WHereas in the first yeere of Our Reigne, assoone as the more important affaires of Our State would giue Vs leaue, taking in­to Our Princely consideration the state of Our Citie of London, be­ing Our Royall Chamber, and the Imperiall seate of Our King­domes, renowned ouer all the parts of Christendome, both in re­spect of the vsuall residence of Our Royall Person and Court neere vnto it, the confluence of Forreigne Ambassadours and Stran­gers thither, the ordinary place for Our Courts of Iustice, and re­sort of our Nobilitie and Gentry there for these occasions;

And foreseeing that the honour, gouernment, health and safety of this Citie, was of great consequence vnto Vs, and that Our Royall Progenitors in former times (especially Our most Royall Father of blessed memory, King IAMES, & the most Excellent Princesse Queene ELIZABETH, in their times) by their Royall Proclamations had carefully prouided for the same, Wee, according to those worthy examples, by Our Royall Proclamation did straitly pro­uide against the erecting of Houses & Buildings vpon new Foundations, & the entertaining of Inmates, in and about this Citie, which would multiple the Inhabitants to such an excessiue number, that they could neither be gouerned nor fedd; And did also thereby giue Rules for the Repairing and new Building of ancient houses decayed, in such a comely manner, with Bricke or Stone, as might bee for the honour and safety of the Citie; And for the putting of this Our Commandement into due execution, Wee did make, and seuerall times renew Our Commission directed to the Lord Maior of Our said Citie, and diuers other persons of honour and worth, grounding the same vpon rules of Law and Iustice, as against publique and common Nusances, aswell as vpon reason of State and Gouernement, all tending to [Page]the publique good of Our people: But that taking not so full effect hitherto as Wee expec­ted, Wee have now againe resolued to renew that Our Commission to diuers Honourable persons, and others of worth and vnderstanding; And therefore Wee doe hereby publish and declare Our Royall pleasure and Command, That Our sayd Commissioners for that seruice, shall foorthwith aswell by taking a view in their owne persons from time to time, as by all other good wayes and meanes, enquire and finde out the offenders and of­fences done against the seuerall Proclamations made heretofore by Our said Father, and by Our Selfe, as against this present Proclamation, and the same being so found out, to make certificate thereof vnder their hands, or vnder the hands of two, or more of them, to Our Selfe, as against this present Proclamation, and the same beeing so found out, to make certificate thereof vnder their hands, or vnder the hands of two, or more them, to Our Counsell Board, or to binde them ouer to answere their contempts, either before the Lords of Our Priuie Councell, or in Our Court of Starchamber, to the end that such proceeding may bee had against them, as may stand with Our Honour and with Our Lawes.

And for stay and preuention of the like offences hereafter, Our expresse will and plea­sure is, That where any person shall presume after the publication of this Proclamation, to erect, or set vp in any kind whatsoeuer, any Building vpon new Foundation within the limits of three miles, from any of the Gates of the Citie of London or Palace of Westminster; That the Owners of the Building so begun, and all the workemen therein imployed, shall forthwith by force and vertue of Our Royall commandement (without expecting any other or further Warrant) be attached, & brought before some of Our sayd Commssioners and Iu­stices of Peace, whom Wee also hereby require and command, to commit them to Prison, vn­till they shall find sufficient sureties for stay of their sayd Building, as also for their appea­rance before the Lords of Our Priuie Councell, or in Our high Court of Starchamber, to answere such their contempts, and to vndergoe such Sentence, as by that Court shall bee giuen against them.

And for such as shall hereafter Reedifie or build vpon did Foundations in any other sort then is prescribed in Our former Proclamations, and by the Insructions herein expressed; That aswell all such Builders, as the workemen therein imployed, shall bee attached like­wise and proceeded withall as aforesaid.

