AS We haue euer esteemed it a happinesse to meete with any occasion, that might iustly mooue Vs to take notice of the carefull and discreete Gouernment of such as were trusted in high places of Authoritie and Magistracie vnder Vs, In which cases (as the world can well beare Vs witnesse) Wee haue euer been ready to expresse the gladnesse of Our heart, by Our gracious thankfulnes vnto them in one kinde or other: So on the other side, doe Wee hold it as necessary a duety belonging vnto Vs, to whom God hath committed the chiefe and soueraigne care of all, not onely sharpely to reprooue where We find supine and vnexcusable negli­gence, but when through improuidence, and weaknesse of Gouernment, the mischiefe growes strong and pernicious, to take the Reformation into our owne supreame power, vnlesse o­therwise Wee find a speedy amendment. Our Citie of London, the Prime and chiefe Citie of all others within Our Realmes and Dominions, the place that Wee, and Our Predeces­sors in this Kingdome, haue alwayes thought worthiest to be honoured with the Residence of our Persons, and of Our supreame Courts of Iustice, and which Our Selfe in particular haue euer since Our comming vnto the Crowne, fauoured and therished by all the meanes Wee might, to testifie Our Princely and extraordinary affection towards them, whereof Wee [Page] shall neuer repent Vs, hauing found in them a like retribution of Loue and duety towards Vs; Yet must wee needes say, to Our griefe, that in so famous a City as that is, and where­in of all others, if any where, ciuility and humanity is to be expected, there is as iust cause at this time to charge their chiefe Magistrates for negligent suffering, as to condemne the inferi­our and baser sort of people for acting many Insolencies of rude & sauage barbarisme, which dayly are committed in the Streets, not only towards Ambassadours and publike Ministers of foreigne Princes and States, whose persons ought to bee sacred and priuiledged, by the Lawes of God and Nations, from all violence or wrong, but euen towards other Strangers also, to whom all courteous respect and hospitality is due, and generally to the whole Nobility and Gentry of our own Realmes, both men and women, hauing occasion at any time to abide, or repaire vnto this City, insomuch as the Complaints hereof doe continually come vnto Our eares, and make Vs ashamed, that notwithstanding the often and straight Commande­ments that We haue layd heretofore vpon the Lord Maior & Aldermen, for suppressing this wicked and deuilish humor of those base people by seuerity of Iustice & punishment, the same doth neuerthelesse continue more and more in a higher degree, to the great scandall of Our Go­uernment, both at home and abroad, and to the dishonour of our Nation. Being therefore resolued to endure these Insolencies no longer, Wee haue now thought fit to declare vnto the world the true sence and feeling Wee haue of Our owne Honour, which cannot but suffer much, if by Our longer sufferance the subordinate Magistrates & Gouernours, to whom the ordinary Reformation of these Abuses doth appertaine, neglect their dueties; And doe for that cause hereby straightly charge and command the Maior and Aldermen of Our sayd Ci­tie of London, as they will answere the same hereafter vnto Vs, vpon paine of Our highest displeasure, and such further perill as may ensue thereupon, that they doe presently enter into some serious consultation and conference amongst themselues, how these Affronts to Stran­gers, and others Our owne Subiects may be carefully preuented hereafter, that no such lewd person shall dare, either by word or deede, to offer any iniury or violence, directly or indirect­ly, or so much as, by his gesture or countenance, to scoffe at, or abuse any Stranger, especially Ambassadours and publike Ministers, their Seruants and Followers, or other Noble-men and Gentlemen, Ladies or Gentlewomen, Our owne Subiects or others, but to behaue themselues towards them with all respect and courtesie, meeting them in the Streetes or elsewhere soeuer.

And although Wee hold it not so proper for vs to prescribe a particular way vnto the sayde Maior and Aldermen, how this may be effected with that good successe, which Wee may well expect, if they be vigilant & diligent, as becomes them, who should best vnderstand the meanes how to deale with those inferiour members of their owne Bodie; yet hereof let them be assu­red, that if it fall out any such abuses be committed againe, & come to Our knowledge, We will not only exact a strict account of the same from the whole Citie, but euen from that particular Alderman in whose Ward it shal happen to be done, & he not punish it according to the fault; who if hee performe his duty in time, by admonishing all housholders and other within his Ward, to be watchful ouer such offences when they happen, needes not to pleade ignorance of the fact, nor in this case wil We take it for a sufficient excuse: As, on the other side, We doe hereby also expresly & straightly charge and commaund all Housholders, Citizens, and Inhabitants within Our said City, not onely themselues to abstaine from all such violences and iniuries, as before are mentioned, but in case any rude and audacious person shal, notwithstanding so ma­ny warnings giuen heretofore, and examples of Iustice lately executed vpon some, presume neuerthelesse to commit the like offence againe; That then they doe with their vttermost power and endeauour apprehend such Offendor or Offendors, if the Constable or immediate Officer be not at that instant present, or at hand, and if hee bee, then to assist him the best they may, for putting the sayde Offendors into the hands of Iustice: And this vpon perill of Our high indignation, and of such seuere punishment, as may be inflicted vpon any person that shal looke on, and bee knowne through his wilfull negligence to suffer the Malefactor to escape, now that We haue declared Our Royall pleasure so expresly on that behalfe. And as We haue hitherto applied this charge particularly vnto the City of London and the Liberties thereof, [Page] because there these insolencies haue beene for the most part committed, for any thing Wee haue heard: Yet least the same boldnesse and impudencie may spread to the other parts and skirts bordering vpon the City, or the Countries adioyning thereunto, where the worser sort of peo­ple may be alike corrupted by example of those others within the City: Wee doe heereby im­pose the like strict charge and commandment vpon all Iustices of Peace, Sheriffes, Consta­bles, and other Our Officers; As also vpon all Lords of Leetes and Liberties, and other Inhabitants whatsoeuer, within the neighbouring parts of the Counties of Middlesex and Surrey, neere vnto the City of London, that they take the like care presently within their se­uerall Iurisdictions and places of authority, or habitation respectiuely, to containe the people within the bounds of their duty towards Vs, and of respect and ciuility vnto all such persons and Strangers especially, as are before mentioned, and haue heeretofore had iust cause to bee grieued at such barbarous vsage, as they will answere for their neglect and want of due care on that behalfe, if any complaint come vnto Vs of that nature heereafter.

Giuen at Our Palace of Westminster the eighth day of April, in the nine­teenth yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.