ANd be it further enacted by the Authority aforeſaid for the benefit and Commodity of this Realm, • he Reaſons 〈◊〉 the keep •• g of Lent 〈◊〉 preſſed in •• e Stat. 5. El. p. 5. to grow, as well in maintenance of the Navy, as in ſpairing and increaſe of Fleſh victuall of this Realm.

IT ſhall not be Lawfull to any perſon within this Realme to Eate any Fleſh upon any dayes now uſually obſerved as fiſh dayes (upon paine to forfeit twenty ſhillings for every time he ſhall offend, 〈◊〉 forfeiture him that ea ••• h Fleſh upon 〈◊〉 days. 〈◊〉 forfeiture him in •• oſe houſe it •• • aten. or elſe ſuffer one moneths cloſe Impriſonment without baile or mainpriſe 35 Eliz. 7.) And every perſon within whoſe houſe any ſuch offence ſhall be done: and being privy and knowing thereof, and not effectually puniſhing and diſcloſing the ſame unto ſome publique Officer having authority to puniſh the ſame, for every ſuch offence ſhall forfeit thirtéen ſhillings four pence (35 Eliz. 7.) All which forfeitures for not abſtaining from Meates ſhall be divided into thrée equall parts: that is, one part to the uſe of the Quéene, the other to the Informer, the third to the common uſe of the Pariſh where the Offence ſhall be committed, and to be levied by the Church-wardens after any Conviction in that behalf, 5 Eliz. 5.

But this Act concerning eating of Fleſh ſhall not extend to any perſons having ſpeciall Licenſes upon Cauſes contained in the ſame, and grounded according to the Lawes of this Realme: •• ndition up •• Licence, & •• at ſhall be ••• en to the 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 Licence. Every of which Licences ſhall be void, unleſſe the ſame containe theſe Conditions, viz. Every Licence made to any perſon of the degrée of a Lord of the Parliament and his Wiſe, ſhall be upon condition, that they ſhall pay to the Poore mens box within the Pariſh where they remaine, &c. in the Feaſt of the Purification of our Lady, or within ſix days after, twenty ſix ſhillings eight pence, and to be payd within one moneth next after the ſame Feaſt upon paine of forfeiture of the ſame Licenſe: A Knight and his Wife ſhall pay yearely thirteen ſhillings four pence. Every perſon under the ſaid degrée ſhall pay yearely ſix ſhillings eight pence to the ſaid uſe at the foreſaid time, and upon the foreſaid Condition. 5 Eliz. 5.

All perſons which by notorious ſickneſſe ſhall be enforced for the recovery of their health to eate Fleſh for the time of their ſickneſſe, • ho may have •••• nce, & who •• y give li ••• ce to eate 〈◊〉 upon fiſh ••• es, and the 〈◊〉 ſhall be Licenſed by the Biſhop of the Dioceſs, or by the Parſon, Vicar, or Curate of ſuch Pariſh where ſuch perſon is ſicke, or of one of the next Pariſh adjoyning (If there be no Curate, &c. in the ſame Pariſh, or if he be wilfull) which Licence ſhall be ſigned by the Biſhop, Parſon, &c. and endure no longer then the time of ſickneſſe: And if the ſickneſs continue above eight dayes after the Licence granted, it ſhall be Regiſtred in the Church Book with the knowledge of one of the Church-wardens: And the party licenſed ſhall give to the Curate four pence for every Entrie, and it ſhall endure no longer but for his ſickneſſe. And if any Licence by any Parſon, Vicar, or Curate be granted to any perſon other then ſuch as evidently appeare to have néed thereof by reaſon of their ſickneſſe, not onely every ſuch Licence ſhall be void, but alſo every ſuch Parſon, Curate or Vicar ſhall forfeit for every ſuch Licence otherwiſe granted five Marks, 5 Eliz. 5.

Such perſons as have upon good Conſiderations any lawfull Licence to eate Fleſh upon any Fiſh day, 〈◊〉 have ••••• ce to eate 〈◊〉 upon fiſh ••• es, muſt 〈◊〉 one diſh 〈◊〉 Sea fiſh. be bound to have for every one diſh of Fleſh ſerved to be eaten at their Table, one uſuall diſh of Sea-Fiſh freſh or ſalt to be likewiſe ſerved at the ſame Table, and to be eaten or ſpent without fraud or covin as the like kind is, or ſhall be uſually eaten on or ſpent on Saturdayes (except ſuch perſons as for ſickneſſe ſhall for that time be licenſed by the Biſhop, Curate, &c. or by reaſon of age or other impediment allowed heretofore by the Eccleſiaſticall Lawes of this Realme) upon the pain aforeſaid, 5 Eliz. 5. 1 Jac. 25.

