WHereas heretofore diuers Bakers, Brewers, Inholders, Butchers, and other Victualers, through their greedy desire of vnlawfull gaine, not con­tented with reasonable profit in vttering and selling of Victuall vnto Our Subiects in the Common wealth, and specially within the Verge of Our Court, where Our Nobilitie, Seruants and Traine (daily attending vp­on Our person) are lodged and placed by Our Harbengers, are vnlawfully exacted vpon with vnreasonable and extreame prices, by the said Victual­lers, enhaunsing the same Victuals, Horsemeat, Lodgings, and all other necessaries at a more deare price, then it was sold for (to Our common Sub­iects) before Our comming, And for that of late it appeareth vnto Vs by the Records of Our Compting house, that all the Kings of this Realme, (Our progenitors) haue alwayes had a speciall care to restraine the excesse gaining by the aforesaid Victuallers and others within the Verge of their Courts, And also for that it further appeareth vnto Vs, that of late more ex­treame exaction is vsed by the foresaid Victuallers, and others to wards Our seruants, Traine and Suiters, attending Our Courts wheresoeuer Wee make Our abode, then heretofore hath bene, Nothing respecting Our Prerogatiue, nor the Lawes of Our Realme, Therefore Our will and pleasure is, and We doe hereby straitly charge and command, that all persons doe obey and keepe all such prices, as is and shalbe priced, asseassed, and rated by the Clearke of the Mar­ket of Our Houshold within the Verge of Our Court, aswell within Liberties as without; And the Iurie before him, or his lawfull Deputie, by vertue of his office sworne and charged from time to time, The same rates and prices not onely to be certified by Our said Clerke of the Market, or his Deputie into Our Counting house, But also fixed and set vpon the Gates of Our Court, and other places within the Verge, aswell within Liberties as without; And that no maner of the person or persons aforesaid, of what estate or degree soeuer he or they be, doe in any wise pay more for corne, Victuals, Horsemeat, Lodging or any other thing, then after the rate and forme aforesaid, vpon paine of imprisonment, and to be Fined with further punishment that shall thereof follow, The same paines and punishments, and enery part thereof to be execu­ted vpon all those persons, and euery of them which doe, or shall presume to aske or demand, vt­ter and sell any maner of thing, or things, contrary to the true meaning of this Our Proclama­tion. And moreouer We doe straitly charge and command, that no maner of person or persons, now vsing, or which hereafter shall vse, or of rightought to vse to serue any City, Borough, towne or other place where Our repose & abode is, or shalbe, or elsewhere within the Verge of Our Courts, aswell within Liberties as without, with any kind of Corne or Victuals, or other neces­saries, aswell vpon the Market day, as at any other time, shall be any thing the more remisse or slacke for making of prouision for the same, then they or any of them heretofore haue beene, nor vse any colour of craft to deceiue the buyers thereof, Nor hide or lay aside their Corne, Victuals, Horsemeat, Lodgings, or any other necessaries to diminish the Market, whereby Our whole Traine within any City, Borough, towne, and other inhabitants of the same, and other Our Subiects thereunto resorting, should not be as well serued and as plenteously furnished in euery behalfe as it was before, or of right ought to haue beene in defraud of this Our ordinance. And furthermore We straitly charge and expressely Command all Our Officers of Greenecloth, Our Iustices of Peace, Our Clarke of the Market, his Deputy or Deputies, Maiors, Bayliffes, Shi­riffes, Constables, and all other Our faithfull Officers and euery of them, of Cities, Boroughes, Townes, Hundreds, and other places within the Verge of Our Court as well within Liber­ties as without from time to time, when and as often as need shall require, vpon Complaint by any partie iustly made, diligently euery of them within their authorities forthwith to endeuour themselues to see iust punishment, and due reformation of the premises against such person or persons as shall offend herein, according to Iustice and prices, as aforesaid.

Giuen at Our Court of Whitehall the fifth day of Nouember in the eleuenth yeere of Our reigne of England, France and Ireland, And of Scotland the seuen and fortieth.

God saue the King.