WHerby an acte of Parliament holden at Westminster vpon prorogaci­on the .xxv. day of Ianuary, in the .xxv. yeere of the reigne of the mooste noble Prince of worthy memory king Henry the, viii. it was enacted a­mongest other thinges, that vpon complaintes made of enhaunsing of prices of victualles necessary for mens sustenance, in any parte of this realme, or in any other of the kinges dominions. The lord Chauncelor of Englande, the Lorde Threasorer, the Lorde President of the kinges counsail, the lord Priuie Seale, the lorde Stuarde, the Lorde Chaum­berleine, & al other lordes of the kinges counsail, the Treasorer and Comptroller of the Kinges house, The Chauncellor of the Duchie of Lancaster, the kinges Iustices of either Benche, the Chauncellor Chamberleines, vnder Treasorer and the Barons of the kinges Exchequer, or .vii. of theym, wherof the lord Chauncelor, the lord Treasorer, the lord Presidēt of the kinges counsail, or the lord priuie Seale, to be one, should haue power & aucthorite, from time to time, as the case shoulde require, to set & taxe reaso­nable prices of al kinde of victualles necessary for mans sustenaunce, how they shoulde be sold in grosse or by retaile. And that after such prices set and taxed in fourme aforesaid, Proclamation should be made in the kinges name vnder the great seale, of the said prices, & that al Fermors, Owners, Broggers, & o­ther victuallers hauing or keping any kind of victual to thintent to sel, shal sel the same to such the kin­ges subiectes as wil buy them, at such prices as shalbe set and taxed by the said proclamation, vpon the paynes to be expressed and limited in the said Proclamation, to be lossed, forfaited and leuied to the kin­ges vse, in suche wise, as in the sayde proclamation shoulde be declared, as in the saide act more at large amongest other thinges appereth. Wherfore, vpon diuerse good and pitiful complaintes, made of the greate and excessiue prices of victualles necessary for mans sustenaunce, the Lorde Chaunceler of En­gland, the Lorde Treasorer, the lorde priuie Seale, and other of the kinges moste honorable counsail, to the number expressed in the saide acte, by vertue and aucthoritee of the said acte, assembled at Windesore together the .xxx. day of August last past, after deliberate consultation therof, haue set and taxed prices of certeine victualles in forme folowing.

First, that the greatest leane Oxe, shal not be solde aboue the some of .xl. s̄. Item the leane Oxe, of the second sorte, not to be solde aboue the summe of .xxxiii. s̄. iiii. d. The leane Oxe of the thirde sort, not to be solde aboue the summe of .xxvi. s̄. viii. d. The best, greatest, and fattest Oxe, shall not be solde aboue the summe of .liii. s̄. iiii. d. The fatte Oxe of the second sorte, shal not be solde aboue the Summe of .xliii. s̄. iiii. d. The fatte Oxe of the thirde sorte shal not be solde aboue the summe of .xxxiii. s̄. iiii. d. The leane Shepe of the greatest sorte, not to be solde aboue the summe of .iii. s̄. iiii. d. The leane Shepe of the se­conde sorte, not to be solde aboue the summe of .ii. s̄. viii. d. The leane shepe of the thirde sorte, not to bee sold aboue the summe of .ii. s̄. The fat shepe of the gretest sort, shal not be sold aboue the summe of .v. s̄. The fat shepe of the second sorte, shal not be solde aboue the summe of .iiii. s̄. The fatte shepe of the .iii. sorte shal not be solde aboue the summe of .iii. s̄. And that no Befe, nor Porke, be sold raw, by retayle aboue the summe of peny half farthing the pounde. Nor Veale or Mutton rawe by retaile aboue peny halfpeny the pounde. And that no maner of person, shal sel by retaile any great thick Essex chese aboue the rate of halfpeny half farding the pound, nor any other chese by retaile, aboue halfpeny farthing the pounde.

