WHere, in all well-gouerned Kingdomes, Common-wealthes, Ci­ties, and Countries, care hath euer beene duly had and taken, and commands strictly giuen in publicke and in priuate, That Breade, Meats, and Drinkes of all sorts, to be solde, vttered, or put to sale, for the sustenance of mankinde, should bee good, sweete, sound, and wholesome for mans body: And that iust Assize, Weight, & Mea­sure, should be deliuered to all persons, vpon paines, penalties, and punishments, to bee inflicted vppon the Offenders, according to the qualities of their offences.

Now therefore, the Right honorable Sir Thomas Middleton, Knight, Lord Maior of this the Kings Highnes City of London, & his right Worshipful Brethren the Aldermen of the same, considering the great Assemblie of Lords Spirituall and Temporall, & Commons at this time of the high Court of Parliament, and the repayre hither of so many others from many parts of this realme, who are to haue their prouision for their dyet in a great part from this Cittie, and purposing as much as in them shall lye, duely to prouide that they bee well serued of Victuall, both in respect of the goodnesse of the same, and of iust assize, weight, and measure, do heereby straitly Charge and Command, That no Baker, Wine-seller, Brewer, Butcher, Poulter, Fishmonger, Inholder, Cooke, Alehouse­keeper, or any other Victualler, or other person or persons whatsoeuer, doe at any time heereaf­ter, sell, vtter, or put to sale, any Bread, Wine, Ale, Beere, Flesh, Fish, or any other Victuall whatsoeuer within the saide City or Liberties of the same, but such onely as shal be good, sweet, sound, and wholesome for mans body, vppon paine of imprisonment, and such further punnish­ment as the qualities of their seuerall offences shall deserue, which shall with all seuerity be exe­cuted against them, and euery of them.

And do further heereby straitly Charge and Command, That no Baker, or any other per­son whatsoeuer, shall at any time heereafter, sell, vtter, or put to sale, any Breade vsuallie called & sold for Wheaten bread, but that the peny loafe contain the Assize of xi. Ounces Troy waight at the least, which is th'assize now appointed for the same, & other loaues of that kind of Bread after that Rate, Nor any bread vsually called & sold for White bread, but that the peny loafe con­tain th'Assize of seuen ounces, & one quarter of an ounce troy waight at the least, which is th'as­siize now appointed for the same, and other loaues of that kind of bread after that rate. And that no Inholder, Cooke, Tipler, Ale-house-keeper, or other person whatsoeuer, shall at anie time heereafter, sell, vtter, or put to sale, any Beere or Ale otherwise then by measures, sealed by the Officer thereunto duely appointed. And that none of them sell any of the best sort of Ale or beere [Page]at any higher rate or price, then a penie for a full Ale quart, nor any of the smaller sorte of Ale or beere at any higher rate or price, then a halfe peny for a full Ale quart.

And forasmuch as there hath beene verie great spoyle and waste of Wheate and Barley, by reason of the great abuse in brewing strong and headie Beere and Ale: and besides the abuse in drunkennesse and drinking vnmeasurably, and in so great excesse, and in exceedingly wasting of Gods blessinges, without care or conscience, many poore families, men, weomen, and children, haue beene and dayly are vtterly ouerthrowne, and forced either to liue by begging, or sterue for want, by reason that the insatiable desire of manie of the poorer sorte of housholders, to those strong Drinkes is such, and their custome in committing that sin so grounded, as that al they can get by their labour, is hardly sufficient to satisfie their owne appetite therein, which they will (sometimes beyond their ability) satisfie, though their Wines and Children want at home.

And where the vtterance of those Drinkes haue beene so great, as Inholders, Cookes, and other Victuallers, haue had in their sellers and other places of Store, some one man a hundred, some two hundred, and some three hundred barrels at one time, The saide Lord Maior and Al­dermen therefore, do heereby straitly Charge and Command, That no Inholder, Cooke, Ale-house-keeper, or other Victualler whatsoeuer, shall at any time after publication of this Procla­mation, receiue any beere or Ale into his or her house, Seller, or other place, vntill all the bar­rels of beere and Ale which he or she hath, shall be drawne out, spent, and reduced to the number of twenty: and that after that time, he or shee, shal not haue, retaine, or keep in his or her house, seller, or other place, at any one time, aboue the number of twenty barrels: and that neither they nor any of them, shall at any time afterwarde, receiue, retaine, or keepe any beere or Ale in anie greater Vessels then barrels onely.

And where within the saide Citie and Liberties, many Freemen of the company of Cooks, vnder pretence of selling beere and ale with their meates, by colour of their Charters and Ordi­nances, do keepe common Alehouses, and sell Ale and beere both within their houses, and deli­uer the same out also, without selling any meate therewith, and are not thereunto licensed in due forme of Law, The saide Lord Maior and Aldermen, doo heereby straitly Charge and Com­mand, all Freemen of the saide Company of Cookes, That they do not at any time heereafter, directly or indirectly, sell, vtter, or put to sale, any beere or Ale out of their houses, nor in theyr houses, otherwise then with their meate.

