strange languages . And by these meanes they haue lately caused certayne seditious bookes and libelles to be compiled , and printed in diuers languages , wherein theyr final intention appeareth to be to blaspheme , and as it were to accurse theyr natiue countrey , with al manner of reprocheful tearmes , agaynst the peaceable gouernment thereof , condemnyng generally the whole pollicie of the present estate , as hauing no religion , nor pietie , nor iustice , nor order , no good ministers at al , either for diuine or humane causes : & yet to abuse such as are strangers to the state , they haue glosed some of theyr late libelled bookes with argumentes of discoueries of treasons , intended , as they do craftily alleage , by some special persons beyng counsaylers , agaynst her Maiestie , and the state of this crowne and Realme , with reprocheful tearmes of most notorious false assertions and allegations : bendyng theyr mallice moste specially agaynst two , who be certaynely knowen to haue alwayes ben moste studiously and faythfully careful of her Maiesties prosperous estate , and vertuous gouernment , employing therto al theyr cares , trauayles , diligence , and watchyng , with the manifest losse and hynderaunce of theyr owne health , that no treason myght approche to hurte her hyghnesse , nor trayterous malice to disturbe the quiet of her prosperous raigne . These cheefely , besyde theyr general reproouing of al other , hauyng charge in this gouernment , they studie by theyr venemous and lying bookes , to haue specially myslyked of her Maiestie , contrary to theyr manyfolde desertes , so approoued by long and manifest experience , whiche both her Maiestie , and al the rest of her good counsaylours and nobilitie , with other the states of the Realme , haue had , and dayly haue of the very same counsaylours , who also are the more to be allowed of her Maiestie , in that she seeth , and of her owne meere knowledge truely vnderstandeth , that al the perticuler matters wherewith the sayde libellers labour to charge the sayd counsaylours , as offences , be vtterly improbable & false , as in like maner generally , al others her Maiesties counsellours , ministers , and subiectes of vnderstandyng , in euery degree , do repute , accept , & know the same to be : so as both of her Maiestie , & of al other her good counsaylers and noble men , this theyr attempt is vnderstanded to be the worke of canckred enuie and malice , and the accustomed wont of suche men as be possessed with those spirites , when they can not , ne dare not openly assayle her princely Maiestie by force or open doynges , then to goe about to pull from her Maiestie her faythful and trustie counsaylours , by false calumnies , or with faigned and surmised tales , to make variance , yf they coulde , gelousie , and discorde amonges her highnesse counsaylours , who hytherto with muche concorde and good agreement , haue , as it is wel seene , serued prosperously her hyghnesse . And therefore her Maiestie hauyng regarde to be thankeful to almyghtie God for his blessyng of her with his protection in her gouernment these many yeeres , and for that cause myslykyng to suffer the same to be in this sorte by suche infamous libelles obscured , defamed , and blasphemed , eyther presently , or in time to come , by the secrete dispearsyng of the same bookes and libelles , eyther within her Realme , or abroade in forraigne language : and in lyke manner , beyng vnwyllyng to haue suche as be her wel tryed and approoued faythful seruauntes and counsaylours to be thereby taxed , altogeather with manyfest vntruethes impudently vttered , to the dishonour of her Maiestie , to whom they are counsailours : hath therfore thought necessary , and so by aduice of others of her counsayle and nobilitie , whose reputation is also moste certainely taxed by the said manyfest slaunders and vntruethes , she willeth that by this her Maiesties publique declaration , it be knowen , that the sayde bookes and libelles be of her Maiestie , and of her counsayle , esteemed , iudged , and condemned , to be the workes of despisers of Gods true religion , of obstinate traytours against her Maiesties person , estate , and dignitie , & of vnnatural and malignant enuiers of the common good tranquilitie of her Realme , who the more to abuse some sympler sort of people , do delyuer a shewe of certayne thynges pretended for the safetie of her Maiesties person and estate , the same beyng in deede moste manyfest and direct practises to ruine her person , and to ouerthrowe her estate : And therewith chargeth al manner of persons , to despise , reiect , and destroy suche bookes and libelles , whensoeuer they shal come to theyr handes , for the malitious slaunders and vntruethes conteyned in them , and that no man wyllyngly do bryng into this Realme , dispearse , dispose , or delyuer to any other , or keepe any of the sayde bookes or libelles without destroying , excepte the same person be one of her Maiesties priuie counsayle , or otherwyse for reasonable respectes , be duely licensed to haue the same to peruse , and to reprooue , accordyng to the qualitie thereof , vpon payne to be by any publique officer , who may haue notice thereof , apprehended , and thereupon to be punished as sowers of sedition , and abbettours to the treasons vttered in the same .xxviij. die Septembr . 1573.