THe Kings most Excellent Maiesty hath taken into consideration the manifold inconueniences that arise to this Kingdome by the excessiue number of persons, who take vpon them the Art & mystery of Mault-making in all parts of the Realme, who from time to time engrosse and get into their hands such quantities of Barley to conuert into Mault, as often produceth a scarcity of that kinde of Graine, which for the poorer sort of people is their vsuall Bread the Markets also by meanes hereof are forestalled and vnfurnished, and sundry abuses and deceipts are practised by them in the making of Mault in vnsea­sonable moneths of the yeare, and in lesser space of time in the Fatt, and Floore, then it can be perfectly made, and by making it of Mow-burnt, or spired-Barley, and by slack and deceitfull drying thereof, and by mixing and selling of good and bad Mault to­gether, and by putting to sale of Mault not well and sufficiently troden, rubbed or fanned from the drosse thereof, wherby it becommeth vnwholesome and deceiptfull in the vse, contrary to sundry good provisions made by severall Acts of Parliament in that behalfe, and to the com­mon deceipt of this Kingdome and people; His Maiestie out of his Princely care to reforme as­well these euils, as sundry other vnlawfull practices now vsed in the making and selling of Mault, Hath thought fit (by the aduice of His priuy Councell) to lessen their multitude, and to appoint and settle in fit places of the Realme a competent number of meet persons for com­mon Maultsters, such as being approued of by his Maiesties Priuy Councell, and after incor­porated and reduced vnder gouernment, in each County, may become bound to His Maiestie to reforme the abuses now commonly practised in that Trade, and to make and sell good and wholesome Mault, and at reasonable prices according to the law: And therefore His Maiesty doth hereby declare and publish His Royall will and pleasure to be; And doth straitly charge and command, that no person or persons whatsoever now vsing, or which hereafter shall vse any other Trade or mystery, shall vse or practice the Trade of a common Maultster, or shall buy [Page]Barley or other Graine to mault it, and sell it againe; And that no persons whatsoeuer, in the moneths of Iune, Iuly and August, or any of them doe conuert any Barley or other Grain into Mault to sell; And that in other the proper and seasonable moneths of the yeare for maulting, the same Mault shall haue in the making thereof (viz.) in the Fatt, Floore, steeping and drying thereof, the time and space of three weekes at the least, without which time the same cannot be well and perfectly made, nor wholesome for mans body: And that no persons what­soeuer that conuert any Graine into Mault to sell, shall buy any Mault, to the intent to sell the same againe. And His Maiesties pleasure is, that no persons whatsoeuer, from and after Christ­mas next, shall take upon them the Trade of common Maultsters, or shal make Mault to sell, vn­lesse they shall be incorporated and reduced vnder the said gouernment, nor shall vse the Trade of Maulting in any other Towne or place then shall be assigned them by His Maiesties Priuie Councell, or His Commissioners in that behalfe. And in all and singular the premisses, His Ma­iestie requireth all due conformity and obedience of His Subiects, vpon paine of His Maiesties high indignation and displeasure, and such penalties and punishments as by the Lawes or Statutes of the Realme, or otherwise may be inflicted on them for their contempts or neglects herein.

Neuerthelesse, His Maiesties intentions are, that it shall be lawfull for all persons which shall haue of their owne any Barley or Corne growing, or any Tythe Corne, or Rent-corne reser­ued upon any Lease or Demise, to conuert into Mault all or any such Barley or Corne, and to vent and sell the same without restraint; And that any person or persons shall and may buy any Corne or Graine, and conuert the same into Mault for the vse and prouision of his or their own house or family onely, any thing herein conteined to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.

