Know yee, that VVee haue seene a certaine Decree made by Our Counsell in Our Court of Starre-Chamber, the thirteenth day of No­uember, [Page]in the ninth yeere of Our Reigne, which remaineth of Record among the Records and Remembrances of that Court, conteining diuers Ordi­nances; which Decree followeth in these words, ‘Jn Camera Stellata coram Con­cilio ibidem 13^o. die Nouembris, An­no Nono Caroli Regis.’

His Maiesties Attourney ge­nerall did this day informe this honorable Court, that it hauing been presented to the Lords of His Maiesties most honourable Priuie Counsell, that aswell the prices of all sorts of victuals, as also of Horsmeate were growen to excessiue rates, and that in­stance thereof was giuen in par­ticular [Page]by His Maiesties Offi­cers of the Greencloth, in seue­rall prouisions made for His Maiesties house, whereby the weekely accompts of the house­hold were much increased.

It was thought fit and orde­red that his Maiesties Attorney Generall, aswell vpon confe­rence with such of the Iudges, and such of His Maiesties lear­ned Counsell as hee should thinke fit, as vpon perusall of all such Lawes, and Statutes, as are in force concerning the setling of prices of victualls, and horse­meate, should make report vn­to the Boord of his opinion con­cerning the same, as by their Lordships Order of the ninth [Page]of October last past appeareth; And declared that according to the said Order hee had at se­uerall dayes attended his Ma­iesties Iustices of the Kings Bench, and Common-Pleas, and Barons of the Exchequer, who made Certificate of their opinion in writing subscribed by them; which Certificate, the said Attorney presented vnto this Court, and followeth in these words.

Master Attorney, wee send you here inclosed our opinions of these things which were pro­pounded, and though fit to bee reformed at our last generall meeting.

• [Page]Thomas Richardson.
• Robert Heath.
• Humphrie Dauenport.
• John Denham.
• Richard Hutton.
• William Iones.
• George Crooke.
• Thomas Treuors.
• George Ʋernon.
• Robert Barkeley.
• Frauncis Crawley.

Touching Victuals, we finde ingrossing to bee a great occasi­on to raise the prices thereof, an offence vtterly against the Common-Law: And amongst ingrossers, we finde the Chand­lers to bee great offenders in buying great quantities of all sorts of Graine brought vnto, [Page]or towards the Market.

We also find, that Tauernes are of late exceedingly increa­sed in their number, in, & about London, and that they dresse Flesh, & Fish, & vtter the same at excessiue prices, to the in­crease of Riot, and other abuses; whereas by the Law, as Tauer­ners, they are to sell nothing but Wine, vnlesse it bee Bread to eate therewith.

We find, that Bakers doe sell their bread, at foureteene, fif­teene, and sixeteene to the do­zen, where they should keepe the Assize, and not sell aboue twelue, or thirteene at the most to the dozen; and this pincheth the poore.

Wee wish that Ordinaries in and about London may bee re­gulated to a conuenient summe, not to exceede two shillings for a meale. And wee wish that both Tauerners and Ordinary-keepers may bee wholly restrai­ned from suffering vnlawfull Games in their houses; for wee find that this drawes vnthriftie guests vnto them, and is an ap­parent meanes to ouerthrow the fortunes of many Gentlemen and Citizens.

Touching Horse-meat, vpon hearing of diuers Iustices of Peace of Middlesex and Sur­rey, and of diuers Inkeepers of London, Westminster, Middlesex, and Surrey, wee are of opinion [Page]that the present prices of Hay and Oats considered, sixe pence day and night for Hay for a Horse, and for Oats sixe pence a pecke Winchester measure, is a competent Rate to be taken by Inholders, and to take nothing for litter; and if they exceede these Rates, we hold them pu­nishable by the Law, as for ex­acting excessiue and vnmeasu­rable prices.

For Horses which come to Innes in the day time, we con­ceiue it to be a conuenient Rate for the Inne-keeper to take a pe­nie for a Horse for his Stable-roome, onely the Horse not be­ing vnbridled; if he be vnbrid­led and haue Hay and goe away [Page]the same day, to take two pence the horse and no more.

We finde that of late yeeres there are many petty Ostries set vp in and about London, which entertaine Horses in by-corners, and receiue Stable-horses, and the Horses of such who are per­sons suspected, and these haue no lodging for trauellers. By these Ostries great inconueni­ences happen to the Subiect in generall, and much preiudice to the Inholders in particular, who by Law are bound to lodge their guests, and to be answerable for the goods brought into their charge.

