[1581/10/51]¹

Against the unlawful taking of profit by captains and keepers of our sovereign lord's castles

²Forasmuch as amongst sundry other great disorders grown in this estate since the king's majesty's coronation, one not of smallest importance has been the making of market of the king's castles and strengths (being the keys of the realm, wherein the ordinance, ammunition and jewels of the crown are placed), by some to whom the custody and keeping thereof happened to be committed for the time, constraining his highness's regents in his tender age, and others having his right and power for the time, to redeem his own houses, munitions and jewels at his great charges, and with their lands, living, and goods, to the heavy damage and interest as well of his majesty as of them, their heirs and posterity. For [remedy]³ whereof, and eschewing of the like evil example amongst his highness's subjects to make their unlawful advantage and commodity by his service in all time coming, it is statute and ordained that whoever has received any sums of money, lands, benefices or goods, either belonging to his highness or his regents, and others having his right and power, for rendering and delivering of his highness's proper castles and strengths, with his ordinance, munitions and jewels being therein, since his highness's coronation, or that happens to make any such contract or merchandise in time coming, directly or indirectly, shall be held to render and deliver again that which they have received, or shall happen to receive, to the benefit of themselves or any of their heirs, or the value thereof to his highness and his successors, being properly his own, or to his said regents or others having his highness's right and power, their heirs and executors, upon cognition had that the things given for the said cause pertained properly to them, to be used and enjoyed by them and their heirs, in case they be capable thereof, or otherwise to be conveyed at their pleasures; and that his highness and they shall have good action for repetition thereof as necessarily given by them for the time to eschew greater inconveniences and yet wrongly received by the takers for unlawful causes.