WHereas for the auoiding of varietie and deceits of Weights and Measures, diuers Statutes, Acts and good Ordinances haue heretofore beene made, That one Weight, and one Measure should bee vsed throughout the Realme, And where, according to the Statutes made in the eleuenth and twelfth yeeres of the reigne of the late king of famous memorie King Henry the seuenth, there were made, sent, and deliuered into diuers Cities and Townes, specified in a Schedule vnto the sayd Acte of 11. H. 7. annex­ed, Weights and Measures of Brasse according to the Standards thereof remaining in the Treasurie of the Exchequer, to remaine in the keeping of the Maior, Bayliffe, or other head Officer for the time being, of euery of the same Citie or Towne, as the kings Standard of Weight and Measure, with authoritie and power giuen by the same Statute, to the sayd Maior, Bailiffe, or other head Officer, hauing the sayd Weights and Measures, to make, signe and print like Weights and Measures vnto euery of the kings subiects, duely requiring the same, as by the sayde Statutes more at large appeareth: And whereas also our late Soueraigne Lady Elizabeth late Queen of England, being enformed that the said Standard measures remaining in those Cities and Townes, for the most part were by long continuance of time, or for want of good keeping, or other de­fects or abuses, differing & not agreeing with the ancient Standard of Measures remaining in her Highnesse Exchequer at Westminster, by occasion whereof the Measures commonly vsed within the Realme were vncertain, & varying one from another, to the great slander of the same, the disquieting of the Subiects, and the deceiuing of many both buyers and sellers, Did giue order and commande­ment to the L. Treasurer and vnder Treasurer, to cause all the ancient Standard measures of all those seuerall Cities and Townes to be brought in before them at the Exchequer at Westminster, to be examined and tryed by the Standard measure there remaining, according to which her Maie­sties commandement, the Lord Treasurer and vnder Treasurer haue caused all the ancient Stan­dard measures of all those seuerall Cities and Townes to be brought before them into the sayd Ex­chequer, where diuerse of them vpon diligent and due triall and examination haue bene found defec­tiue, differing and disagreeing from the true and ancient Standard of the sayd Exchequer.

Whereupon the sayd late Queene intending the common & publique good of all her louing Sub­iects, and to auoide all differences and deceipts of Measure within her Highnesse Realme, vpon good and deliberate aduise, and due consideration therein had, Did not onely establish the foresayd true and ancient Standard of Measures remaining in the sayd Exchequer, there to continue and be, as her Maiesties Standard, to examine, trie, and size all other Measures of the Realme by, from time to time as occasion shall require: But also did giue commandement to the Lord Treasurer and vnder Treasurer to cause all the other Measures which were brought before them (from the Cities and Townes afore said) found vpon triall to be differing and disagreeing from the true and ancient Standards of measures of the sayd Exchequer, to be broken.

[Page]And further her Maiestie did giue order and commandement vnto the sayd Lord Treasurer and vnder Treasurer, forthwith to cause new Standards of measures in Brasse to be made, tryed, and approoued by the sayd true and ancient Standard of the Exchequer, and after true and iust exami­nation and triall thereof had and made, to size and seale (with the letter E crowned) such and so ma­ny Standard measures, for euery of the said seuerall Cities and Townes limited to haue the custodie of weights and measures, according to the Queenes Standard for euery Shire by the said schedule annexed vnto the said Statute made in the eleuenth yeere of the Reigne of King Henry the seuenth, there to remaine for euer in the keeping of the Mayor, Bayliffe, or other head Officer for the time be­ing of the sayd City and Towne as her Standard of measure, as to them should seeme necessary and conuenient. And also as many as may serue and be conuenient for the Clarke of the Market of her Highnesse houshold (and through the Realme) or his Deputies, according to the Statute of Anno 1 [...]. R. 2. Cap 3. And also as might or should serue for any other her Maiesties Officers or Sub­iects within this Realme, as should make suite for the hauing and obtaining of the same.

