A proclamation, for the well ordering of the market in the cittie of Oxford and for the redresse of abuses, in weights and measures, within the precincts of the Vniuersitie of Oxford.

A PROCLAMATION, ¶ For the well ordering of the Market in the Cittie of OXFORD, and for the redresse of Abuses, in Weights and Measures, within the Precincts of the VNIVERSITIE of OXFORD.

WILLIAM by Gods Providence Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate and Metro∣politane of all England, one of his Majesties most Honourable Priuie Councill, Chancellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxon sendeth Greeting, in our Lord God Euer∣lasting. Whereas by the Customes, Liberties, and Priuiledges of this Vniuer∣sitie of Oxon, by Kings, and Queenes, of this Realme of England granted, and by Acts of Parliament confirmed, vnto the said Vniuersitie, amongst other noble Priui∣ledges, and fauours, the Clerkshippe of the Market within the said Vniuersitie, and the allowing, approuing, and correcting of Weights and Measures, and the well ordering, and gouerning of the said Market, for the benefit of of the said Vniuersitie, and the Buyers and Sellers therein, is granted and confirmed to the Chancellour, Masters, and Scholars of the said Vniuersitie of Oxon, and the execution thereof to the Chancellour, or his Deputie, the Vicechancel∣lour of the said Vniuersitie for the time being. Forasmuch therefore as We plainely perceaue, many good Orders and Rules heretofore published, by our Predecessours by Proclamation, and otherwise touching the well gouerning of the said Market, to take small effect, because they are either forgotten, or else contemned, by diverse greatly against the common good of this Vniuersitie, and Cittie of Oxon, only for their private gaine, for present redresse of all which Enormities and Abuses, we streightly Charge and Command, that no manner of Person, or Persons whatsoeuer, doe from henceforth by any manner of meanes Forestall, Regrat, or ingrosse any manner of Corne, Flesh, Tallow, Candles, Fish, Butter, Cheese, Eggs, Piggs, Geese, Ca∣pons, Chickins, Wood, Fewell, or any other Provision whatsoeuer belonging vnto the said Market, nor by any other Cunning shifts, and Frauds in any sort, hurt, or abuse the said Market, vpon Paine and Punishment by the Lawes, and Statutes of this Realme, and by the Statutes, Priviledges, and Customes of this Vniuersitie, Limited and Appointed. And to the intent that good Order be kept concerning the Premises: We will and Command all Inhabitants of the Vniuersitie, and Cittie of Oxon, and others, Buyers and Sellers, that repaire to the said Market, duely to obserue and fullfill these Articles following. Viz: &c.

IMprimis, That no Badger, Carrier, Poulterer, Hucster, or any other Person or Persons, bringing any kind of Victualls to be sold in the Market, holden and kept in the Cittie of Oxon, doe sell, or compact, or agree to sell, his, or their Victualls, or any part thereof, before all and every part of the same be placed, to be sold in open Market, vpon payne of forfeiting for euery such offence, tenne shillings.

Item That no Badger, Carryer, Loader, Poulterer, or any other Person or Persons, bringing any kind of Graine, or Victualls to be sold in this Market, shall carry, or cause to be carryed, any of the same out of the open Market-Place, to any Victualler, Inholder, Hucster, or any other Person, or keepe or retaine, any of the

said Victualls for any Inholder, Victualler, Hucster, or any other such like, but that euery person willing to buy any of the said Victualls, may at all times buy so much as will serue for his necessary vse, vpon paine of forfeiting for euery such offence, tenne shillings: And farther to be punished for Contempt.

Item. That no Person from henceforth doe sell, or put to sale, any Faggots, Billets, or Coales, but those that are of the true Assize, and full measure, according to the Statutes of this Realme, and that the Markes and Assizes of the said Billets and Faggots be not altered, vnder paine of forfeiting, tenne shillings.

Item That no Ale-brewer, nor Beere-brewer, doe sell any Ale or Beere to any Victualler, or Ale-house∣keeper, or other, to sell againe which haue no lawfull Licence, vnder paine of forfeiting six shillings eight pence, for euery Barrell of Beere or Ale so sold.