And whereas by Our former Proclamation wee charged and commanded the Aldermen of the Citie of London, and their Deputies, in their seuerall Wards and Precincts, as likewise the Iustices of Peace, High and Petie Constables, and all other inferiour Officers within their seuerall limits & Iurisdictions, happening within the seuerall Counties of Middlesex, Essex, Kent, and Surrey, That they and euery of them in their seuerall places and Offi­ces respectiuely, should diligently and duely attend to giue their vttermost ayde, helpe, and as­sistance according to their dueties, for the due obseruance to see this Our Royall pleasure (so much concerning the publique good) to bee duely executed and performed; And where they or any of them should finde any offence to bee committed against any Branch or Article of the sayd Proclamation, to make stay thereof, and certifie the Commissioners or the Lords of Our Priuie Councell of the said offences and offenders, it being now manifest, that ma­ny of the sayd offences haue beene committed and done by the negligence or conniuencie of some of the Aldermens Deputies within the Citie of London, & other inferiour Officers in the [Page]Counties adiacent, in not attending Our Commandement by timely staying the proceeding of such new buildings.

Wee therefore doe hereby declare Our will and pleasure to be, That where any Building shall bee begun contrary to this Our Proclamation, Wee will take a strict account there­of, aswell from the said Aldermen, as the Iustices of Peace aforesayd, happening within their seuerall limits and Iurisdictions.

And further Our will and pleasure is, That aswell the Aldermens Deputies in their se­uerall Precincts, as the High and Petie Constables, and Headboroughs, and other inferiour Officers in their seuerall Parishes, and dwelling in or neere to the place where any such new Building shall happen to bee begun, contrary to the Tenour of this Our Proclamation; And they or some of them not attaching the person or persons so offending, and not bringing them before some of Our Commissioners as aforesayd, That euery such Aldermans Depu­tie, high Constable, petie Constable and Headborough, or other inferiour Officers, shall be not onely remooued from their seuerall Places and Offices, but bee committed to the com­mon Gaole of the Citie of London, and Counties of Middlesex, Essex, Kent, and Surry, re­spectiuely where such offence or offences shall be committed; and euery of them to bee bound with good sureties for his and their good behauiour for one whole yeere then after, to the end that by such their punishment, others may learne the better to performe their duties in this Our Seruice.

And to the end that such as doe conforme in their building to the order and forme prescri­bed by Vs, may receiue due encouragement by hauing their Materials at reasonable Rates and Prices, which Wee are informed is much inhanced and raised from the Prices former­ly set by Our Commissioners: It is therefore Our will and pleasure, That Our Com­missioners for Buildings doe call before them all and euery the Brickmakers, and Lime-burners within three miles distant of London, as also such as doe bring any of the said Ma­terials by land or water to the Citie of London, or the places neere adioyning, and doe take or­der from time to time aswell for the reducing of the Prices thereof to former, vsuall and reaso­nable Rates, or otherwise according to their good discretions to bee by them set, as also for the present and speedy suppressing of all and euery the Nusances by them dayly committed in their seuerall professions of Brick making and Lime-burning so neere the Citie of London, and the parts and places adioyning thereunto, and for the selling of those Materials at and for reasonable Rates and Prices, according to the Articles hereafter following.

FIrst, Wee doe strictly charge and command, That no dwelling Houses, Stables, Shops, Stalles, or any other Building whatsoeuer, bee from hencefoorth erected, or attempted to bee erected within the Citie of London, or the Suburbs thereof, or within the distance of three miles to bee taken from any Gate of the sayd Citie, or from Our Palace at Westmin­ster, except it bee vpon the Foundation of a former dwelling house, or such like Building; And if any such Building contrary to this Prohibition shall hereafter happen to be begunne, that the same bee foorthwith stayed from further proceeding, by the Alderman of the Ward, or by two of the next Iustices of Peace, and aswell such Builder, as the Workemen em­ployed therein, committed to Prison, vntill they shall enter into sufficient Bond, either to demolish, & pull downe that which is built, or to answere their contempt in our high Court of Starchamber, or before the Lords of the Priuy Councell at the Councell Board, And the Constable of the Parish or Place, shall from time to time in the first beginning of any [Page]such Worke or building, giue notice to the Alderman of the Warde, or two next Iustices of Peace, of any such offence, and of the offenders therein, that this Proclamation may bee speedi­ly and freshly put in execution, All Houses, Sheddes, Shoppes, and other Buil­dings, which haue beene builded or set vp within the limits aforesaid, at any time sithence the thirteenth yeere of the Reigne of Our said late Father King IAMES of blessed memory, contrary to any Proclamation published in His time, shall bee foorthwith pulled downe, as is before directed touching other Buildings to be stayed or pulled downe, and no Cellars erec­ted within the time last mentioned, to bee vsed for Lodgings or Victualling Houses, but the Occupiers thereof to be suppressed, and so to be kept by the Iustices of Peace.

