[1579/10/31]¹

Against such as trouble their neighbours by criminal pursuit when they are innocent

²Forasmuch as sundry persons of mere malice and envy slander innocent persons and daily pursue them before the justice upon pains criminal, whereof the persons accused, being innocent, are acquitted and absolved by the assizes; and likewise sundry persons that either in their own names or by the king's advocates upon their information raise criminal letters and summon assizes from the far parts of this realm, often use to pass from the pursuit of the letters at the bar, to the great prejudice of our sovereign lord and trouble of his highness's lieges. For remedy whereof, our sovereign lord, with advice of his three estates in this present parliament, statutes and ordains that the said unjust pursuers shall pay the pains and penalties respectively following in case the persons accused happen to be acquitted of the crimes laid to their charge, to be equally divided between our sovereign lord and the party acquitted: that is to say, if the party acquitted be only one person, or more of or within the number of ten, the sum of £10; and if the number acquitted be past the number of ten, the sum of £20; and that doom be given thereupon before the justice without further calling and the pursuer held in ward until he makes payment. And if the king's majesty's advocate be the only pursuer, his informer to pay the pain aforesaid, and letters of confiscation or horning to be directed for payment thereof upon the sight of the act of adjournal without other calling or process of law. And that in time coming the justice clerk and his deputes at the granting of the letters take surety for again bringing of the letters duly executed and endorsed, and that the raisers thereof shall pursue the same letters at the day appointed under the pain contained in the acts of parliament.