THE Kings moſt Excellent Maieſty, ſhortly after His firſt happy entrance into this kingdome, taking into His Royall conſideration the great decay and conſumption of Timber, and the neceſſity of preſeruation thereof, for moſt neceſſary vſes, and eſpecially for the ſhipping and Nauy of this Realme (an eſpeciall part of the defence and ſafety of the ſame) and that in the very City of London (being the principall City of this kingdome, and His Maieſties Royall Chamber, whereunto, not only the Noblemen and Gentry of this Realme, but alſo the States, Ambaſſadours, and others of forren Nations doe continually reſort) for want of ſufficient Timber, they were dayly driuen to build with Beech, and other like kinde of Timber of ſmall continuance (which in time, if the ſame were not preuented, would turne to the perill and decay of the ſame City) did propoſe vnto himſelfe, and reſolue of a courſe of building with Bricke, in, and neere the ſayd City of London, foreſeeing the good euent that would enſue thereupon. And to that purpoſe ſithence, hath publiſhed diuers Proclamations, and granted diuers Commiſſions to ſome of the Lords of His Priuie Counſell and others (by time and experience found neceſſary) for the better ordering and effecting that ſo worthy a worke; whoſe care and endeuour in the execution of thoſe Proclamations and Commiſſions, His Maieſtie doth graciouſly accept, and highly commend. And whereas His Maieſtie, from time to time remayning conſtant to his former reſolution, hath now found apparant and manifeſt, what himſelfe preiudged, that the materials of Bricke are of farre better vſe then thoſe of Timber, for ſuch of His Subiects as haue occaſion to build, in, or neere the ſayd City of London, and tendeth not onely to the preſeruation of the ſayd City, and places adioyning, from diuers inconueniences and miſchiefes, which might happen by reaſon of building the walles and forefronts of houſes there with Timber, but alſo to the beautifying and adorning the ſame City and places adiacent, to the honour, beauty, and luſtre thereof, which for this ſmall time of proceeding with Bricke, is greatly applauded and approoued, aſwell by Ambaſſadours of forren Nations, as others: His Maieſtie doth therefore heereby encourage his ſayd Commiſſioners, and require them, as they haue begun with care and endeuour, ſo to continue their vigilancy ouer this ſo good a worke, and from time to time, to put in execution His Maieſties gracious and Princely commandements therein, and to chaſtiſe and reforme all thoſe that are, or ſhall be contemptuous or diſobedient to the ſame.

And now His Maieſty finding, that the goodneſſe of the worke it ſelfe hath ouercome all oppoſition, all men of quality and worth moſt readily and willingly proceeding therin; His Maieſtie to comfort and encourage them in ſuch their conformity, is moſt deſirous to prouide that His Subiects, which ſhall haue cauſe to build, be not by any ſiniſter practiſe, or for any priuate reſpect wronged, or ••• iudiced, either by making of the ſayd materiall of Bricke inſufficient, or by enhanſing, or rayſing of the prices thereof, being of neceſſity to be vſed; the ſayd materials of Brickes hauing beene of late yeeres (by the vndue courſes of the Brickmakers) very ſlightly, inſufficiently, and ill made, the earth being neither digged, nor caſt vp in ſeaſonable times, nor well wrought, neither the Brickes moulded, dried, and burned as they ought to be. For preuention whereof His Maieſtie, hauing (vpon deliberate conſideration and aduice, of men of iudgement, experience, and worth, for the generall good of His Subiects that ſhall be occaſioned to build with Bricke) cauſed theſe enſuing Inſtructions and Directions to be deuiſed, as rules to be obſerued, in the true making and ſale of Brickes, Hath thought it neceſſary to publiſh the ſame to His louing Subiects, and doth heereby ſtraitly charge and command, that no perſon or perſons after the laſt day of this preſent moneth of Nouember, doe make or cauſe to be made within fiue miles of any the gates of the ſayd City of London, or bring or conuey, or cauſe to be brought or conueyed, either by water or by land, vnto the ſayd City of London, or any place or places within fiue miles of the gates of the ſame City, or vtter, ſell, or put to ſale, within the ſayd City, or in any place or places within fiue miles thereof, as aforeſayd, to any perſon or perſons whatſoeuer, at any time or times heereafter, any Brickes, made contrary to the true meaning of theſe His Maieſties Directions, or at any higher price or rate then is heerin after mentioned, vpon paine of His Maieſties indignation, and diſpleaſure, and the ſeuereſt cenſure of his Court of Starre chamber, and ſuch further paines and puniſhments, as by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme, may bee inflicted vpon them for their offences and contempt.