The Kynges most excellent maiestie, most graciously tendering the common wealthe of this his realme, besides diuerse remedies alredy prouided, aswel in Parliamentes as in other consultacions, hath for remedic therof, of late, to his owne greate losse, abated, and decayed the valuation of his coyne by his seueral proclamations, thinking therby, the excessiue prices of al thinges, of good congruence should consequently fall and abate, as by naturall reason and equite necessarely it ought and shoulde. Neuerthelesse, contrary to his graces expectacion, diuerse vnsatiable and greedy personnes, in whose handes a greate parte of the victuall of this realme by regratinge resteth, being voide of all charitable regarde and respect to the commō wealth of their naturall countrey, for their owne wealth and filthy lu­cre, do not onely by their vndue, subtile and sinistre practises continue their excessiue prices of all maner of victualles, but also asmuche as in them lieth, dayly do inuent and study for the increase of the same, to the greate detriment and vtter vndoing of the greater parte of his louing subiectes being forced to fetch their necessary victual at their handes, whiche his maiestie wil nor can in no wise suffer. And therfore graciously assenting and agreyng to the saide rates and prices, and intending to proclaime and publishe the same, most straightly chargeth and commaundeth, that no person or persones, from hencefurth do sell or cause to be sold, the greatest leane Oxe, aboue the sūme of .xl. s̄. vpon paine of forfeiture of .xx. markes of curraunt mony of this realme, for euery leane Oxe so by him solde. Nor any leane Oxe of the seconde sorte, aboue the summe of xxxiii. s̄. iiii. d. vpō paine of forfeiture of .x. l. of like mony, for euery Oxe by him so solde. Nor any leane Oxe of the thirde sorte, aboue the summe of .xxvi. s̄ viii. d. vpon peine of forfei­ture of vi. l. xiii. s̄. iiii, d. for euery Oxe so solde by him. Nor the greatest, fattest and best Oxe, to be solde a­boue the summe of liii. s̄. iiii d. vpon peine of forfeiture of, xx. markes, for euery Oxe so by him sold. Nor any fat Oxe of the seconde sorte, to be solde aboue the summe of .xliii. s̄ iiii. d, vpon peine of forfeiture of .x poundes, for euery Oxe so solde. Nor any fat Oxe of the third sorte, to be solde aboue the sūme of .xxxiii. s̄. iiii. d. vpō peine of forfeiture, for euery such Oxe so solde .vi. l. xiii. s̄. iiii. d. Nor shall sel any leane she­pe of the greatest sort, aboue the summe of .iii. s̄. iiii. d. vpon peine of forfeiture of .iii. l. vi. s̄. viii d. for eue­ry suche shepe so solde. Nor any leane shepe of the seconde sorte, aboue the some of .ii, s̄. viii. d. vpon pain of forfeiture of .liii. s̄. iiii. d, for euery shepe so solde. Nor any leane shepe of the thirde sorte, aboue the some of .ii. s̄. vpon payne of forfeiture of .xl. s̄. for euery shepe so solde. Nor shall sell any fat sheepe of the greatest sorte, aboue the summe of fiue shillinges, vpō peine of forfeiture of .iii. l. vi. s̄. viii. d. for euery shepe so solde. Nor any fat shepe of the second or meane sorte, aboue the price of .iiii. s̄, vpon peine of forfeiture for euery fat sheepe so solde .liii. s̄. iiii. d. nor any fat shepe of the thirde sorte, aboue the summe of .iii. s̄. vpon peine of forfeiture of .xl. s̄. for euery shepe so to be solde.

And that no Butcher nor other persone shal sel any raw Befe or Porke by retaile, aboue the Rate and summe of penny halfe fardyng the pounde, vpon peine of forfeiture of vi. s̄. viii. d. for euery pounde so solde, nor shall sel veale or Mutton raw by retaile, aboue .i. d. ob. the pounde, vpon payne of forfaiture of .vi. s̄. viii. d. for euery pounde so solde.

And that no maner of persone, shall sell by retaile any greate thicke Essex chese aboue the rate of .ob. di. (quam). the pounde, vpon peine of forfeiture of ii. s̄. for euery pounde so solde, nor any other chese, by retaile aboue .ob. (q) farthing. the pounde, vpon peine of forfeiture of .ii. s̄. for euery pounde, so to be solde: The same sum­mes and forfeitures, to be leuied to the kynges vse, in forme folowinge. That is to say, by byll, plaint, information, or accion of debt, to be taken before his Iustices of peace, in their Session, in any Coun­tie, Citie, or toune corporate, where any such offence shalbe done, or in any other his courtes of Recorde, wherin no protection, essoyne or wager of law, shalbe allowed for the defendaunt: the one moite of al such [Page] [Page]forfeit or forfeitures to be to the vse of his maiestie & the other moyte therof to y ^t vse of him or theym that shal first sue and pursue the same with effect. And that euery persone and persones, that haue reared, or shall reare or kepe, or haue fatted or shal fat or kepe any suche cattall, or shepe, to thintent to sel the same, shal vpon request made, sel the same at the price aforsaide, vpon payne of forfaiture for euery such refusal twentie poundes, the same to be recouered and leuied in forme aforesaide, and to suffer imprisonment at the kinges wil and pleasure.

His highnes also streightly chargeth and commaundeth, al and euery his Iustices of peace immediat­ly after this proclamation published and proclaymed, to assemble themselues, and to take order, by deui­sion, or otherwise, for the good and perfect execution of this proclamation. And doeth further signifye to his sayde Iustices, that as he wil wel consider and aduance their diligence, and wel doyng in the premis­ses: So wil he seuerely and sharply punishe their negligence in contrary doynges.

And for the better effect, sequele, and successe of this proclamation, his highnes by thaduise of his most honorable counsail, hathe determined to addresse, his special comissioners for the hearing and examinati­on of the defaultes & negligent doinges of his said Iustices in the premisses, yf any hap to be so, as hys highnes may procede to the correction and punishment of suche Iustices offendors, as the importaunce of the case shal require

His maiestee also straightly chargeth and commaundeth al and euery his louing subiectes, that they ne any of them from hencefurth attempt to take from any owner, any cattail or victuall afore mentioned against the wil of suche owner, otherwise thē is aforesaide, or by the deliuery of the Iustices of the peace or some of theym, vpon paine of losse of al their goodes and cattals, and to suffer imprisonment during the kinges pleasor.

God saue the King.