Wee finde also that there are diuers who vnlawfully ingrosse [Page]great quantity of Hay to sell a­gaine; these are ingrossers pu­nishable by the Common Law; And humbly mooued this ho­nourable Court, that the same might bee heere recorded, and that the Court would be pleased for the good of His Maiesties people, to Decree and Com­mand, that the particulars there­of be strictly obserued. Where­upon this honourable Court ta­king the same into their serious consideration, hath ordered that the said Certificate be recorded in this Honourable Court, And hath Decreed;

First, for that it is notoriously knowen that ingrossing is a great occasion to raise the prices [Page]of victuall, and also of Hay, and ingrossing to inhance prices is punishable not onely by the Statutes, but also by the Com­mon Lawes of the Realme; His Maiesties Iustices of the Benches at Westminster, and Ba­rons of the Exchequer, the Iu­stices of Assize; and Oyer and Terminer, and Iustices of Peace in their seuerall places are requi­red to cause diligent enquiry to bee made of all ingrossers of all sorts of victuall and Hay, and see the Delinquents herein bee seuerely punished.

And His Maiesties Attorney generall, is likewise comman­ded to cause such of them as shal be brought to his notice, to bee [Page]informed against in this Ho­nourable Court, that of them example may bee made, to de­terre others from like offence.

And it is Decreed, that after publication of this Decree in London, no Chandler presume to buy Corne, Graine, Meale, or Flower to sell againe, either in Market, or out of Market.

And this Court concurring in opinion with the said Reue­rend Iudges, and considering the great excesse and ryot that is occasioned by preparing and selling of Victuall in Tauernes, and how the prices of sundry sorts of Viands are hereby in­creased: Hath decreed that no Tauernour or Vintner, selling [Page]Wine by Retaile, doe hereaf­ter sell or make ready for sale, any sort of Flesh or Fish, or other Victuall, saue Bread, nor to defraud this Ordinance, doe by himselfe or any other set vp, or cause, or procure to be set vp the Trade of a Cooke within the same house, or in any shop or roome therunto belonging, or in any house thereto neere adia­cent, nor permit or suffer any Flesh, Fish, or other Victuall, except bread, as aforesaid, to be brought into his house to be there eaten by any of his Guests.

And the Court taking into consideration, how the poore are oppressed and pinched, when Bakers doe sell their Bread [Page]to those that vent the same by Retaile at the Rates of more then twelue to the dozen, in that the weight is abated in euery loafe, and the Buyer being some times but a Passenger, is not able to make complaint of the Ba­ker, whom he knoweth not; It is therefore likewise ordered and decreed, that no Baker shall sell any Bread at other Rate then twelue or thirteene at the most for the dozen.

And further it is decreed that none that shall keepe Ordinary Tables, or other Victualling Tables, shall take more of the Guests, then after the Rate of two shillings the man for the Meale, nor more then eight-pence [Page]for each seruant, atten­ding his Master; And that no­thing be taken aboue that Rate for Wine or other thing, or vn­der colour thereof, whereby the true intent of this Decree may be deluded or defrauded; And that none of them, or Ta­uernours, or other Victuallers, keepe or suffer to bee vsed, Games of Dice, Cards, Tables, or other vnlawfull Games in their houses; VVherein this Court declareth the Licences giuen by the Groome-Porter of his Maiesties house or others, for licensing or permitting of any the said Games, are not of vali­dity to excuse the offenders.

Concerning Horse-meat, for [Page]that vpon hearing of the said Iustices of the Peace, and Inne-keepers, the present prices consi­dered, the Rates before specified are competent;

It is for the present ordered and Decreed, that no Inne-kee­per or Ostler, within the Cities of London or Westminster, or in any place within the distance of tenne miles from either of those Cities, the Suburbs or Li­berties of either of them, shall take aboue sixe pence for a horse standing in his stable at Hay, a day and a night, nor more then sixe pence for a pecke of Oats, of the measure commonly cal­led Winchester measure, without taking any thing for litter, nor [Page]more then a penny for standing of a Horse in his Stable a day without meate, nor aboue two pence for a Horse standing at Hay in the day, and going away before night.

