All such proclamacions, as haue been sette furthe by the Kynges Maiestie (and passed the print) from the last daie of Ianuarij, in the firste yere of his highnes reigne, vnto the last daie of Ianuarij, beeying in the .iiij. yere of his said moste prosperous reigne, that is to saie, by the space of iiij. whole yeres. Anno 1550

The second daie of Iuly. A Proclamacion, for the prices of Victualles.

THe kynges Maiestie, hauyng the principall and continuall charge of the commō welth & trāquilitie of this realme, for

the whiche cause, almightie God hath geuen to his maiestie power to rule, & to all his people hath enioyned, lowly∣nes to obeye, certainly vnderstandeth, by thinformacion & good aduise, of his moste dere vncle Edward duke of So∣merset, Gouernor of his moste royall persone, and Protector of his realmes Dominions and subiectes, and others of his priuie counsail: that of late time the prices of all maner victuall, neces∣sary for mānes sustenaūce, be so heigh∣tened and raised, aboue the accusto∣med and reasonable values, that ther∣by (except spedy remedy bee prouided) very greate losse and dammage, muste nedes chaunce to his maiesties louyng subiectes, and therefore, bothe of wise∣dome, wherewith his maiestie vseth to consider the state of his commō welth, and of pitie, whiche at all tymes, his maiestie conceiueth vpon the lacke and greues of his people, hath by long & de∣liberat study, of his said dere vncle, the lorde Protector, and the rest of his pri∣uey counsaill, concluded and finally re∣solued,

to prouide remedy herein, the whiche (restyng vpon the former re∣dresse of sondery disorders, in the whole common welth) although it cānot be so absolutly & spedely had as his maiesties moste hartie desire is, yet it is thought by his Maiestie, for the present disor∣ders, a greate relief to put in due exe∣cucion, diuerse good lawes and statu∣tes, prouided heretofore, by aucthoritie of Parliament, in the reignes of the kynges maiesties moste noble progeni∣tors, and especially twoo pollitique good estatutes, made at Westminster in the .xxv. yere of the reigne of his ma∣iesties moste dere father late deceassed, kyng Henry the eight, ordeined, as by thesame appereth, very pollitiquely, for the redresse of these like disorders of prices, whiche at any time thence after might happen: theffect of whiche later estatute is, that the lorde Threasorer, the Lorde Chauncellor of Englande, the Lorde President of the Kynges moste honorable Counsaill, the Lorde Priuey Seale, the Lorde Stewarde,

the Lorde Chamberlain, and all other Lordes of the Kynges Counsaill, the Threasorer and Comptroller of the Kynges mooste honorable house, the Chauncellor of the Duchy of Lanca∣ster, the Iustices of either Benche, the Chauncellor, Chāberlain, vnder thre∣sorer, and the Barons of the Kynges Eschequer, or seuen of them at the lest whereof the lorde Threasorer, the lorde Chauncellor, the lorde President of the kynges counsaill, or the lorde Priuey Seale to bee one, should haue power and aucthoritie, from tyme to tyme (as the case should require) to set and taxe reasonable prices of all kyndes of vic∣tualles, mencioned in thesaid act, how thei should bee solde in grosse or by re∣taile, for relief of the kynges subiectes and that after suche prices, set and ta∣xed in forme aforesaied, Proclamacion should be made in the Kynges name, vnder the greate seale, of thesaid pri∣ces in suche parties of this realme, as should be conuenient for thesame.

And it was further enacted, by the∣said

estatute, that all fermors, owners broggers & all other victualers what∣soeuer, hauyng and kepyng any of the kyndes of victuall, mēcioned in thesaid acte, to thintent to sell, should sell the∣same to suche, the kynges subiectes, as would buy thē, at such prices as shuld be set and taxed by thesaid Proclama∣cion, vpon the paines to be expressed & limited, in thesaid proclamacion, to be lost, forfaicted, and leuied to the Kyn∣ges vse, in suche wise, as by thesaied Proclamacion should bee declared.

And it was further prouided, by the said act, that thesame act or any thyng therein conteined, should not be hurt∣full to Maiors, Shirifes, Bailifes, & other officers of Cities, Boroughes, and Tounes corporate, nor to ony per∣sone or persones, or bodies pollitique, hauyng aucthoritie, to sette prices of suche victualles, or of any of them, but that thei and euery of theim, might set prices therof, as if thesame act had ne∣uer been had nor made, as by thesame acte, emonges other thynges, more at

