WHereas in the Parliament holden at Westminster the seconde yere of the kinges maiesties reigne, one acte, emōgꝭ diuers others, was made, that no person, or persones should after a certeine time willingly, & wittingly eate any kinde of fleshe vpon any Fridaie, Saterdaie, any daie within the time of Lent, nor at any suche other daie, as was at that time, or should be at a­ny time afterwardes, comonly accepted, and reputed as a fishe daie within this realme of Englād, vnder diuers and great penalties, as in thesaid act more largely dooeth appere. Forasmuche as thesaied acte founded vpon sondrie and holsome considerations conteined in thesame, hathe sithen been by diuers and many fearelesse subiectes, most disobediently and stubbernely, infringed, broken and neglected, to the greate cōtempt of his maiesties lawes, & the notable offence also of almightie god, who hath commaunded princes ordinances, to be obserued, not only for feare of their indignation, but also for cōscience sake. His maiestie hauyng due con­sideration of the great scarcetie of victual, & specially of fleshe, that is growen within this realme, & that by thabstinence of eatyng of flesh in times prohibited, muche flesh is bred & encreased, to the continuall & more plentiful sustenaunce of his subiectes, most streightly chargeth and commaundeth, that from and after the makyng of this his highnesse present Proclamation, and publishyng of thesame, no manner of persone, or persones, dwellyng, inhabityng, resiaunt, or abidyng, within this his realme of Englande, or any other his Dominions, or territories, hauyng no licence of his highnesse to eate fleshe in the times prohibited by the saied acte, ne beyng prouided, forprised, or excepted by thesaied acte, dooe willingly, or wittyngly, eate any maner of fleshe in the times of Lent, or in, or vpon any other daies prohibited by thesaied acte, contrarie to the effect, purporte, and tenour of thesame, vpon the peines, and penalties conteined in thesaied Estatute, and as thei wil besides that, auoide his highnesse indignation, and displeasure.

And that no maner of persone, or persones, kepyng, or that shal kepe, any tauerne, inne, hostrie, alehouses, victuallyng house, common, or vsual table, for any gestes, within his saide Realme, or dominions, from, and after the makyng of this his highnes proclamation, vtter any fleshe in any kinde of maner, in their houses, or elswhere, in any the times prohibited by thesaied acte, or statute, to be eaten by any persone, not licenced or prouided for, as is aforesaied, vpon theselfe same penalties, as against the eaters therof, in thesaid acte is prouided.

And that no Butcher, ne other persone, after the makyng of this proclamation (except he shalbe specially licenced by his highnesse, vnder the great seale of Englande) shal sel any fleshe, beyng dead, within his saied Realme, or Dominions, to be eaten in, or vpon, any the daies, or times prohibited by thesaied acte, vpon like peine, and peines, as is before last expressed, and limited.

And for the better example to be geuen by theim whiche haue any licence, his maiesties pleasure is, that no maner of persone, or persones, hauyng any licence by his maiesties lettres patentes, or priuileged by thesaied estatute to eate fleshe, do in any wise eate thesame fleshe, vpon any daies prohibited, in any open place of his, or their house, or in any suche assemblie, as thei vse on other daies accustomed, for eatyng of fleshe, but that he and thei hauyng licence, vse thesame secretly, and modestly.

And that as wel the Maior of London for the time beyng, as all Iustices of peace, & all other Maiors, sherifes, bailefes, constables, and hed Officers, of al and euery, citie, countie, borough, Toune, and Village, within this his realme of Englāde, and all other his highnesse dominiōs, and territories as thei wil auoide his highnesse displeasure, and indignation, & wil further aunswer at their peril, do from time to time after the makyng of this his highnesse proclamation, within their rules, iurisdictions, aucthorities, precinctes, & [Page] [Page] circuites, truely, and diligently, with all speede from time to time, searche and trie out, al maner thoffences, contemptes, and inobediences aforesaide, and for the due execution of the aforesaied Estatute, and the tenour of this proclamation, do deuise some weekely searche, so as by their diligence, the Lawe maie haue some fruict, and profite, as it is very nedeful: & vpon knowlege, and due profe therof made, that thei and e­uerie of theim furthwith commit al and euery suche offendour and offendours, to emprisonment, there safe, and surely to be kepte, & remaine, & farther to be punished, accordyng vnto the penalties by degrees, contei­ned in the foresaied act, and in case any be founde vpon thesaied punishementes, not amended, then suche to bee as notable and incorrigible persones, certified to his maiestie, or his counsail, that some greuous open punishment of suche, maie be example to al others.

And that al and euerie his louyng and true subiectes, be from time to time, aidyng, helpyng, and assist­yng to all and euerie suche Maior and Maiors, Iustices, and other officers aforesaied, in the doyng, and executyng of theffect and purport of this his highnesse proclamation, as thei wil aunswere to his Maiestie vpon their vttermost peril, and as thei wil auoide his highnesse greuous indignation, and displeasure. For certeinly, suche is the kinges determinate purpose, to haue this throughly executed.

God saue the kyng.