[1592/4/87]¹

For punishment of the resetters of traitors and rebels

²Because of the common contempt in resetting and supplying of declared traitors and rebels over all parts of the realm, many pretending excuse of ignorance and misunderstanding of the persons, and although they be known yet do no diligence to apprehend and present them to justice if it be in their power, nor yet to make timeous advertisement to the ordinary magistrates or other persons of power within the shire and bounds next adjacent, to the effect the said traitors and rebels may be followed and still pursued until they be taken or expelled out of the realm; for remedy whereof, it is statute and ordained by our sovereign lord, with advice of his estates in this present parliament, that all former laws and acts of parliament made of before against resetters of traitors and rebels, and punishment of them which contemptuously remain at the horn, shall be put to due execution in all points, and specially whenever any declared traitors or rebels repair in any part of this realm, none of our sovereign lord's lieges shall presume to reset, supply or intercommune with them, or to give them meat, drink, house, shelter or any relief or comfort under the same pain for which they are forfeited or put to the horn; and that immediately upon knowledge of their repairing in these bounds, that all his highness's obedient subjects do their exact diligence at the utmost of their power in searching, seeking, taking and apprehending of the said declared traitors and rebels, and presenting of them to justice, or in following of them until they be taken or expelled and put out of the shire and immediately to make intimation to the magistrates and persons of power and authority in the next shire, which shall be held to do the like exact diligence without delay, and so from shire to shire until they be apprehended and brought to justice or expelled and put out of the realm. And further, whenever any manner of traitors, rebels or unknown male vagabonds happen to repair in the country, all his highness's lieges knowing them or amongst whom they resort, shall with all possible speed certify his majesty or some of his secret council or some of the chief persons of authority and credit dwelling within the same shire that such persons (if they be known) are within the same; and if they be unknown, showing their tokens and for what cause they pretend themselves to be wandering across the country or lurking in any part, under the same pain that the traitors, rebels and vagabonds ought to have sustained in bodies or goods themselves in case they had been apprehended, presented and convicted by justice.