THe kinges most royall maiestee, hauing perfect knowlege daily out and from all partes of this his realme, that the great & excessiue prices both of Corne, Cattel, Butter, Chese & other victualles, necessary for mennes sustenaunce, for the moost parte groweth by the gredy and insaciable couetous desires and appetites of the Breders, Broggers, Engrossers, Grasiers, Victuallers, and forstallers (minding only theyr owne lucre, without respect of the common wealth, to the great domage, empoueri­shing and disquieting of his maiesties subiectes) can not in respect of the office cōmitted vnto his maiesty of god, for the preseruatiō of his people, but furthwith prouide spedy re­medy for reformacion therof. And therfore his Maiestee letteth all maner his subiectes to vnderstand that by the aduise of his counsail, he purposeth most seuerely and streightly, to execute all suche lawes as haue bene heretofore, most godly and holesomly made and ordeined, against al suche Breders, Broggars Engrossers, Grasiers, Victuallers, Regrators and Forstallers, aswel of victualles, as of Merchandizes and namely one old statute, made against forstallers, the tenor wherof hereafter foloweth. No forstaller shalbe suffred to dwell in any towne, the whiche for his lucre wil make hast to mete any corne, fishe, hering and other thinges, to be sold somtime by water, some time by land, the whiche so taken, doth imagine to sel it the more dere: Also they that come to the merchantes straungers offring them to the sale of their ware, & exhorting them to sell their ware more deere, then they did purpose to sell it, and so by crafte and engine, beguileth both the townes & the countrey. The first time that he is therof conuict he shalbe greuously a­inerced, The second time, he shalbe put vpon the pilory. The thirde time, he shalbe put in prison and make fine. The fourth time he shalbe abiured, and banished the toune. And that shalbe obserued of al maner of forstallers, & of them, that gene vnto them counsail and ayde. And it shalbe inquired, if any Steward, or Baylife, for any rewarde, did remit the iudgemente of the Pillory, or Tumbrell, iudged or of righte to be iudged. ¶ And further, where there was in the .xxv. yere of the reigne of his maiesties moste dere father, king Henry theight, a good statute made against regrators and forstallers of fishe, his maiestie cōmaun­deth that according to the forme of thesaide estatute, that the stewardes of the faires, of Sturbridge, S. Yues, and Ely, cause thesaide estatute to be openly proclaimed, and red, within their limites, and that likewise the Shiriffes of the counties of Essex, Suffolke, Norffolk and Lincolne, & the Maiors, & Bay­liffes, of cities and tounes corporate, within the same shires, shall before the laste of Iuly, nexte comming publishe and cause to be proclaimed the said estatute, at conuenient places. And where there were in the last session of parliament, holden at westminster, in the .iiii. yere of his maiesties reigne, good lawes made aswell against them that should buy any maner of Oxen, Steres, Routes, Kyne, Heighfers, or Calues, otherwise then in open faires, or markettes, (except it be for his own prouisiō of houshold, Teeme, or Dei­cie,) or that should sel the same again aliue, in the said faire, or merket, where the same cattel was bought, & against the Butcher, that should buy any fat cattel, and sell the same againe on liue, as also against suche whiche vse to buy butter, and chese, to sel againe, (except they sel the same by retaile in open shop fayre or market, and not in grosse,) his maiesty straightly chargeth and commaundeth, all maner of his subiectes, to whome the same may apperteine, that they shal duely obserue and kepe, the good intente, and meaning of al the said estatutes, and Lawes, vpon suche peines and penalties, as be conteined in the same. And further his maiestee streightlye chargeth and commaundeth, all and singuler his Maiestes Iustices of peace, Maiors, Shiriffes, and other hed officers, of euery Shire, Citee, Boroughe, and toune corporat within this his maiesties realme, that they and euery of thē, within their limites to their vttermost power and habilite shall endeuour themselues, with all diligence, from time to time, to se, and cause this his highnes proclamation, and lawes, to be executed and obeied, as they wil enioy his maiesties fauour, and ad­uoyde his indignation: That in cace vpon this admonition, the gredy malice of couetous men, shal by profe appeere to be nothing amended, but to continue stil in their corrupt intencions of disobeiyng the la­wes, and empayring of the common wealth: His maieste as hed of the same, and of all his louing subiectes, is resolued to prouide in suche wise for the redresse, and repression of suche gredy disordinate enhauncers of prices, as shalbe muche more sharpe and penall, then any former lawe, or proclamation, heretofore made or ordeined hath bene,

God saue the Kyng.