Firſt, that the earth whereof the Brickes ſhall bee made, bee good and fit for that purpoſe; The firſt digging thereof to be betweene the feaſts of S. Michael the Arch-angell, and S. Thomas the Apoſtle; And the ſecond digging, turning, or caſting vp of the ſayd earth to be, at, or before the laſt day of February enſuing; And that no perſon whatſoeuer doe preſume to digge, or make any Bricke in any place within one mile of the Gates of the ſayd City of London, from and after the laſt day of this preſent moneth of Nouember.

Item, that the ſayd earth bee ſufficiently and well wrought and tempered before it bee moulded.

Item, that the Brickemakers mould, or cauſe to be moulded, no earth 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.

Item, that in the moulding of the ſayd Brickes, the mouldes bee throughly and well filled, and not ſet in the moulds, in the laying downe, and that they bee ſufficiently and well dried before they bee burned, and then carefully and throughly burned.

Item, that for the Aſſize, euery Bricke being burned conteine in length, nine inches, in breadth, fowre inches one quarter and halfe a quarter of an inch, and in thickneſſe, two inches and one quarter of an inch.

Item, that for the price, they ſell not their Brickes aboue the rate of eight ſhillings the thouſand, at the Kill, being made and wrought in goodneſſe and manner as aforeſayd.

And to the end his Maieſties care of this ſo vſefull and neceſſary a materiall ſhould take effect; His Highneſſe will and pleaſure is, and His Maieſtie doth heereby command, That the Commiſſioners for buildings doe appoint either the Maſter and Wardens of the Company of Bricklayers of the ſayd City of London, for the time being, or ſuch other truſty perſons of ſkill and experience, as ſhall be by the ſayd Commiſſioners thought fit, from time to time to make ſearch and enquiry in all places within the City of London, and all other places within fiue miles of the Gates of the ſayd City, aſwell of the due obſeruation of the Articles aforeſayd, as of the prices heereby limited; And that where they ſhall finde any breach of any of theſe his Maieſties Directions, That they from time to time make knowne the ſame to his Maieſties Commiſſioners for building, for the time being, with the names of the parties offending, whom We alſo heereby require and authoriſe thereupon, to take due examination, aſwell of any neglect or contempt which ſhall be vſed by the ſayd Bricklayers, by conniuency or otherwiſe, as of the offences and contempts to be committed by the Brickemakers or others, making, carrying, bringing, or vttering any Brickes, contrary to the true intent of the Directions aforeſayd, and the ſame, together with the names of the offendours, from time to time, to certifie to His Maieſties Atturney Generall, for the time being, to be proceeded againſt in the ſayd high Court of Starre-Chamber, as wilfull contemners of this his Maieſties pleaſure and commandement.

And where any neglect or contempt of this His Maieſties commandement ſhall bee found in places more remote, His Maieſtie doeth heereby authoriſe and require His Iuſtices of Peace, within their ſeuerall limits and diuiſions, and euery of them to take due examination and notice of any offences and offendours, contrary to the true meaning of theſe His Maieſties Directions, as aforeſayd and to make knowne the ſame to His Maieſties ſayd Commiſſioners for Buildings, and they to make further certificate vnto His Maieſties ſayd Atturney Generall, to be proſecuted in manner aforeſayd; whom Wee heereby command to ſue, and proſecute ſuch offendours accordingly.