THat no person or persons doe Erect, Reedifie, or set vp any House, or Building in London, or within the distance of three miles from any the Gates of the sayd Citie of London, or from Our said Palace at Westminster, vnlesse he doe make all the vtter-Walles of the same of Bricke, or Bricke and Stone; And that all Houses and Buildings to be erected within the sayd Citie, or in, or adioyning to any open Streete of any Towne or Village out of the sayd Citie, within the limits of three miles aforesayd, shall bee built according to the forme and proportion hereafter in these presents expressed: (viz.) Euery whole Story of and in such Houses and Buildings, and all & euery the Roomes of such whole Story, shall be of the height of tenne foote of Assize at the least, and euery halfe Story of and in such Houses and Buil­dings, shall bee of the height of seuen foote and a halfe at the least; And that in the fore­front, and all outward and diuision Walles betwixt house and house, and the Iambes, Heads and soyles of the Windowes shall bee of Bricke, or of Bricke and Stone, and the Windowes (being of Timber) not to bee put in vntill the Iambes and Heads aforesaid bee finished, and beare of themselues.

ANd if the sayd buildings doe not exceede two Stories in height, then the Walles there­of shall be of the thicknesse of one Bricke and halfe a Brickes length according to the assize of Brickes hereunder mentioned, from the ground vnto the vppermost part of the said Wals; And where the building shall be of the height of three Stories, the Walles of the first Story shall bee of the thicknesse of two Brickes length, and from thence vnto the vppermost part of the Wall of the thicknesse of one Bricke and halfe a brickes length, and so proportionably, if there shall bee more Stories.

THat, in building of said Houses there shall bee no Iusties or Iutting, or Cantwin­dowes, either vpon Timber Ioistes, or otherwise, but the walles to goe direct and straight vpwards, and at the setting of, a water table to bee made; Also the lights of the windowes of euery whole Story to be of more height then breadth, to the end the Roomes may receiue ayre for health, and there may bee sufficient Peeres of Bricke, not lesse then halfe the bredth of the Windowes betweene them for strength; And likewise the Windowes of euery halfe Story to bee made square euery way, or neere thereabouts.

THat all Shops and Streete doores be made with Pillasters of Stone or Bricke, to be in breadth fifteene inches at the least, and as thicke as the wall of the Story, and the heads of the Shop-windowes cut in wedges, with Arches ouer them to sustaine the wall aboue; And that none doe raise their first floore to gaine height in their Cellars, so as they are thereby forced to make steppes into the streete: Prouided alwayes, that for so much as con­cerneth the building with Bricke or Stone, shall not extend to any Buildings vpon London Bridge, which by reason of the situation thereof cannot with conueniencie be so built.

ANd for the better encouragement of Our louing Subiects in their Buildings, according to the direction of this Proclamation: Wee haue thought fit to set downe these orders fol­lowing concerning the true making and rating of the price of Bricke, which is one of the prin­cipall Materials requisite for the said buildings: (viz.)

THat the earth whereof the Bricke shall bee made, bee good and fit for that purpose, The first digging thereof to be betweene the Feasts of S. Michael the Archangel, and S. Thomas [Page]the Apostle, and the second digging, casting, or turning vp of the sayd earth, to be at or be­fore the last day of February then following; And that no person whatsoeuer doe presume to digge or make any Bricke in any place within one mile of the Gates of the said Citie of Lon­don, or within one mile of Our Palace of Westminster.

THat the sayd earth bee sufficiently and well wrought and tempered before it bee moulded, and the Brickmakers cause no earth to bee moulded for Bricke, but onely betweene the Feast of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, and the last day of August yeerely, and at no other time or season of the yeere.

THat in the moulding of the sayd Bricke, the Moulds bee throughly and well filled, and not set in the Moulds in the laying downe; And that they be sufficiently and well dryed be­fore they be put into the Kilne, and then carefully and throughly wel burned, so as for the assize euery Bricke being burned containe in length nine inches, in bredth foure inches one quar­ter and halfe a quarter of an inch, and in thicknesse two inches and one quarter of an inch.