And that no Inne-Keeper shall exceed those Rates in any part of this Realme; and where Graine and Hay are sold at lesser prices, there the Rates and prices shall be accordingly. And this Ordinance shall con­tinue, vntill in the County of Middlesex, it shall be made to appeare to the Iustices of the Kings Bench, and in other Counties and places to the Iu­stices of Peace there, that be­cause of the increase of prices in [Page]the parts adioyning, greater Rates are necessarily to be per­mitted. And thereupon other Rates shall from time to time be set, which being set, are hereby commanded and enioyned to be strictly and duely obseued, vntill the same by like Autho­rity shall be altered.

And to the end that there may bee from time to time mo­derate rates and prices for Hay and Graine of all sorts taken by Inne-keepers and Ostlers, of Passengers and their Guests, His Maiesties Iustices of the Kings Bench are desired, and the Iusti­ces of the Peace of other Coun­ties and places, are required yeerely and more often, if there [Page]shall bee occasion, to make dili­gent enquiry of Hay and other Horse-meat, and to make decla­ration in writing fixed in pub­like places, what prices and rates for Hay and other Horse-meate are allowed to bee taken by In­keepers and Ostlers, which the said Inkeepers and Ostlers are commanded to obserue.

And if any of them shall pre­sume to offend therein, that di­ligent enquiry be made of them, that they beeing presented may without conniuence receiue se­uere punishment, as oppressours of His Maiesties people, by ta­king excessiue prices.

Moreouer, the Court consi­dering the great inconueniences [Page]that doe arise by the number of petty Hostreys and Ostlers that keepe stables for Horses without lodging for Guests, not liable nor able to make satisfaction for goods vnder their custodie that shall be stollen or imbezeled, yet taking consideration of their po­uerty, and that it would tend to their vndoing, if they shold pre­sently bee supprest, before such time as die store which they haue already prouided shall bee spent; The Iustices of the Peace of the Citie of London, Suburbs and Liberties thereof, the Citie of Westminster, and Borough of Southwarke, and of the Counties of Middlesex, and Surrey, are required with all conuenient [Page]speed to make enquiry of all such petty Ostreys within the said Ci­ties, Boroughs, Suburbs, Liber­ties, and all places not distant a­boue two miles from some part thereof, and what prouision of Hay, Oats, and Prouender, re­maineth in their hands vnspent; And to command them not to make any further prouision;

And after that which is remai­ning in their hands shalbe spent, no longer to vse or keepe such Ostries.

And it is Decreed by this Court, that none after that time shall keepe or vse any such O­stries.

And to the end that notice may be taken of this Decree, by [Page]all those whom it may concerne, and that none may excuse him­selfe vpon pretence of being ig­norant of the Contents thereof;

It is ordered, that the same be published in the Cities of Lon­don and Westminster, and in the se­uerall Counties of this Realme, at Assizes, Sessions, and other places of publike Assemblies;

And all they to whom the execution thereof pertaineth are required, that they see the same put in due execution.

Know yee that VVee taking into Our consideration that the said Decree was made vpon graue and sad aduise, and vpon the certificate of Our Iudges, and that the same is iust [Page]and necessary to be obserued, Haue approued the same De­cree, and doe ratifie and con­firme the same; and the neces­sitie of these times requiring it,

VVE DOE COMMAND that the same by all those whom it concerneth to be obeyed and put in execution, vnder the paines to be inflicted vpon the contemners of Our Com­mand, and the Decrees of that Court.

And to the end that all Our louing Subiects, may be partici­pants of the good thereof, and may complaine of those things wherein they shall be grieued, contrary to the Tenor of the said Decree, and of those that in [Page]disobedience shall contemne or neglect the due obseruance thereof;

WEE doe command Our Printer that he forthwith cause these presents to be Printed and dispersed into the seuerall Counties of this Realme, with expedition, so that in euery of those Counties, the same may be published at the generall Ses­sion of the Peace to bee holden next after the Feast of the Epi­phany now next comming, that Our people of those Counties, may take notice thereof.

And VVee doe Command the Iustices of the Peace, that at their said Sessions, in euery of the said Counties the same be [Page]openly read; And VVee doe require Our Counsell, in Our Court of Starre-Chamber, the Iustices of Our Benches, Bar­rons of Our Exchequer, Iustices of Assize, and Oyer and Ter­miner, and Iustices of the Peace, That against all those that shall offend against the said Decree, they proceede without conni­uence, as they tender Our Ser­uice, and the good of Our People.

In witnesse whereof Wee haue caused these Our Letters to bee made Patents.