THe Kings most Excellent Majesty, out of His Princely and Christian care of His loving Subjects, that no good means of Providence may be neglected to stay the further spread­ing of the great Infection of the Plague, doth find it necessary to prevent all occasions of publick Concourse of His people for the present, till it shall please Almighty God of his goodness to cease the violence of the Contagion, which is very far dispersed into ma­ny parts of this Kingdom already: And therefore taking notice that there is at hand a Fair in the County of York, not far from that City, called Holden or Howden Fair; the holding whereof now at the usual time, would in all likelihood be the occasion of further Danger and Infection, especially to those parts of the Land, which yet, by Gods mercy, stand clear and free; Hath, with the Advice of His Privie-Council, thought good by this open Declaration of His Pleasure and necessary Commandment, not onely to admonish and require all His loving Subjects to forbear to resort for this time to the said Fair of Holden alias Howden, or to any other Fair or Fairs within the County of York; but also to enjoyn the Lord or Lords of the said Fairs, and others Interessed in them, or any of them, That they all forbear to hold any the said Fairs, or any thing appertaining to them at the times accustomed, or at any other time, till by Gods goodness and mer­cy the Infection of the Plague shall cease, or be so much diminished, that His Majesty shall give Order for holding the same; upon pain of such punishments, as for a Contempt so much concerning the Gene­ral Safety of His people, they shall be judged to deserve; which they must expect to be inflicted with all severity. And to that purpose doth hereby further Charge and Enjoyn under like Penalty, all Citizens and Inhabitants of the Cities of London and Westminster, that none of them shall repair to the said Fair of Holden alias Howden, or any Fairs held within the said County of York, or any part of this Kingdom, until it shall please God to cease the Infection now reigning amongst them: His Majesties intention being, and so hereby declaring Himself, That no Lord of any Fairs, or others Interessed in the Profits thereof, shall by this necessary and temporary restraint receive any prejudice in the Right of his or their Fairs, or Liberties thereunto belonging; Any thing before mentioned notwithstanding.

Given at Our Court at Salisbury, the Twenty seventh day of August, 1665. in the Seventeenth year of Our Reign.

God save the King.