And now our Soueraigne Lord the Kings Maiestie, minding likewise the quiet and publique good of all his louing Subiects of the same, And for the right and iust maintenance, and execution of all those good and godly Lawes in that behalfe heretofore made by his most noble Progeni­tors, to be daily vsed and put in execution amongst all his sayd Subiects of this his Highnes Realme of England, aswell within Liberties as without; His Maiesties will and pleasure is, That the Mayors, Bayliffes, Portreues, Wardens, and other head Officers of euery of the sayde Cities, Boroughes, Townes, Cinqueports, and places mentioned in the schedule annexed to the sayde Statute of Anno 11. H 7. which haue not already receiued the sayde new Standard Measure from the sayd Exchequer, before the feast of All Saints next comming, at the common charge of the same place, shall send some sufficient person vnto the sayd Exchequer, authorized to receiue such Standards as shall be deliuered vnto him, by the order and appoyntment of the sayd Lord Treasurer and vnder Treasurer, for the sayd City, Borough, Towne, or place, And to pay such reasonable prices for the same, as vpon true valuation of the same shalbe by the sayd Lord Treasurer and vnder Treasurer rated or assessed: which Standards, euery of the sayd Maiors, Bayliffes, and other head Officers vnto whom it shall appertaine, shall safely keepe or cause to bee kept in some sure and conuenient place in the same Citie, Borough, or Towne, and by them make or size, or cause to be made or sized, other common Measures for the vse of all maner of people in the same City, Borough, Towne, or place that shall haue cause to vse Measures. And shall also make, signe, and prin [...] with the first letter of the name of the same City, Borough, Towne, or place where the same measure shalbe so made, sized, and printed, like Measures vnto euery of the Kings Subiects duely requiring the same, taking such fees for the doing thereof as by the Statutes of the Realme are allowed, and no more. And euery of the sayd Maiors, Bayliffes, and other head Officers of Cities, Boroughes, Townes, and places within this Realme, shall further do and cause to be done, all such other Act and Actes, thing and things, for the prouiding, hauing, and vsing of the sayde Standards of Measures, as be limited and appoynted to their or any of their authoritie by the sayd Statutes made in th [...] eleuenth and twelfth yeeres of the late King Henrie the seuenth, or any other Statute or Ordinance whatsoeuer: So as all the Measures through the Realme may bee reformed and made agreeable according to the Standard of the Exchequer, as by the sayd Statutes in such case is required. And his Maiestie further straightly chargeth and commandeth, That no person or persons shall from the aforesaide feast of All Saints next comming, vse any other Measure or Measures, but such [Page] as shall be made or sized, and respectiuely agreeing with the sayd Standards, and printed and mar­ked with the letter I crowned, with such markes and letters for euery towne as before is limitted, vpon paine to be apprehended, committed to prison, fined and punished, as contriuers and vsers of false Measures, according to the Statutes in that case made and prouided. And that this Proclama­tion for the better instructing of al his Maiesties Subiects, shall before the feast of All Saints nowe next comming, be proclaimed in euery Market towne thorow the Realme, and bee hanged vp, and fastened in a Table in the Market place by an Officer, where it may continue to bee seene and read by any that will. And that the defaults of Officers, of euery towne in this behalfe, shall bee enqui­red of and punished by the Iustices of Assise, and Iustices of Peace in their Sessions, according to their discretions, as contemners of his Maiesties commandement. And that all the Standards and Measures whatsoeuer, not sized, marked and printed, and made respectiuely agreeing to and with the foresaid Standard, and the true meaning of this proclamation, shall from the saide feast of All Saints next comming, which shalbe in the yeere of our Lord God 1603. be reputed and taken for vn­true measures, and shall be broken, defaced and destroyed by the owners of the same, or by such offi­cers as haue or shal haue authority to enquire of false weights and measures.

And for the better execution hereof, his Highnesse expresse commandement is, That all Maiors, Bailiffes, and other head officers of euery City, Shirt, Towne, Borough, or Market within this Realme, shall immediatly after the sayde Feast of All Saints, and so from time to time according to the said Statute, as all other Corporate, Borough, or Market Townes within this Realme, cause to bee brought before them all the Measures, within the same Cities, Boroughs, Corpo­rate or Market Townes, to bee duely viewed and examined, and such as they shall finde defec­tiue or disagreeing vnto the foresayd Standard Measures, either in greatnesse or smalnesse, to cause to be broken and defaced, and further punishment to be done vpon the offenders therein, according to the Statute. And that the Iustices of Peace, or two of them (whereof one of them to be of the Quorum) shall with all diligence and from time to time, by examination or enquirie heare and deter­mine the defaults of all Maiors, Bayliffes, and other head Officers of Cities, Boroughs, Corporate or Market Townes within their limits or authorities on that behalfe, and to set Fines and Amerce­ments vpon the offenders in that behalfe by their discretions, and those to estreate into the Court of Exchequer, and that vpon paine of the punishment due for such contempt.

And lastly, his Maiestie straightly chargeth and commandeth all Iustices of Assize, Iustices of Peace, his Highnesse Clerke of the Market, his deputie or deputies, Maiors, Bailiffes, Stewards of Liberties, and all other his Maiesties Officers and Ministers whatsoeuer, to cause this present Proclamation, and all Lawes, Statutes, and Ordinances, for the hauing and vsing of true Mea­sures, and for the abolishing the vse of false Measures, to be put in execution according to their seue­rall authorities and Iurisdictions, as they herein tender the good seruice of his Maiestie, and the Common wealth of this Realme.

Giuen at his Maiesties Castle of Windsor the fift day of Iuly, 1603. in the first yeere of our Reigne of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the sixe and thirtieth.

God saue the King.