THE Quenes Maiestie consyderyng the euyll disposition of sundrye her subiectes, to obserue the auncient orders for abstynence from eatyng of fleshe, aswell in the tyme of Lent, as of other vsuall fastyng dayes. And wayenge the great notable commodities growen by the due obseruacion therof within this lande, many maner of wayes: Strayghtly chargeth all maner of people residing in the same, to obserue and kepe the auncient and laudable order for fastyng, aswel in this Lent tyme, as vpon other fythe dayes, and lykewyse commaundeth all maner offycers, both Ecclesiasticall and Temporall, to whom the regarde hereof doth belong, strayghtly to se the same wel and duely obserued. Wyllyng and commaundyng them both in the name of Almyghtye God, before whom they shall aunswere for theyr perticuler charges, and as they wyll also aunswere to her Maiestie for theyr apparaunt contempt or negligence, that they do not either by theyr owne example, or by lacke of execution of theyr aucthoritie, permitte such licentious and carnall disorder, in contempt of God and man, and onely to the satisfaction of deuelyshe and car­nall appetite▪ to be suffered vnponyshed. And because the maner of thexecution hereof, in the Citie and suburbes of London▪ and Westminster, shall geue good example to the rest of the Realme:

Her Maiestie by this present Proclamacion, strayghtly commaundeth and chargeth the Maior of her sayde Citie, and other principall officers of Westminster, that no Bocher, Pulter, nor victueller, shall kyll, or sell, or cause to be kyl­led or solde within the sayde Citie, or the suburbes, or within Westminster, or the iurisdiction therof, any fleshe before the tuesday next after Palme sonday next comming, nor that any table keper, Inholder, victueller or any other person that kepeth any house, wherto any persons do or shal resorte for meate and drynke for theyr money, nor any other per­son residing within the same places, shall dresse, or suffer, or consent to be dressed, or eate, or suffer to be eaten, any fleshe within any of theyr houses, before Easter day next, vpon payne that euery person and persons that shall offende con­trary to this order, shall forfeite and pay to her highnesse for euery such offence, twenty poundes, those halfe to be dis­posed by theyr Churchwardens, to theyr poore people, inhabytyng the paryshe where thoffence shalbe found, and tho­ther to her hyghnesse vse, as in lyke case is ordred. And besydes, yf the person offendyng be a Citezen, he shall by the Maior and his brethren without delay, be immediatly for euer disfraunchised, and beyng a table keper, or victueller vtterly disabled in any place to vse the same trade. And yf he be no Citezen, then he shall ouer and besydes the sayde, forfayture, haue for euery such offence ten dayes imprisonment without bayle, and yf the partie offending be not ha­ble to pay the sayde forfaiture immediatly vpon proffe made of thoffence committed: the same shall for euery suche of­fence, stand one market day in the market tyme openly vpon the pyllory, duryng the space of sixe houres, and also that euery Alderman within his warde, shall twyse this lent tyme, cause an enquyry and presentment to be made, by the othes of twelue honest and substanciall Citezens of the same warde, beyng not Bochers, Pulters, common victuel­lers▪ nor table kepers: what persons haue or do offend in eatyng, kyllyng, or sellyng of fleshe within that ward, wher­of thone enquyrye shalbe the Monday after Mydlent Sonday, and thother in the weke next before Easter, and that in the choise of the persons which shall so enquire, good regarde be had, that they be such as be best disposed to fynd out, and truely to present such offences, without respect of persons, and also that the Maior with his brethren, cause once euery fortnyght priuie searche to be made by honest and trusty persons of the houses of all Bochers, Pulters, table ke­pers, tauernes, victuellers, and other suspected houses, for the better vnderstandyng whether they or anye of them do offende in the premisses, and that yf they shall fynde ether by this searche, or by anye lawefull proffe brought before them▪ any person to haue offended: that then immediatly they cause thoffenders to be punyshed, as aboue is expres­sed without fauour, affection, or respect of person.

[Page] And it is [...] that aswell the sayde Maior, as also euery of the sayde Aldermen, and the pryncypall officers within the liberties of Westminster, shall certifie vnto her hyghnes court of Chauncery before the fyrste daye of Easter Terme, vpon payne of one hundred pounde, what euery of them hath done in the execution of the premisses, vnder theyr handes and seales, to thintent that her hyghnesse thereby may consyder what diligence or negligence shalbe vsed in thexecucion hereof, that therevpon order may be taken with euery of them accordynge to theyr desertes.

Prouided alwayes that this order extende not to punishe any person that by the lawes ecclesiastical and temporall of this realme be permitted to sell, kill, or eate fleshe, and for the better intelligence of persōs licensed vpon reasona­ble and necessary cause, that none other may be collored therby, it is ordered and commaunded that euery person ha­uing any lycence shall notifie the same to the Aldermen of the warde, and curate of the paryshe, or to one of them at the least where he dwelleth and indenteth to take the benefite of the dispensation. This maner or the lyke order, her maiestie commaundeth to be obserued as nye as the same may be in all places, through her realme, with lyke penal­tie▪ and specially in al corporate townes, from which townes corporate beynge scituate within .cxl. myles of London, her maiesties pleasure is, that certificate in fourme aforesaid be made into her maiesties Chauncery at the furthest, before the seconde retorne of Easter Terme, vpon payne of one hundred poundes to be leuied to her maiesties vse, vpon the sayd corporation so making default, and from all other corporations being furder distant, certificate is to be made as is aforesaid before the last day of Easter Terme, vpon lyke penaltie, and for the better obseruation hereof, her ma­iestie requireth, and in gods name chargeth all Byshoppes, curates and other eccleciasticall persons hauinge the cure of soules, or the charge of preaching, to exhort and perswade the people to forbeare this carnall licence and boldnes to breake common order, and to let them plainly vnderstand the great daungers of the wrath of almighty god, that hath and will alwayes light vpon such rebellious and obstinate people, that more regard their bellyes, and appetites, then temporaunce and obedience.

yeauen at her Maiesties pallayce of Westminster the .xxv. of February the seconde yeare of her highnes most noble raygne.