WE reason, absolute Monarch, and sole Soveraigne of the world, not acknowledging any Superiour, in any sort, equall unto you; for the redressenesse, and reforming of mens manners, against the obstinate and perverse wil­fulnesse of folly, and all other his wickednesse, which hath taken such deepe root, and multiplied it selfe in that abundance, to our notable hurt and detriment, the prejudice of our Royall Prerogative and t [...]e great dammage of all mankinde: for to avoid those great inco [...] ­veniences, with the corruption of so dangerous and spreading a [...] nay causes that it may not creep more and more upon your loving sub­jects (whose welfare and safety ought to be tendred as your owne [...] that it may not dilate it selfe any further to their utter undoing, [...] ­nall destruction) that you will please to command and ordaine, [...] to publish and proclaime lawes to all those that are alredy [...] shall be borne hereafter in succeeding ages, by the power of [...] ­rall consent of your Councell of State, that they be taken and [...] such as shall be by you established and confirmed, and that they be [...] very exactly, religiously observed, and fully complied withall, both in a [...] and every the point or parcell herein specified, or contained, as they will answer to it at their perill, and incurre that grievous punishment to those that shall violate and infringe such lawes, as in that case you shall provide.

Moreover, because the first thing that you are in your Princely care to consider of, that all due fitting and convenient provision be made for the quicke expedition and good execution of Justice, that you will bee pleased to nominate and appoint certaine Officers, both of good suffi­ciency and trust, such as shall be requisite and needfull for this so im­portant a businesse; and therefore to depute, nominate, and assigne for [Page] Judges, good policy, curiosity, and solicitude, to the end that they, as if it were you your selfe, and a representing you in your owne proper person, may truely and uprightly administer Justice, giving them by vertue of your power full and plenall authority to apprehend, set at li­berty, and punish any manner of person, or persons whatsoever, upon just cause, referring the said Judges to be ordered and directed by your lawes and ordinances, and not to differ from the true intent and mea­ning of them, to the damnifying of the subject, and the dishonouring of your selves. Furthermore, both for the present, and ever hereafter, to substitute as elder brothers of the fraternity, and chiefe wardens of your incorporation, all those that be jealous observers, every one ac­cording to his place and merit, and he that shall be most jealous may be most honoured, that your Atturney Generall may be diligent, and your Beadle that shall warne them to the Court fam'd.

I.

FIrst of all, therefore any person or persons that shall talke to them­selves as they walke in the streets, or at any time when they are a­lone, or in a house p [...]ivate, may be censured for fooles three moneths; within which terme of time if they absteine therefrom, and reforme this their foolery, their punishment then to be taken off; but in case that they shall not amend th [...]s fault, that some three termes of the said time, or thereabouts, may be peremptory set downe to be inflicted up­on them; within which l [...]mited time they shall bring a certificate of their reformation and amendment, upon paine of being held for appro­ved attained and converted fooles, and accordingly to command your aforesaid elder brothers and ancients of the Company to finde them guil [...]y, and to see them afterwards severely punished, as violaters and breakers of the lawes.

II.

They who shall walke along the streets, casting their cloake under one arme, and stretching out their fingers, playing with the wall, and making indentures with their fingers ends, let them be admitted Schol­lers of your house and Colledge: Provided alwaies that they have sixe moneths of approbation granted unto them, in which you to command them to be reformed: Otherwise in default thereof to ordaine that the Warden, Sub-Warden, or Deane of the Colledge, and in their absence the Senior Fellow, put his coate upon him (according to the custome of the house) his cap and his bable, and other ornaments belonging to his degree, and ever afterwards be held a profest foole.

III.

Whosoever walking through any place paved with bricke, or stone, shall pitch their toes or heeles, walking by a direct line, stride or corner of the said bricke or pavement, may be condemned in the same punish­ment as aforesaid.

IV.

That whosoever shall play at bowles, seeing the bowle runne awry, shall wry their body with it, thinking to make the bowle run the more on that side, and governe it selfe as they direct it with these mimicke je­stures, if they should be seene to practice this their error, we must de­clare them for brothers already profest. And further, that the like be al­so understood of those who use the like Apish action, when they see something fall downe from some high place to the ground, shrinking their shoulders, wiping their mouths, or turning up the whites of their eyes, that the like censure may passe.

V.

Also concerning those who wearing Vizards, shall under them make strange faces, and gesticulations, either by frowning or smiling, or biting of the lip, as if in so doing it did really and truely seeme unto them that these changes of their various countenances did outwardly appeare.

VI.

They who cutting out something with a bad paire of sheeres, or a dul edged knife, or any untuned instrument, shall draw their mouth on some side like a flounder, lill out their tongue like a calfe, wrinckle up their cheekes, forehead, and eyes, like a scorched piece of parchment, and such Idiot-like postures, our will and pleasure is, that they in like manner shall take the degree of fooles.

VII.

Whosoever expecting the returne of their servant sent of some errant, shall stay waiting for him at the doore or window of his house, where hee may soonest see him when he comes, thinking that by his staying there he will come the sooner, to condemne all such to detract and ac­knowle [...]ge their error, upon paine that in case they shall refuse so to do, they be severely proceeded against.

VIII.

They who draw their cards with a great deale of leisure, by a little, and a little, to discover at this or that other corner, first to view the co­lour, then after a little pausing, discourse upon it, arguing the case whe­ther it bee such or such a card, to condemne them to the same acknow­ledgements aforesaid, but with this condition, that as oft as he, or they [Page] offending in this manner, shall see an Antient of the house, or passe by his chamber doore, he shall make an acknowledgement of his error by putting off his hat.