And herein also His Maiestie doth further declare his Royall Will and Pleasure to be, That if any Maultsters whatsoeuer, already Incorporated or Licenced, or hereafter to be Incorpora­ted or Licenced, or any other persons whatsoever, shall at any time or times hereafter, directly or indirectly, conspire, combine, couenant, or agree together, That they will not buy Barley, or other Graine to conuert to Mault, nor will sell the same so Maulted, but at set and certaine prices limi­ted and appointed by and amongst themselues, whereby His Maiesties Subiects shall be con­strained to sell their Barley or other Maulting Graine at low and cheape prices, and to buy their Mault at high and deare rates, or shall make or put in vre any other conspiracy, combination, practice, couenant, or agreement amongst themselues, or any of them, tending to the Inhauncing or abating of prices, or other publique inconuenience, That then euery such Corporation, or persons so Licenced, or others whatsoeuer so conspiring, combining, practising, or agreeing to­gether in setting of prices (being convicted thereof) shall not onely incurre the forfeitures, penal­ties, and punishments ordained by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme in that behalfe, but shall be disabled for euer after to vse that Trade, and shall be further proceeded against with all se­vere and exemplary punishment, which His Maiestie will strictly require to be executed on them. And whereas his Maiestie hath likewise taken into consideration the manifold inconueniences arising to his Kingdome and people, for that Inn-keepers, Alehouse-keepers, Tauerners, Cookes, and other Victuallers, doe take upon them to Brew the Beere and Ale they vtter by Retaile, and thereby, for their owne priuate lucre and gaine, and with the consumption of double the Mault, and Fuell that is needfull, doe make strong, heady, and unwholsome drinkes, seruing rather for drunkennesse and excesse, then for any good or necessary vse, and doe utter and Retaile the same without keeping the Assize or prices appointed by the Law; His Maiestie intending reformation likewise herein, is pleased to appoint and settle in fit places in England and Wales, a conuenient number of common Brewers, such as shall be allowed of by His Maiesties Priuie Councell, who being likewise Incorporated and reduced vnder gouernment, may become bound to His Maiestie, as well to reforme the abuses now commonly practised in that Trade, as to Brew wholesome Beere and Ale, and therein to obserue the Assise and prices appointed by the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme, and who may also breed and bring vp Apprentices in the same Trade. His Maiestie therefore by like aduice of His Priuie Councell, doth hereby expresse and declare his Royall Will and Pleasure to be, and doth straightly charge and command, That [Page]no Inn-keeper, Alehouse-keeper, Tauerner, Cooke, or Victualler whatsoeuer, in any County, Citie, Borough, Towne Corporate, or other place or places whatsoeuer, within the Realme of England, or Dominion of Wales, as well within Liberties as without, from and after the Feast of S. Michael the Archangell next comming, shall Brew any Beere or Ale, to vtter or sell by Retaile, but shall haue or receiue the same, of or from some common Brewer, allowed and setled, or to be allowed and setled by His Maiestie, or by His Commissioners in that behalfe. Neuerthe­lesse, His Maiesties intentions are, That in such places where there shall be no such common Brewers allowed, or being allowed, they will not serue the said Inn-keepers, Alehouse-keepers, and other Victuallers with Beere and Ale, by carrying and deliuering of the same at their seuerall houses, that in euery such place onely, and in none other, it shall be lawfull for any the said Inn-keepers, Tauerners, Alehouse-keepers, and Victuallers, to Brew their owne Beere or Ale, and to sell the same by Retaile, as heretofore they haue done; Any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

And His Maiestie doth hereby further declare; That euery such person as shall be allowed, as aforesaid, for a common Brewer, shall not be licenced or allowed to make his owne Mault, nor shall vse the Trade of a common Maultster, Cooper, nor any other Trade; And that euery per­son so to be allowed for a common Brewer, shall make and sell wholsome Beere and Ale, and shall sell and vtter the same at reasonable prizes, and shall keepe the Assize thereof according to the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme; And to these his Maiesties Royall commands, His Maiestie doth likewise require of all His Subiects, all due conformitie and obedience, as they ten­der His high displeasure, and such punishments as shall be meet for their contempts.

Prouided alwaies, that these presents, or any thing herein concerning Brewing, shall not extend to the Citie of London, or foure miles distance of the same. And His Maiestie doth lastly require and command all Iustices of the Peace, Mayors, Sheriffes, Bailiffes, Constables, Head-boroughes, and all other His Maiesties Officers and Ministers, to take care in their seuerall pla­ces, that His Maiesties Royall pleasure herein declared, may be duely performed, as they tender His Maiesties seruice.

Giuen at the Court at Greenwich, the ninth day of Iuly, in the thirteenth yeare of His Maiesties Reigne.

❧ God saue the King.