And where there haue beene, and dayly are vsed great deceipts in sale of horsemeat, as well Hay and Oates, as horse-breade within the sayde Citie and Liberties thereof. For redresse and reformation therein, the saide Lorde Maior and Aldermen, doe heereby straightlie Charge and Commaund, all Inholders, keepers of Stables and Hoasteries, and all and euerie other person and persons whatsoeuer, That neither they, nor any of them, do at any time after the publication hereof, sell, vtter, or put to sale, any Horse-bread, at any other Rates and Prizes, then three Loaues Weighing one and twenty Ounces Troy waight for a penme, nor any other then such as shall be well baked, and made of good Beanes, Branne, and woorking Meale well blended. Nor any Oates at any higher Rate or price then foure pence halfe-peny for a pecke: & af­ter that Rate for greater and lesser measures. Nor any Hay at any higher rate or price then a bot­tell of Hay weighing two pounds & a halfe for a halfe-penie, and after that Rate for greater and lesser quantitie or weight. Nor shall not take any more or greater price then sixe pence day and night for Horses, Mares, or Geldings, set at Liuerie within this Citie, or the Liberties there­of, and so after the same Rate.

And doe also heereby Charge and Commaunde, all Inholders, Ale-house-keepers, and others, vsually receyuing lodgers, who shal receiue any person or persons to lodge in any of their houses, that they and euery of them, do once euery day from time to time, deliuer to the Alder­man of the Ward, or his Deputy, or to the Constable of the Precinct, where such Inholder, Ale-housekeeper, or other person shal dwel, in writing, the Names, Surnames, & additions of dwel­ling place and profession of such persons, as they or any of them, shall receiue to lodge, & likewise of the time of their departure, to the end, the saide Lord Maior, and his brethren the Aldermen, may from time to time be truely informed thereof, and persons dangerous to the King & State, may the more easily be discouered.

And do heereby further Charge and commaund, That all Constables within the saide Ci­tie and the Liberties thereof, hold their Watches from nine of the Clocke in the Euening, vntill fiue of the Clocke in the Morning: and that they suffer no person to passe thorough anie of the Streetes or lanes of this Citie, betwixt the houres aforesaide, vnlesse hee or shee can giue good accompt of lawfull and honest occasion so to do. And such as cannot, they shall commit to Pri­son, in one of the Compters of this Citie, or to some other prison (if neede require) and certifye the Lord Maior, (or some other Iustice of peace within this Citty) thereof, the next morning. And that if the saide Constables, or any of them, vpon any sodaine occasion shall find cause, they shall make search in any Inne, Victualling house, or other place, suspected to harbour leud, loose, ydle, or suspected people: and if they shall finde any such, they shall commit them to prison, there to remaine, and certifie the saide Lorde Maior, or some other of the sayde Iustices thereof, the next [...]rning, to the end, such order may bee taken for their punnishment, or deliuerie as shall be meete.

And, where the sayde Lorde Maior, with the aduise of his saide Brethren, shortlie after his entrance into the Office of Maioralty of the sayde Citie, did for the Aduancement of the honour of GOD, and for the Weale of the Kings Maiesties Subiects, Inhabitants within the sayde Cittie, and the Liberties of the same, and of others repayring to the same from forraigne parts, giue publicke notice and warning by Proclamation of his Lordshippes purpose, to endeauour and speede the due execution of sundrie Actes and Ordinances, and did thereby also, giue straite Charge and Commaund for due Obseruation thereof: as also, touching Forestallers and Re­grators, Ale-house-keepers, Victuallers, and others. Now, forasmuch as there hath not been that due regarde had of the obseruation of the sayde Ordinances and Statutes, concerning the offences aforesaide, nor of the sayde publicke warning, Charge and Commaund giuen as afore­saide, which ought to haue beene, The sayde Lorde Maior and Aldermen, doe now therfore heereby, giue speciall Charge and Commandement to al the Inquests of Wardmote of this Ci­tie, and the liberties thereof, and to all Constables, Beadles, and other Officers, and to all Informers and other persons whatsoeuer, to whom it shall, or may in any wise appertain, that they and euerie of them, do make speciall, diligent, [...]irefull enquiries and presentments of al such Forestallers, Regrators, and others: as also of a [...] and [...] the other offences wh [...]h [...] beene, or shall be commited against the true meaning of the saide Statutes, Actes, and Ordi­nances, or any of them, or against the true meaning of any Charge or Commaund heereby gi­uen, to the end, the seuerall Offenders may bee duely punished, and that the paines, penalties, and forfeytures may be duely leauied: wherein such as shall be carefull and painefull to further and speede due execution in this behalfe, shall out of the penalties and forfeytures, be (for theyr care and paines therein to be taken) sufficiently recompenced and rewarded.