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LETTER CXXXVII.

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THOMAS LORD CROMWELL TO THE EARL OF CHESTER, FOR THE
4EXTIRPATION OF GIPSIES.

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6    After my right hartie commendations. Whereas
7the Kings Maiestie, about a twelfmoneth past, gave a
8pardonne to a company of lewde personnes within this
9realme calling themselves Gipcyans, for a most shamfull
10and detestable murder commytted amongs them,
11with a speceall proviso inserted by their owne consents,
12that onles they shuld all avoyde this his Graces
13realme by a certeyn daye sythens expired, yt

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14shuld be lawfull to all his Graces offycers to hang
15them in all places of his realme, where they myght
16be apprehended, without any further examynacion or
17tryal after forme of the lawe, as in their letter patents
18of the said pardon is expressed. His Grace, hering
19tell that they doo yet lynger here within his realme,
20not avoyding the same according to his commaundement
21and their owne promes, and that albeit his poore
22subjectes be dayly spoyled, robbed, and deceyved by
23them, yet his Highnes officers and Ministres lytle regarding
24their dieuties towards his Majestye, do permyt
25them to lynger and loyter in all partys, and to exercise
26all their falshods, felonyes, and treasons unpunished,
27hathe commaunded me to sygnifye unto youe,
28and the Shires next adjoynyng, whether any of the sayd
29personnes calling themselfes Egipcyans, or that hathe
30heretofore called themselfes Egipcyans, shall fortune to
31enter or travayle in the same. And in cace youe shall
32here or knowe of any suche, be they men or women,
33that ye shall compell them to depart to the next porte
34of the See to the place where they shalbe taken, and
35eyther wythout delaye uppon the first wynde that may
36conveye them into any parte of beyond the Sees, to
37take shipping and to passe in to owtward partyes, or
38if they shall in any wise breke that commaundement,
39without any tract to see them executed according to
40the Kings Hieghnes sayd Lettres patents remaynyng
41of Recorde in his Chauncery which, with these, shalbe

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42your discharge in that behaulf: not fayling t'accomplishe
43the tenor hereof with all effect and diligence,
44without sparing uppon any Commyssion, Licence, or
45Placarde that they may shewe or aledge for themselfes
46to the contrary, as ye tender his Graces pleasor which
47also ys that youe shall gyve notyce to all the Justices
48of Peax in that Countye where youe resyde, and
49the Shires adjoynant, that they may accomplishe the
50tenor hereof accordingly. Thus fare ye hertely wel;
51From the Neate the v^th. day of December the xxix^th
52yer of his Ma^ties most noble Regne
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