WHereas, for the benefit and commoditie of this Our Realme of England, as well in the maintenance of Our Nauie and Shipping (a principall strength of this Iland) as for the sparing and increase of Flesh victuall, diuers good Lawes and Statutes haue beene prouided, for the due ob­seruation of Lent, and other dayes appointed for Fish daies, which from time to time haue beene seconded and quickned by sundry Our Proclama­tions, and other Actes and Ordinances of State; And whereas, not­withstanding the many good prouisions heretofore had and made in that kind, Wee yet find the inordinate libertie now vsually taken by all sorts of people to kill, dresse, and eate Flesh in the Lent season, and on o­ther dayes and times prohibited by Law, is become an euill of such inuete­rate growth, as it requireth more then ordinary care to suppresse the same:

Wee therefore much affecting the Reformation of this so great an euill (and enemy to the plentie of Our Kingdomes) Haue thought fit eftsoones (and that thus timely, the better to take away the excuse, and to preuent the prouisions of Flesh that vsually men make against the Lent season) To ex­presse Our selfe and Our Royall Commandement in this behalfe: Wherein without any future de­claration of Our pleasure in this kind, We shall expect and require from all Our Subiects, that due Notice be taken, and that a strict and continued obedience and conformitie be yeelded thereunto in all succeeding times.

And therefore Wee doe straitly Charge and Command all and euery person and persons whatsoe­uer to whom it may appertaine; Carefully to prouide and see that these Orders following may be duely obserued and put in execution, vpon paine of Our high displeasure, and such penalties as by the Lawes of this Our Realme may be inflicted vpon the Offenders for their contempt or neglect of Vs and Our Lawes, whereof Wee shall shew Our selues most sensible.

And first, whereas We finde that the chiefest cause of these disorders hath growen from the Licences that haue bin granted to Butchers to kill and vtter Flesh contrary to Law, And that by Our Lawes no Mayor, Iustice of Peace, or other person of what degree or qualitie soeuer, can grant any Licence in this kinde, And that the Lords and others of Our Priuie Councell, doe by Our direction forbeare to grant the same, or to giue way thereunto; Our will and pleasure is vpon the penalties prouided by Law, and such further punishment to be inflicted vpon the offenders, as shall be thought meete, that no such Licence shall be granted for the killing or vttering of Flesh, And that no Butcher or other person whatsoeuer, doe by colour thereof, kill, vtter, or put to sale any Flesh contrary to the Lawes established and prouided in that behalfe.

And for the auoiding of such inconueniences hereafter, Our will and pleasure is, That the Lord Maior of Our City of London, and euery other Officer & Iustice of Peace, shall call before them, and send for any of the seruants of any Inholders, Victuallers, Cookes, Alehousekeepers, Tauerners, and keepers of Ordinarie tables, and such others that vtter victuals, and to examine them vpon their corporall Oathes, what Flesh is, or hath beene during the Lent season, or other dayes prohibited by the Law, dressed, killed, vttered, or eaten in their houses, which if they shall refuse to doe, then to com­mit to prison the said seruants so refusing vpon their Oathes to declare the trueth.

That the Lord Maior shall also yeerely before Lent, or at the beginning thereof, cause all Inhol­ders, Keepers of Ordinary Tables, Victuallers, Alehousekeepers, and Tauerners within the City and Liberties thereof, to appeare before him, or such person as hee shall appoint meete for that pur­pose; And shall take Recognizances with sufficient Sureties of euery of them in good summes of money, (viz.) One hundred pounds of the Principal, and their Sureties thirtie pounds apiece, to Our vse, not to dresse any Flesh in their Houses in the Lent time, or at other times prohibited for any respect, nor suffer it to be eaten contrary to the Law. The like Recognizance with Sureties, shalbe taken of the like parties vpon like penalties, by the Iustices of Peace of Our Citie of Westminster, & the Liberties thereof. And euery of the said Recognizances to be certified into Our Exchequer.

And for the Butchers and others that come with victuall of Flesh out of the Countrey to the City, Our pleasure is, That the Lord Maior shall cause certaine persons to watch at the Gates and other like places in the Suburbs, where Flesh may be brought, to view and search, and to intercept the same: and if any of those watchmen shall be found negligent and corrupt in his Charge, then hee to be committed to prison during the whole Lent.

And to the end that Fishermen may imploy themselues to Sea with better encouragement then heretofore, and that the Fishmongers may furnish themselues with such store from time to time hereafter, as shall be expedient, aswell for the prouision of the Citie, as for selling the same at reaso­nable Rates; Wee will that they take notice of this Our Commandement and constant resolution for the obseruance of Lent, and Fish-dayes, both now and hereafter, as by Law is required.

And furthermore, as We thinke it fit that euery man should be a rule of order and abstinence in his owne House, as well in respect of the publique, as of his priuate ease and benefit, So Wee straightly charge and command all Inholders, Keepers of Ordinary Tables, Victuallers, Alehouse-keepers, and Tauerners, not to make any Supper for any person or persons whatsoeuer vpon Friday nights, either in Lent or out of Lent; nor to suffer any meate to be then dressed, vttered, sold or eaten in their houses, vpon such punishment as is due to those that shal contemne Our Royall pleasure and Commandement.