THat the price of Brickes (being thus wrought and made in goodnesse, size, and man­ner as aforesayd) shall not exceede the rate of eight shillings the thousand at the Kilne; And if any excessiue rate be demaunded for the carriage of the sayd Brickes from the Kilne to the place where they shall bee to bee vsed, the Commissioners for buildings to moderate the same, according to equity in their good discretions; And that no person or persons shall make, or cause to bee made, within fiue miles of any of the Gates of the Citie of London, nor bring by water or land, or vtter, sell, or put to sale within the said Citie, or any place or pla­ces within fiue miles thereof, as aforesaid, any Brickes made or wrought contrary to the di­rections aforesayd, nor sell the same at any higher rate then is before mentioned.

THat no person or persons within the sayd Citie of London, or within three miles from any the Gates thereof, or from Our Palace of Westminster, shall in defrauding the intent of this Proclamation, support or strengthen any Buildings so ruinous and old, as are vnfit to bee continued, by digging of Cellars, and bringing vp new bricke walles, by erecting new Chimneys and Staire-cases, by placing of pieces of Timber, by setting on new Roofes or Rafters, and thrusting out of Dormers, knitting and fastning together the sayd new ad­ditions vnto the old Timber, by Barres and Crampes of Iron, or other like deuices, vn­lesse hee or they shall bee thereunto licenced and allowed by Our Commissioners for Buil­dings.

THat no person or persons within the limits last aforesayd, do at any time or times hereafter presume or attempt, to erect, couer, ouerlay, or inclose any Houels, or others Sheds of Tim­ber, with Reedes, Faggots, Hay, Straw, Boards, or other Materials, or doe rayse vp any Wall, Pale, or banke of earth, to which Sheds may bee added, or doe repaire or new make into the Streets, any manner of bulkes, stalles, windowes, doores, or other offensiue issues, or doe alter or change the vse of any dwelling house, or other building, to any more noysome or offensiue vse, end, or purpose then the same was imployed before the time of the demolishing or altering the same, without the speciall licence and allowance of the sayd Commissioners for buildings. And for that the diuiding of houses into seuerall tenements and habitations, and the letting part of houses and chambers to Inmates and vndersitters, is no lesse in­conuenient then excessiue buildings, aswell in regard of surcharge of people, especially of the worst sort, and for breeding and spreading of infection, as otherwise, Wee doe also command these Articles following to bee duely obserued.

THat no person or persons within the Citie of London, or three miles from any the Gates thereof, doe diuide any dwelling house by Lease, sufferance, or otherwise, into, or for any more tenements or dwellings then are at this present, or haue beene heretofore vsed within the same by the space of thirty yeeres last past.

THat no person doe hereafter receiue into any house, any Inmates or vndersitters, or any more Families then one.

That no person or persons who shall erect a new house vpon, or within the precincts of an old foundation, shall diuide the same into more Tenements, or seuerall dwellings then were vsed in the said former houses.

BY the due obseruation of which seuerall Articles, as the vniformity of the buildings will bring much honour to the City, & grace and ornament, both to the streets thereof, and to the neighbour townes; so the building with Bricke or Stone will be more durable, and more safe from the danger and casualty of fire: & withall the reducing of all sorts of houses to this order, and the present remouing of Inmates and Vndersitters according to this direction, will in short time discontinue, and take away the many Cottages, Sheds, and base places of habita­tions in By lanes, and backe Streets, whereby the City, Suburbes, and Confines will be­come more sutable, and lesse subiect to that danger of sicknesse and infection, which by the vn­wholsome pestering of multitudes of poore people together, is now threatned against the same. And therefore We vpon mature, and deliberate consideration taken of the premisses, doe straitly charge & command, all and euery person & persons, of whatsoeuer degree, qua­lity, or condition he or they be: That he, they, and euery of them, doe well and truly obserue and keepe, all and singular the Articles before specified, in all things to them respectiuely be­longing, as they will auoid Our high displeasure, and such further penalties and punish­ments, as their contempts and neglects herein shall demerit, and by Our Prerogatiue royall, or otherwise may be inflicted vpon them.

Giuen at Our Court at Nonsuch: the sixteenth day of Iuly, in the sixth yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.