FIrst her Maiesties pleasure is, vpon her vnderstanding of the great disorders heretofore and especially the last Lent committed in killing and eating flesh in the time of Lent, especially in the Citie of Lon­don, & the liberties thereto adioining, that the statute made in the fift yere of her Maiesties reigne, for the restraint thereof, be put in due execution by the way of inquisition, and charge of Iuries, and by a­ny other good meanes, both within the Citie and all other places requisite within the Realme.

And for the better knowledge of the trueth of these disorders, and redresse of the inconueniences, the sayd Iuries shall call before them, and send for any of the seruants of any Inholders, Victuallers, Ta­uerners, and Keepers of ordinarie Tables, and such other vtter victuals, to examine them vpon their corporall othes, what flesh shall bee, or is any day during the Lent season dressed, killed, vttered, or eaten in their houses: which if they shall refuse to doe, then they shall commit to prison the sayd ser­uants, so refusing vpon their othes to declare the trueth.

And because a great part of this disorder groweth by the Butchers of the City of London, and also of the Countrey, that secret­ [...] kill and bring flesh to the Citie: there shall be onely viii. Butchers licenced by the Lord Maior to kill flesh within the sayd Citie [...]nd liberties thereof, without paying any thing for their licence, because they shall be bound in reasonable summes of money to [...]serue such order as shall be prescribed to them.

And euery of these Butchers, to be licenced, shall be first bound in the summe of two hundred poundes to her Maiesties vse, [...]nd the bondes to be certified to the Queenes Remembrancer in the Eschequer) to sell no flesh in the time of Lent, but to such [...]rsons as shall shew them speciall warrant from the Lord Maior vnder his hand, and that the Butchers do truly keepe parti­ [...]lar bookes of their dayly sales, and the names of those to whom they shall so sell, with the quantities and the times thereof.

That the Lord Maior giue order to these Butchers, not to sell any flesh but at reasonable prices, and for that purpose he pri­ [...] shall be set downe by the sayd Lord Maior, such as may be reasonable both for the buyer and seller: and if the Butcher shall [...]take that order, then to bee foorth with discharged, and committed to prison, and another put into his place, and his bond to [...] certified into the Eschequer to the Queenes benefit.

That the Lord Maior himselfe shall grant no warrant for buying of flesh in Lent, but to such as shall haue and shew to him li­ [...]ence in good writing according to the lawes of the Realme to eate flesh, and the said licence to be viewed & registred, first by some [...]o meete persons to be appointed for this purpose by the Lord Maior, and bookes to be kept thereof, to be shewed further when [...] same shall be required, vnlesse in be to Ambassadours and Agents of forreine Princes, to whom not withstanding no further [...]uantitie shalbe allowed, then ratably for their owne houshold, and that such Ambassadors and Agents shal giue to the L. Maior Certificate weekely, what they shall require to for their owne tables.

That the L. Maior shal now presently before Lent, cause all Inholders, Tablekeepers, Victualers, Alehousekeepers, and Ta­ [...]rners within the Citie and liberties thereof, to appeare before him, or such persons as he shall appoint meete for that purpose: and shal take bonds of euery of them in good summes of money, not vnder one hundred pound a piece to her Maiesties vse, not to [...]cesse and flesh in their houses this Lent time for any respect, except it be for some such person that lieth in their house, and that also hath licence through sichnesse or other necessary cause, to eate flesh. Bonds shall be taken also of the Poulters, not to vtter any Poultry ware, but to such as shall be like wise licenced to eate flesh, and that such as wil not giue such bonds, that they be secluded [...]rom all vtterance of victuall during the Lent season.

And for the Butchers and others that come with victuals of flesh out of the Countrey to the Citie, the L. Maior shal cause cer­aine persons, wherof some to be named to the L. Maior by the Wardens of the Fishmongers, to watch at the gates & other like [...]aces in the Suburbs, where flesh may be brought in, to view and search, and to intercept the same. And in case the same shalbe and to be brought to any person not warranted nor licenced to eat it, as is aforesaid, then the same to be forfeited and sold at the [...]seretion of the L. Maior, for the vse of the poore in the Hospitals and prisons in the City, and the bringers to be imprisoned. And therwise the Carriers of the said victuals of flesh to be guided to the persons houses that haue licence, with regard therin not to [...]e abused. And this watch to be continued daity during the whole time of Lent: and if any of these watchmen be found negligent [...]nd corrupt in his charge, then he to be commited to prison, there to continue during the whole Lent.

And to the end the said Orders may be duly executed, it is hought conuenient, that the L. Maior should send fory chief Heads the company of the Fishmongers, and shall cause them to make choise of foure or moe wise and discrete persons of the said Com­many, and men of good wealth and hability, to whom they shall commit the Charge to make enquiry after such as shall be found [...]ransgressors of the said Orders, who in respect of their trauell besto wed in that behalf, shal haue the one moity of such bonds as all be forfeited by transgressing of the said Orders, and the other moity to be conuerted vnto godly vses, by the discretion of the Queenes Maiesties High Almner, specially vpon poore and lame souldiers, with the priuitie of some of the Priuie Councill.

And that there may be due execution of the said Orders, aswel without as within the Liberties of the Citie, it is thought con­ [...]enient, that they that haue the chiefe charge ouer the places priuileged and exempt , where any Leets or Law daies are kept, shal [...]uthorize vnder their hand and seale foure persons as are ahoue mentioned, to make search within the said priuiledged & exempt places for such as shal transgresse the said Orders, and shal for their trauell therein emploied, receiue the moitie of the Bonds for­ [...]ed, as is aboue mentioned. And for the auofding of corruption and partialitie in the sayce persons, it shall bee necessary to take our other, and giue bond in some good and large summes, to see (as much as in them lieth) a due obseruation of the said Orders.

And for that it is to be doubted, that the said Fishmongers, vpon the obseruation of the said Orders, will take occasion thereby [...]o enhance the prises aswel of Fresh as of Sea fish: It is thought meete, that the L. Maior shall take order with the said Fishmon­ [...]ers, that aswell the Salt as Fresh fish shalbe vttered at reasonable prises.

And it is ordered, that no Butchers shall kill any Beeues, but such as shall be specially licenced thereunto, without any fraud, on the furnishing of such ships as shall be lawfully employed by Sea, either in the way of traffique, or otherwise. And that such Butchers as shalbe licenced within the Liberties by the head officers of the Liberties to kil any flesh, shal euery fifteene days vnto the Lords and others of her Maiesties Priuie Counsell, what numbers of the seuerall kindes aboue mentioned shalbe killed, either within the Cities, or places exempt.

And as these Orders are expressy deuised to be executed in the Citie of London, and places neere to the same, so her Maiesties pleasure and commandement is, that the execution of these or like Orders be performed by the commandement of her Maiesties Lieutenants to be sent to the Iustice of the Peace, in all Shires within their rule, and to all other officers in Townes corporat, or in any Liberties, with like order for bonds to be taken to her Maiesties vse.