large it doth and maie appere. And for∣asmuche, as complaint hath been made of the inhaunsyng of prices of thesame victuals, without grounde or cause re∣sonable, in all partes of this realme: in consideracion wherof, the lorde Threa∣sorer, the lorde Chaūcellor of Englāde and al others requisite by thesaid esta∣tute, haue by aucthoritie of thesame act, set and taxed reasonable prices, of all kynd of victuals, mencioned in the∣same act, to be sold in forme foloyng, to thintēt thesame should be proclaimed, accordyng to thesame act, that is to say that frō the daie of this Proclamacion made without delaye, all and singuler persone & persones, hauyng or kepyng any of the kyndes of victualles, men∣cioned in thesaied Acte, within this Realme, to the intent to sell, shall sell thesame to suche of the kynges subiec∣tes, as will buye theim at the prices hereafter mencioned, that is to saie, from Midsommer to Hallowmas, e∣uery Oxe, beyng primed and well stri∣ken, of the largest bone .xxxviij. s. of a

meaner sorte .xxviij. s. an Oxe tat, and of the largest bone .xlv. s. of the meaner sorte, beeyng fat .xxxviij. s. Steres and Runtes, beyng primed or wel stricken and large of bone .xx. s. of ameaner sort xvi. s. beyng fat and of the largest bone xxv. s. beyng fat of a meaner sort .xxi. s. Heifurthes and Kine, beeyng primed or wel striken, and large of bone .xvi. s. of a meaner sort .xiij. s. iiij. d. beyng fat and large of bone .xxij. s. beyng fat and of a meaner sorte .xviij. s. And frō Hal∣lowmas to Christmas, euery Oxe be∣yng fat and large of bone .xlvi. s. viij. d. beyng fat of a meaner sort .xxxix. s. viij. d. Steres and Runtes within thesame tyme, beeyng fat and large of bone .xx. vi. s. viij. d. beyng fat of a meaner sorte xxij. s. viij. d. heifurthes and kine with in thesame tyme, beeyng fat and large of bone .xxiij. s. of a meaner sorte .xix. s. And from Christmas to Shroftide, e∣uery Oxe beyng fat and large of bone xlviij. s. iiij. d. of a meaner sorte .xli. s. iiij. d. Steres and Runtes, within the same tyme, beyng fat and large of bone

xxviij. s. iiij. d. of a meaner sort .xxiiij. s. iiij. d. And from Sheryng time to Mi∣chaelmas, euery wether beyng a shere Shepe, beyng leane and large of bone iij. s. of a meaner sorte .ij. s. iiij. d. beyng fat and large of bone .iiij. s. beyng fat of a meaner sort .iij. s. Ewes within the∣same tyme, beeyng leane and large of bone .ij. s. beyng leane of a meane sorte xx. d. beyng fat and large of bone .ij. s. viij. d. beyng fat of a meaner sorte .ij. s. And from Michaelmas to Shroftide, euery Wether beeyng a shere Shepe, beyng leane and large of bone .iij. s. be∣yng leane of a meaner sorte .ij. s. iiij. d. beyng fat and large of bone .iiij. s. iiij. d. beyng fatt and of a meaner sorte .iij. s. iiij. d. And from Midsomer to Micha∣elmas the pounde of swete Butter at From Michaelmas to Newe ye∣res croppe the pounde. Suffolke Butter and the parties of Norffolke, borderyng vpon Suffolke, from Mid∣somer to Michaelmas the pounde From Michaelmas to the newe yeres croppe the pound. Esser Chese and

other partes, from Midsomer to Mi∣chaelmas the pounde. From Mi∣chaelmas to the new yeres croppe the pounde. Suffolke Chese and the partes of Norffolke, borderyng vpon Suffolke, from Midsomer to Micha∣elmas the pound. From Michael∣mas to the newe yeres croppe the pounde, vpon pain of forfaicture for e∣uery Oxe, Stere, Cowe, Heckfor and Bullocke, that should be sold, by ver∣tue of thesaied acte and this Procla∣macion, and shall not so bee solde fiue poundes, & for euery shepe that should be sold, by vertue of thesame acte and this Proclamacion, and shall not so be sold .x. s. And for euery poūde of butter and chese .xij. d. and that for all & euery some that shalbe forfaicted, by vertue of thesame acte and this Proclamaci∣on, the kyng our soueraigne lorde shall and maie haue his recouery and reme∣dy, by informacion, bill, plaint, or acci∣on of debt, in any of his highnes cour∣tes of record: Wherefore, we conside∣ryng the premisses, to be for the welth

and commoditie of this our Realme, will and commaunde you, our Shirief of our Countie of within two daies next after the receipt of this said Proclamacion, that ye with all spede, shall Proclaime the premisses, in all Market tounes within thesaid coun∣tie of and that all maner our subiectes, shall obey thesame, not one∣ly vpon the paines abouesaied, but al∣so to incurre our indignacion and dis∣pleasure.

