By the King a proclamation for the prices of victuals within the verge of the court.

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HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

¶ By the King.

❧A Proclamation for the Prices of Victuals within the Verge of the Court.

WHereas Wee vnderstand by the Records of Our Counting-house, that Our most Noble Progenitors & Pre∣decessors, Kings and Queenes of this Realm, haue alwaies had an especiall care to restraine the excessiue Rates and Prices of Uictuals, Horse-meate, and Lodging; And that, notwithstand∣ing the extraordinary care thereof, taken by Our most deare and Royall Father, King IAMES of blessed memory, yet there were within the Uerge of the Court, alwayes some, who out of their greedy desire of vnlawfull gaine, would neuer bee kept within any bounds of equall and reasonable Prices, but, by the accesse of the Court, and the increase of the concourse of peo∣ple thither, would take an occasion to enhaunce their Rates, and exact vnconscionable ex∣treame Prices, at their owne willes and pleasures:

Wee, taking the same into Our Princely consideration, and being desirous that all Our louing Subiects in generall, should in all places of their trauaile bee well vsed, and especi∣ally within the Uerge of Our Court, where Our Nobility, Seruants & Traine, dayly at∣tending vpon Our Person, are lodged & placed by Our Harbingers, & other Suitors haue dayly occasion to resort, Haue giuen order to the Clerke of the Market of Our Houshold, within the Uerge of Our Court, foorthwith to cause a Rate and Ualuation to bee set by indifferent Iurors, of all Corne, Uictuals, Lodgings, Horse-meate, and other necessaries of that kinde, according to the reasonable and equall Rates and Prices of the Market, and to renewe such Rates and Ualuations from time to time, as occasion shall require, by Oath and Presentments of Iurors; And haue commanded, that Schedules of the In∣quisitions and Presentments of the Iuries, to bee thereupon taken, shall, not onely be certi∣fied by Our sayd Clerke of the Market, or his Deputie, into Our Counting-house, to re∣maine there with the Officers of Our Houshold; But shall also be fixed, and set vpon the Gates of Our Court, and other places within the Uerge, aswell within Liberties as

without, whereby publique notice may bee taken of the same; Our will and pleasure being, and We do by this Our Proclamation straitly charge & command, That no Baker, Brewer, Inholder, Butcher, or other Uictualler, or any other person or persons, of what estate or degree soeuer hee or they be, doe in any wise demand, aske, or receiue more for Corne, Uictuals, Horsemeate, Lodging, or any other thing to bee specified in the sayd Schedule or Inquisition, then according to the Rates and Prices therein mentioned, vpon paine of imprisonment, and such further punishment, as by the Lawes of this Realme, or by Our Prerogatiue Royall, may bee inflicted vpon them, as opressors of the Common-wealth, and contemners of this Our Royall Commandement.

And moreouer, Wee doe straitly charge and command, That no manner of person or persons, now vsing, or which shall hereafter vse, to serue any Citie, Borough, Towne, or other place, in, or neere the place of Our residence or abode, or elsewhere within the Uerge of Our Court, either within Liberties or without, of, or with any kinde of Corne or Uic∣tuals, or other necessaries, either vpon the Market dayes, or at any other time, shall be any thing the more remisse, or slacke, for making of prouision for the same, then they or any of them heretofore haue been, nor shall vse any colour of craft, to deceiue the buyers of, or in the said prouisions, or to withdraw, conceale, hide, or lay aside their Corne, Uictuals, Horse∣meate, or other necessaries, to lessen or diminish the Market, whereby Our Traine, or at∣tendants of Our Court, within any Citie, Borough, or Towne within the Uerge, or the In∣habitants of the same, or any other Our louing Subiects thereunto resorting, shall not be as well, and as plenteously furnished in euery respect, as the Markets were before, in defrau∣ding of this Our Ordinance.

And furthermore, We straitly charge, and expresly command, aswell all Our Officers of Our Greenecloth, and Our Clerke of the Market, and his Deputie or Deputies, as also all Maiors, Bayliffes, Sheriffes, Constables, and all other Our Officers and Mini∣sters of all and euery the Cities, Boroughs, Townes, Hundreds, and other places within the Uerge of Our Court, aswel within Liberties as without, That they and euery of them from time to time, when, and as often as any complaint shall bee made vnto them by any partie or parties, iustly grieued or wronged, contrary to the tenour of this Our Proclama∣tion, within their authorities respectiuely, forthwith to endeauour themselues to see speedy reformation thereof and due punishment of the person or persons that shall offend therein, according to the seuerest Iustice of Our Lawes in that behalfe.

Giuen at Our Court at White-Hall, the fourteenth day of May, in the first yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.