¶ By the queen,  
THE queens majesty, having sundry complaints made to her, as well by the ambassador of her good brother the king of spain, as by certain merchants strangers, and their factors, that of late certain ships and marchaundizes, passing through her narrow Seas, haue been upon the South coste of this her realm of england, or nere thereunto, taken by French ships that came out of Newehauen in Normandy, and that certain of her subiectes should be aiding thereunto, or at the least after the same so done, should take part of the commodities thereof: Hath thought it meet and necessary, to notify her pleasure and intention, generally to all her ports on the said South part of england, because hitherto the particularities of the offences, are not to her declared nor known, which is this. Her majesty vpon the word of a prince, assureth all persons, that she never knew of any such attempts, intended by any of her subiectes, neither gave authority or permission, nor knoweth of any given, by any under her, to any person, to allow or procure any such act: but hath and doth mean, whatsoever any particular evil subiectes of hers, shall haue given contrary cause to think, to see all merchants of all other nations, passing through her narrow Seas with their ships and vessels, or haunting her ports, to be as favourably used and preserved, as her own natural subiectes.  
And therfore her majesty ordereth and commandeth, that for the satisfaction of these complaints, wheresoever it shall appear, that any subject of hers, hath either helped to take any ship, or seize any goods, either vpon the said narrow Seas, or in any part of this realm, whereunto he or they haue no just title, by lawful means, and with consent of the owners: That every public officer in every such place, where either such person so offending, or the goods so injustly gotten, can be found, to arrest and commit to prison the person, and to seize the goods, until it shall further appear upon the particular prosecution of the parties damaged, what is further to be done by lawe and iustice. And for the time to come, her majesty straightly chargeth all maner her subiectes, to forbear from the attempt of taking or disturbynge of any ships or vessels, or from aiding of any other so to do: but to live in good peace with all maner of subiectes, appertaynynge to any prince or country, with whom her majesty is in amity. For otherwise, her majesty will no wise spare from extremity of punishment without favour or remission.  
given at her majesties palace of Westminster, the .viii. day of February, in the fift year of her highness reign. 1562.  
God save the queen.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Powles Church yard, by richard jug, and John Cawood, Printers to the queens majesty.  
Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.