And furthermore, the kynges Ma∣iestie, of his aucthoritie and power roy all, straightly chargeth and commaun∣deth, all maner his Iustices of Peace, Sherifes, Maiors, and Bailifes of a∣ny tounes corporate, or any other mi∣nisters, to be assigned & appoyncted by any twoo Iustice of Peace of thesaid Countie, if any the Market or Mar∣kettes, within thesaid Countie, shall lacke wherewithall to furnishe the markettes, for the relief of his louyng subiectes, that then thei shall forsee & prouide, that the Owners, Grasiers,

Drouers, Fermors, Broggers, or any other of any kynde of estate or degree whatsoeuer, nere adioynyng, hauyng suche store of any kynd of the aforesaied victuall, that he maie spare part of his saied store, bee it leane or fat (ouer and besides the store necessary, for the main tenaunce of his houshold, the alowāce whereof must be made, in respect of his accustomed expences, and the tyme of another vsuall prouision) towarde the furniture of the Market, shall by the appoynctement, and order of thesaied Iustices, and other officers aboue na∣med, bryng to the Market and Mar∣kettes, suche nomber and quantitie of thesaied victualles, and at suche tyme and times, as thei shal thinke the cause and necessitie requireth, and thesame shall sell there, accordyng to the prices by thesaied Iustices to be rated, as for an example, where the Markettes cā∣not be serued, with sufficiēt quantitie of Motton, so that in default thereof, the people happe to haue ouer muche lacke, then in that and like cases, the

Kynges maiesties will and commaun∣dement is, that thesaied Iustices of e∣uery coūtie, and officers aboue named vpō the certain knowlege of that lacke shall compell all and euery suche per∣sone and persones, as shall haue, nigh to thesaid Market tounes, the nom∣ber of .v. C. shere shepe, for euery hun∣dreth of thesame fiue hundred & aboue, to send to the market so lacking, at the moste ten of the best and fattest Shepe of that sorte, to bee solde from tyme to tyme, and at the prices to bee rated by thesaied Iustices and other officers, and if lesse lacke, then lesse in nomber, vpō like pain aforesaid, for euery shepe not so brought to the Market.

Furthermore, because the prices of the beiffes and muttons hereto adioy∣ned, bee but the prices of Beues and Muttons a liue, and sold in grosse and not by retaile, as the Butcher vseth to do, his Maiestie, notwithstandyng the tenor of this Proclamacion, licen∣seth the Butcher in suche cases, wher he shall buy of those prices, so to sel a∣boue

thesaid price, as it shalbe thought and ordered by thesaied Iustices, and officers aboue named, accordyng to the Lawes and Estatutes of the Realme, mete for a conuenient gain toward his liyng, and so in all cases thesame to bee obserued, vpon paines expressed in sondery estatutes for thesame.

Prouided, that notwithstandyng a∣ny article or clause aboue mēcioned, e∣uery Boucher beeyng no Grasier, ha∣uyng bought and in his possession, any maner cattall, aboue the prices herein conteined, before the tyme of this pro∣clamacion, shall haue license and full libertie, to make sale of any suche cat∣tell so bought of the prices, accordyng to the rate and proporcion, of thesame price he paied, or then became debtour for, without any couin, by the space of eight daies, after the Proclamacion shalbe Proclaimed, in the next Mar∣ket toune to his dwellyng place, or to the place where he shall that sell, and after those eight daies, then to remain subiect to the whole tenor of the Pro∣clamacion.

And herein the kynges ma∣iestie, to whom onely vnder God, ap∣perteineth auengement, punishement, and redresse of his peoples offences, whatsoeuer thesame be, moste straigh∣tly chargeth, and vpon the pain of his highnes extreme indignaciō, commaū∣deth all maner of people, to seke the re∣dresse and amendement of any maner offence, against the tenor of this Pro∣clamacion, or any other estatute or la∣wes, onely by order of his maiesties la∣wes without force, riot, manasse, vn∣lawfull assembles, or any other distur∣bance of peace: and on the contrary, if any subiect, of what degree or estate so euer he be, shall contrariwise, and vn∣lawfully, that is to saie, otherwaies then by complaint or order of law, seke beginne, or enterprise to redresse his awne cause, or the cause of any other, be thesame neuer so iust: then his ma∣iestie asserteineth and setteth thesame to knowe, that without any maner fa∣uor, or grace to bee hoped vpon, he and euery of them, so offendyng, shal sure∣ly

feele, by extreme punishement, the kinges highnes vtter indignacion, and in suche case no extremitie to bee spa∣red, but to bee taken and accepted, not onely as vnkynde, vnnaturall, vnlo∣uyng and disobedient Subiectes, but also as high traitors and rebellors, a∣gainst the kynges maiesties awne roy∣all persone, his croune, state & dignitie