Bristol, and Chester, at the Parliament holden at Westminster the 20 year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord the King that now is. It was ordained by Authority of the said Parliament, that if any People of the said Counties, their Goods and Chattels were wrongfully taken in any of the said Counties by any men of Wales, and out of the said Counties into Wales, or into the Marches of Wales conveyed, carried, or brought or retained, that such Taking or Takings, Receipts, Abettments, or withholding of such Offences aforesaid, shall be judged High Treason, and whosoever thereof shall be attainted shall be taken and judged as Traitors to our Sovereign Lord the King; and that the Justices of Peace in their Sessions in the said Counties shall have Power to enquire, and there to determine of all such Offenders, their Abettors and Receivers, and to make Process against the Persons so indicted by 2 capias and an Exigent, every Capias containing the Space of two Months betwixt the date thereof and the Return of the same; and that Mention shall be made in the said Writs of Capias that the Sheriffs of the Counties for the Time being shall make Proclamation in their Counties, that they so indicted shall appear before the said Justices in their Sessions, to answer to the Matters contained in the said Indictments; Provided always, that the Lords Marchers, of whom such Offenders, their Abettors and Receivers shall hold their Lands and Tenements, shall have the forfeiture thereof, and also the Forfeiture of their Goods and Chattels found within their Seigniories, after that they shall be attainted of such Offences; which Ordinance should endure but for 6 years then next ensuing: Our said Sovereign Lord the King, at the Request of the Commons of the said Counties, by the Advice and Assent of the aforesaid, will, that the said Ordinance made in the said Parliament holden at Westminster the said Twentieth Year of his said Reign for such wrongful Taking shall endure for six years and shall take Effect and be in his Force till the next Parliament, and then to expire.
Offences in WALES and Lancashire in taking away men and their goods under colour of distress
Item, whereas divers misruled persons of the Counties and Seigniories Royals in Wales and of the Duchy of Lancaster in