IX.

Whosoever looking downe from some window, or open gallery, shall from thence spit downe, either thereby to take (as with a plumet) the evennesse of the building, or to see if he can make his spit to light just upon such a stone, straw, or place, at which he shall aime, strictly to charge and command them that they retract this their folly, upon paine of being taken and voted for publique professors of the same.

X.

Whosoever travelling, shall still enquire of those they meet, how far it is to such a place, thinking that by this their asking they will the sooner be there, to condemne them in the like penalty, enjoyning them for pennance the badnesse of the way, the Carrier jading of them, and the cousenning of their Hostesses reckoning, not inflicting any grea­ter punishment upon them, upon hopes of their amendment.

XI.

Whosoever making water, shall goe streaking the walls with their urine, as if they were busie about some curious delineations, or framing some antique figures, or shall pisse in the dust, making I know not what, scattering angles and circles, or some chinke in a wall, or little hole in the ground, to command that they doe so no more, upon paine to bee punished by the Judges, and delivered over to an elder brother, or one of the Antients of the house.

XII.

That whosoever heares the clocke strike, count not the houres, but aske others what's a clocke, be strictly charged to have an especiall care of their health, because it is an evident demonstration of a Chole­ricke kinde of humour; and if they bee poore, and not able to be at the charge of physicke; that then one of the Masters of the Colledge cause a warrant to issue forth to bring them in, giving order that some prepa­ratives bee provided for them of wilde Cherries, or sharpe summer Oranges, lest otherwise they might runne the danger of lofing their wits, and quickly turne either fooles, of madmen.

XIII.

They who, sit at short commons will neglect their victualls to enter­tain the table with discourse may be s [...]nsured for prating fools, because they take more care to fil other men [...] eares then their owne bellies: for­asmuch as these are died in the wooll and come ready drest to hand, that [Page] you permit them to be registred [...]mong your incurable fooles.

XIV.

That whosoever being at a feast hath a good stomack, and forbeare to fill their bellies, because they would be reckoned for wonderfull little eaters, and afterwards come home to make up their meale at their owne bread and cheese; that you will cause an especiall care to bee taken for them, as of such who are in the seventh degree, and almost in their full height to be taken.

XV.

They who (not being necessitated to it) buy the worst sort of victu­alls in the market for saving of their purse, and spend the lesse in their houses, as if (a Physition, and Apothecary, or a Barber Chyrurgion who all the yeare visit them to cure those diseases which are but by such unholesome meat) were not deerer by much then the best meate in the market, and therefore that you condemne them to a publike disgrace to be profest fooles, forbidding them from henceforth to doe the like, upon paine of being committed over to the Curate or Sexton, or Gravemaker of his or their parish, or to be punished more or lesse ac­cording to the hurt that shall growe thereby.

XVI.

They who in summer nights sit in a truret to looke about them till their breath ake, be pronounced to bee brothers of your fraternity.

XVII.

Those who in winter evenings stand gasing on the skies till their feet ake, be declared to be brothers also.

XVIII.

That whosoever gaping upon the heavens doe from the cloudes of the aire forme to themselves figures of Serpents, and the shapes of Lions, &c. to declare and pronounce them to be right fooles.

XIX.

That whosoever entertaine themselves with the aforesaid baubles, that they may thereby give place in their own houses, (as some wittalls use to doe for their owne interest and private gaine) that they may see the signe of Taurus, Aries, or Capricorne, with us a most soule and dis­honest case, condemne them (though accoumpted of the brotherhood) not to be capable of the priviledges thereof, nor that they be admitted into the Senate house, nor have any wax lights alowed them on festi­vall daies.

XX.

They who having their shooes dusty, will make them cleane with [Page] their cloakes, or handkercher, to condemne them for neat fooles.

XXI.

That in case any Gentle woman shall wipe off the dust of her velvet shooes, with her scarse, shall for her great honour be taken for a three­piled foole.

XXII.

They who say to a friend when they meet him by chance; are you alive Sir? is it possible that there should be any such man upon the face of the earth, when he sees him stand just before him; that you command that all such may have a signe or mark of admiration, set upon them, and that during your pleasure they never goe without it.

XXIII.

Whosoever shall salute him whom hee hath a meane esteeme of say­ing sir I kisse your hand, and that you conjure this manner of speaking upon punishment to be forced to kisse the hands of some inferiour per­son whose hands are full of scabs, and scurfes or leaprosy, full of durt, with their nailes ready to drop off, looking just like Caviare, enough to turn ones stomacke to look upon them, and condemned them for fooles.

XXIV.

That when one enquiring for some body at his house, is answered that he is not within, shall reply and say is he then gone abroad, that such be condemned as rebels, and contumelious people.

XXV.

That they who having broken their shins, or stumbled at some block or stone, shall with a great deale of fleame, and full of choller, kick, or strike the said stone or block, be condemned in the same penalty.

XXVI.

That they who have runne their head against some post &c. in the da [...]ke returne backe againe to looke upon it at leasure, with a fixed eye, and a troubled mind; that you command them to cease oft going to looke upon it, upon paine of further punishment.

XXVII.

Whosoever having blowed their nose, looke into the snot to pry in­to it, or upon it, as if some pearles had dropt from them, to condemne them for brothers of our said foundation, and that so oft as they offend in this fault they give an Almes to the hospitall of incurable fooles.

The reason of this mulct is grounded upon this, that others shall hereafter do as much for you, and them.