Item That no Persons which selleth Wine within this Vniuersitie, from henceforth shall set Abroach any kind of Wine to be sold, before the Chancellour or his Deputie, or other officer appointed for that pur∣pose haue tasted, tryed, and allowed the same to be good and vendible, or shall after such tast thereof any way embase, blend, or corrupt, vnder paine of forfeiting, twentie shillings, for every Vessell of Wine so set Abroach, contrary to this present Proclamation.

Item That all and singular Vintners, and Winesellers, within this Vniuersitie and Cittie of Oxon, from time to time, and at all times doe sell their Wines in their seuerall kinds, at such reasonable prizes, as the said Chancellour or his Deputie, shall prescribe or limit, vpon paine by the Statutes of this Realme in that be∣halfe provided. And farther vnder the like Paine, that no Person aforesaid doe sell any Wine, in any other Potts, sauing only such as hold Measure, and are sealed and allowed by the said Chancellour, or his Depu∣ties, the Clerkes of the Market.

Item That no Butcher, or Butchers, Cooke, or Cookes, Chandler, or any other Person whatsoeuer inha∣biting the Vniuersitie, Cittie, or Suburbs of Oxford, shall sell their Tallow to any Forreiner, vpon paine of for∣feiting the Value thereof.

Item That all manner of Butchers dwelling or inhabiting, out of this Vniuersitie or Cittie of Oxon, and bringing or causing to be brought, any Victualls to be sold in this Market, shall also bring their Hides, Fells, and Tallow, belonging to the said Victualls, so by them brought to be sold, and shall sell the same, if any will haue them at the Prize limited, vnder paine of forfeiting for every such offence, six shillings eight pence. And farther that every such Butcher, who hath not his said Hides, Fells, and Tallow, at twelue of the Clocke in the Fore-noone shewed in the Market, shall at that time be adiudged not to haue brought them, and so incurre the penalty aforesaid.

Item That no Chandler shall sell any Candles, Cotten or Wieke, aboue such rates and prizes, as shall be set and limited, from time to time, by the said Chancellour, Vice-chancellour, or his Deputie, vnder paine to forfeit for every such offence, tenne shillings.

Item It shall not be lawfull for any Person, or Persons whatsoeuer, to Traffique, Merchandize, buy or sell by any Weights and Measures within this Vniuersitie and Cittie of Oxon, or Suburbs of the same, except such Weights and Measures be found lawfull, approued and Sealed by the said Chancellour, his Deputie, or Deputies, the Clerkes of this Market, vpon paine of forfeiture for euery such offence, twentie shillings, and all such false Weights and Measures to be vtterly destroyed.

Item That all manner of Persons, that bring any Corne or Graine to the Market, of this Vniuersitie and Cittie of Oxon to be sold, shall measure the same with the common Market-Bushels, and Measures, & in the Market-place, and not with any other Bushells, or Measures, nor any other where. And whereas We vn∣derstand, that diverse of the Cittie of Oxford, inhabiting in, or neere the said Corne-market, haue lately of their owne will, without any approbation from Vs, or our Vice-chancellour, taken vpon them to keepe and set forth on Market-dayes, publique Bushells and Measures, for the measuring of Corne and Graine, and take Tole for the same, without stint or limitation, sometimes a Pint and halfe, and sometimes a Quart for the measuring of a Bushell, whereas the ancient and laudable Due is, but the quantity of a quarter of a Pint at the most for such Measure: And also that diverse Malsters, Bakers, and Brewers, doe keepe in their private houses two Bushells, a bigger wherewith to buy, and a lesser to sell, whereby the Country people that bring in their Corne and Graine to the said Vniuersitie, are deterred to furnish the said Market, in regard that the Measure of Graine, will not hold out fully with the said great Bushells. We therefore for the future pre∣vention of the said Inconveniences, and for the better governement of the said Market, that there bee no fraud vsed, doe by these Presents, straightly prohibite the Inhabitants of the Vniuersitie and Cittie of Oxon, and all others resorting to that Market, from keeping and setting forth any publique Bushell, or any other Measure, or to receaue any Tole or profit for the same: And also all Malsters, Bakers, and Brewers, from keeping in their houses, any more then one lawfull and sealed Bushell, by which they shall sell, as well as buy.