No Butcher or other perſon, 〈◊〉 not to be 〈◊〉 in Leut. whether he be licenced or not licenſed to kill Fleſh, ſhall from henceforth at any time in the time of Lent, kill or dreſſe to the intent to put to ſale any Oxe or Oxen, Béeves, Béevets, Hogs, Calves, Rams, Ewes, or Weathers, except Oxen or Béeves for victualling of Ships into forreign parts; and except all Fleſh to be killed thrée dayes before Eaſter yearely upon pain to forfeit and looſe the ſame Oxen, Béeves, &c. ſo killed and dreſſed contrary to this Statute, or the value of them, 1 Jac. 29.

All Iuſtices of the Peace, ••• icers ſear ••• ng for Fleſh 〈◊〉 in Lent. Mayors, Bayliffs, head Officers and Conſtables as well of Cities and Townes Corporats as in every County of this Realme, ſhall have full authority yearely in the time of Lent, to enter into all houſes of Victuallers and common Victualling houſes within their Iuriſdictions where ſuch offences ſhall be ſuſpected to be committed, and finding any ſuch Oxen, Béeves, &c. killed or dreſſed, or any part or parcell of the ſame contrary to this Statute ſhall take ſeiſe the ſame as forfeited, and ſhall give and diſtribute the ſame to Priſoners and other poore folks by their diſcretion, 1 Jac. 29.

Every Taverner, ••• tuallers ••• ſſing of 〈◊〉 . Inne-kéeper, kéeper of every common Tablinghouſe, common Cooke, common Tipler, or Alehouſe-kéeper offending at any time hereafter in the dreſſing of any Fleſh victuall, contrary to the Statute of Anno 5 Eliz. or contrary to this Statute, ſhall not onely forfeit all the Fleſh ſo dreſſed, but alſo the penalty impoſed by the ſaid Statute of 5 Eliz. for every offence to be committed, the one half of all which forfeitures (Except ſuch forfeitures as ſhall be found and taken by the Iuſtices of Peace, Mayors, Bayliffs, head Officers and Conſtables according to the Tenor of this Act) ſhall be to the KING, and the other halfe to ſuch perſon or perſons as ſhall ſue or informe for the ſame in any Court of Record by Action of Debt, Bin, Plaint, or Information, wherein no Eſſoyn, Protection, or Wager of Law ſhall be allowed, &c. 1 Jac. 29. To continue to the end of the firſt Seſſion of the next Parliament.

A Clauſe in an Act 3 Car. ••• tinuance •• e former 〈◊〉 . • . 4. And ſo much of an Act made the 5th year of the Reigne of the late Quéen Eliz. Intituled An Act touching certain Politick Conſtitutions made for the maintenance of the Navy, as is not repealed by any latter Statute, nor doth concern the eating of Fleſh, or uſing of fiſh upon the Wedneſday, &c. together with all and every other additions, explanations, and alterations made thereunto, or thereof, or of any part thereof by any Statute or Statutes made ſithence the making of the ſaid laſt mentioned Act, and in force the laſt day of the Seſſion of Parli. that was in the 21 yeare of the Reigne of the late King James, &c. ſhall continue in force untill the end of the next Seſſion of Parl.

By a Clauſe in an Act of 17 Car. 〈…〉 . 1. cāp. 4. The aforeſaid Stat. be made perpetual. See the Abridgment of the late Statutes. Title, Continuance.

Note that all the time of Lent, and every Vigil (or Holy day Eve) and every Friday & Saturday (except Chriſtmas-day falls thereon) and the embring dayes throughout the whole year were uſually obſerved by the Laws and cuſtomes of the Realm as Fiſh days, which is proved by the preamble of the Stat. 2 & 3 Ed 6. cap. 19. whereby alſo it is Enacted, that in thoſe times ſuch abſtinence ſhould be uſed: And the Stat. of 5 & 6. Ed. 6. cap. 3. appoints what dayes ſhall be kept holy, the Eves of which are onely to be obſerved for Fiſh-dayes.

And by the Stat. of 5 Eliz. 5. Every Wedneſday in the year (which ſhall not happen to fall in Chriſtmas or Eaſter week) is limited to be obſerved as a Fiſh day, on which day no manner of perſon ſhall eate any Fleſh otherwiſe then ought to be on the common Saturday.

☞ Note that by a Proviſo in the Stat. of 5 Eliz. cap. 5. It is Enacted, that whoſoever ſhall by preaching, teaching, writing, or open ſpeaking notifie, that any eating of Fiſh, or forbearing of Fleſh mentioned in this Stat. is of any neceſſity for the ſaving of the ſoul of man, or that it is the ſervice of God, otherwiſe then as other Politick Lawes are, and be, that then ſuch perſons ſhall be puniſhed as ſpreaders of falſe Newes are, and ought to be.

The Faculty Office for granting Diſpenſations and Licences to eate Fleſh, (by Act of Parliament) in any part of England, is at St. Pauls Chaine neer St. Pauls Church-yard.