And forasmuch as vpon further aduice and consideration had, that the restraint of killing and dres­sing of Flesh is no sufficient remedie for the mischiefe, vnlesse there be better care taken also to sup­presse the vnlawfull and inordinate eating of flesh in the time of Lent, and on other dayes and times prohibited, were with Our Subiects haue accustomed themselues rather for delicacie then for neces­sitie; It is therefore Our Royall will and pleasure, and accordingly We doe heereby straightly pro­hibite and forbid all Our Subiects of what degree or qualitie soeuer within this Our Realme, to eate any manner of flesh in the time of Lent, or on other dayes now vsually obserued as Fish-dayes, without a speciall Licence first obtained from the Bishop of the Diocesse; or such other as by the Law haue power to giue Licence in that behalfe, (which We will and Command shall be sparingly gran­ted, and in cases of necessitie onely) vpon paine of Our high displeasure, and to bee proceeded against by Our Attourney Generall in Our Court of Starre Chamber, as contemners of Our Royall Commandement, and vpon such further penaltie as by the Lawes and Statutes of Our Realme may be inflicted on those as shall wilfully offend in this kinde.

And as these Orders are to be executed in the City of London, and places neere to the same, So is Our expresse Pleasure and Commandement, That Our Iustices of Peace in all Shires within their Rule, and all other Maiors, Bayliffes, and chiefe Officers in Townes corporate, or in any Liberties within their Precincts, shall cause the same to be obserued and performed in like manner; and that no manner of Toleration, Fauour, or Conniuencie be vsed by any Iustice of Peace, or other Officer, con­trary to the true meaning of this Our Proclamation, as both they that shall presume wittingly so to tolerate the offence, as also the party himselfe offending, will answere the same at their vttermost pe­rils: Our Commandement being, That Our Lawes in this case shall be heereafter seuerely execu­ted vpon all offenders whatsoeuer.

Further charging and commanding the Lord Maior of Our City of London, the Iustices of As­size in their seuerall Circuits, the Maiors and chiefe Officers of all other Cities and Townes corpo­rate, Iustices of Peace, Lords of Liberties, and all other Officers and Ministers within the seuerall Counties of this Our Realme, That they and euery of them fully obey this Our Pleasure, and cause and compell the same to be obeyed and executed by others, as they will answere the contrary at their vttermost perils.

And for the due execution of the premisses in all other the Counties of this Our Realme, aswell as in Our Cities of London and Westminster, We doe hereby straightly Charge and Command all Our Iustices of Peace within the same Counties, aswell within Liberties as without, That yeerely and euery yeere hereafter before Lent, they cause to come and appeare before them all Inholders, [Page]Cookes, Tauerners, Alehouse-keepers, Butchers, and other Victuallers whatsoeuer, and to re­quire and take of them to Our vse, seuerall Recognizances, with Sureties, for obseruation of the premisses, (viz.) The principals in ten pounds, and their two Sureties in fiue pounds apiece: And if they shall refuse or neglect to enter into such Recognizances, That then the sayd Iustices shall suppresse such persons so refusing from victualling any more, and shall also cause them foorthwith to become bound by Recognizance with Sureties to Our vse, (viz.) The principals in twentie pounds, and their two Sureties in ten pounds apiece, not to Victuall or sell Beere or Ale from thenceforth; which if they shall refuse to doe, then the said Iustices to commit to prison all such per­sons so refusing to enter into such Recognizance, vntill they shall submit themselues and become bound, as aforesaid. And further for all such Inholders, Cookes, Tauerners, Alehouse-keepers, Butchers, and other Victuallers as shall not appeare before the said Iustices, as aforesaid, That they immediatly send foorth their Warrants, or grant Processe against them and euery of them so making default, to appeare and answere their contempt at the next generall Sessions of the Peace.

And further for the more due punishment of Inholders, Keepers of ordinary Tables, Cookes, Butchers, Victuallers, Alehouse-keepers, Tauerners, and such like, who shall forfeit their Recog­nizances by killing or dressing of Flesh, or suffering it to be eaten in their houses in the Lent time, and other Fish-dayes; And to the end that the same may be as well taken in due forme of Law, as duely certified into Our Exchequer. We doe will and require all Iustices of Peace, as well within Liberties as without, That at such times as they shall meet within their seuerall Diuisions, for the taking of such Recognizances, that they giue notice to the Clerkes of the Peace, or their Depu­ties, to attend them for that purpose: Of whom Wee will require a strict Accompt for the Legall taking and returning of the same Recognizances into Our said Exchequer: The said Clerkes of the Peace and their Deputies, taking for the making and certifying of the same Recognizances of all Inne-keepers, Tauerners, Cookes & Butchers, the Fee of two shillings sixe pence; And of all Alehouse-keepers the Fee of twelue pence, as limited to bee taken by the Clerke of the Peace for Our County of Middlesex for euery such Recognizance, and no more.

And lastly, for that the Fishmongers (vpon the obseruation of the aforesaid Orders) may per­haps take occasion thereby to enhance the prices as well of fresh as of Sea fish, Wee doe therefore hereby further charge and command all Fishmongers whatsoeuer, That they sell and vtter their fish at moderate and vsuall Rates and prices: And that all Iustices of Peace, Mayors, Bayliffes, and other Our Officers as well within Liberties as without, to whom it shall appertaine, shall take from time to time such order with the said Fishmongers, that Our Subiects be not grieued by any such enhancement or encrease of prices vpon fish, vpon paine of Our high displeasure, and such further punishment as may be inflicted vpon them by Our Lawes.

Giuen at Our Palace of Westminster the thirtieth day of Ianuary, in the eighteenth yeere of Our Reigne of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the foure and fiftieth.

God saue the King.