Item That to provide a sufficient and convenient remedie for the premises. We haue by our Letters Pat∣tents vnder our Seale, appointed Christopher Divall Inhabitant within the said Vniuersitie, to looke vnto the

cleansing, and sweet keeping the Corne-market-place, and to provide a competent and sufficient number of Bushells, and other Measures, to be approued and Sealed by vs, or our Deputies the Clerkes of the Market, to measure the Corne and Graine brought to the said Market, and to take and receaue the iust and due Tole for the same, Viz: a Quarter of a Pint for every Bushell and not aboue: And We will and require, that no Buyer or Seller, or Inhabitant within the Vniuersitie or Cittie of Oxon, not exempt from paying of Tole, doe hinder, denie, or molest, Him the said Christopher Divall, in the due and lawfull execution of the said office, and taking the said Tole vnder penaltie to be punished, as contemners of the Priviledges and Liberties of this Vniuersitie, and the government of the same.

Item It shall not be lawfull for any Hucster, liuing and inhabiting within the Vniuersitie or Cittie of Oxon, and Suburbs of the same, or any other Person whatsoeuer vnder colour of buying, keeping or making pro∣vision for any Colledge or Hall of this Vniuersitie, or for any other Person whatsoeuer Priviledged or not, or vnder any other pretence to buy, obtaine, or get into his hands or possession in this Market, or within foure Miles thereof, any Piggs, Geese, Capons, Hennes, Chickens, Conies, Fish, Butter, Cheese, Eggs, or other Victuall whatsoeuer, to sell the same againe in this Market, or within foure Miles thereof, or to dispose of the same otherwise then for his owne vse and spending. And because Hucsters haue proued the Baine of the Mar∣ket, and their cunning devises by any former Rules and Orders heretofore published, haue not beene suffi∣ciently met withall: We doe therefore hereby straightly Prohibite, all and every Hucster aforesaid, from bringing or placing their Wares, Victualls, and Provisions, though bought without the foure Miles afore mentioned, to be sold in the common Market-place, Viz: vpon or neere CARFOX, or Penny-loes-bench, but that they keepe and containe themselues for the vttering their said Wares and Provisions in one proper place, to be appointed and assigned from time to time, by vs or our Deputies, which place for the present We appoint and assigne, to be vnder the West-wall of Christ-church, betweene the great Gate thereof and CARFOX, only so farre as that Wall reacheth. And in case any Hucster aforesaid, shall presume to place his said Wares and Provisions, or put the same to sale elsewhere, then in the place formerly appointed & as∣signed, (Viz:) vnder Christ-church-wall, or shall otherwise breake or violate any part, or clause of this Arti∣cle; for every time so offending, he shall incurre the penalties of the Statutes of this Realme in that behalfe provided, and be farther proceeded against as a Contemner of the Liberties and Priviledges of this Vniuer∣sitie, and the Government of the same.

Item Whereas the greedie, and over hasty coveting of Victualls in the Buyer, hath beene a great meanes to encourage, and cherish Hucsters, it shall not be lawfull for any Person or Persons whatsoeuer, to buy of any Hucster any manner of Provision aforesaid, elsewhere then in the Place formerly appointed and assigned by Vs, nor before the same be brought and placed there openly to be sold, vpon paine of forfeiting for every such said offence, tenne shillings, and farther to be punished for Contempt.

Item That if any Butcher, Baker, Brewer, Poulterer, Cooke, Manciple, Fruiterer, Hucster, or any other Person whatsoeuer, shall be convinced to conspire against any Article, Clause, or Branch of this Proclama∣tion, whereby the same may not be duely executed according to the true meaning thereof, then every such Conspiratour so convinced, shall be punished according to the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme.

And to the intent that every man to whom it appertaineth might know his dutie, and not by Ignorance thereof, incurre any of the said Penalties, We doe straightly Charge and Command, that no manner of Per∣son whatsoeuer, doe Rent, Teare, or pluck downe, or any way deface this Proclamation, or any Parcell there∣of, but shall suffer it continually to remaine in his Place, vnder Paine of Imprisonment, and such other pu∣nishment, as shall be thought fit to be executed, vpon all and every the transgressour of this Commande∣ment.

GOD SAVE THE KING.