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¶ An acte for the abstinence from flesh.
ALbeit the Kynges Subiectes nowe hauyng a more perfite and clere light of the Gospel and true word of God through the infinite clemen∣cte and mercie of almyghtie God by the hādes of the Kynges maiestie and hys moste noble father of famous memorie promulgate, shewed, declared and opened, and therby perceyuing that one day or one kinde of meate of it selfe is not more holye, more pure or more cleane then an other, for that all daies and all meates be of theyr nature of one equall puritie, cleanes and holynes, and that all men shoulde by them lyue to the glorie of God, and at all tymes, and for all meetes geue thankes vnto him, of which meates none can defyle Christen menne or make them vncleane at any tyme, to whome all meates be lawfull and pure, so that they be not vsed in disobedience or vice: yet for asmuche as diuerse of the Kynges su••iectes turnyng theyr knowledge therin to satis••ie theyr sensualitie, wher they should therby increase in vertue, haue of late tyme, more then in tymes paste, broken and contemned suche absti••ence, whych hath ben v∣sed in thys realme vpon the frydayes and saturdaies, the ymbring dayes and other dayes commōly cal∣led vigilles, and in the tyme commonly called Lente and other accustumed tymes: The Kynges ma∣iestie considering that due and godly abstinence is a meane to vertue and to subdue mennes bodyes to theyr soule and spirite, and considering also specially that Fishers, and men vsynge the trade of liuyng by fyshing in the Sea, maye therby the rather be sette on worke, and that by eatyng of fyshe, muche fleshe shall be saued and increased, and also for diuetse other considerations and commodities of thys Realme, doth ordeigne and enacte wyth thassent of the Lordes Spiritual and Temporall & cōmons in this present parliament assembled, and by thaucthoritie of the same, that al maner of Statutes, Lawes, cōstitucions and vsages, concernyng any maner of fasting or abstinence from any kynd of meates here∣tofore in this Realme made or vsed, shall frome the fyrst day of Maye nexte ensuing, lese theyr force and strength, & be voyde & of none effec••. And also yt no persō or persons of what estate, degre or cōdicion he or she be, shall at any tyme after the sayde fyrste daye of May in the yere of our Lord God. M.D.xlix. wyl∣linglie & wyttingly eate any maner of fleshe, after what maner of kynd or sort it shal be ordred, dressed or vsed, vpō any Frydaye, or Saturdaye, or the ymbryng dayes or in any daye in the tyme cōmonly called Lent, nor at any suche other daie as is, or shal be at any tyme here after cōmonly accepted, & reputed as a fyshe daie within this Realme of England, wherin it hath ben cōmonly vsed for to eate fyshe & not fleshe, vpō payne that euery person eatyng any maner of fleshe vpō any of the sayd dates or times prohibited by this acte, to forsayte for the sawe fyrste offence ten shyllynges of lawful money of England, and also to suffre enprisonment by the space of ten dayes, and duryng the tyme of his or her sayde emprisonment, to abstayne frome eatyng of any maner of fleshe.
AND if any person after he shall be lawfully conuict of any offence cōtrary to this acte, do efesones offende contrarye to this acte, and be therof lawfully conuict, that then euery person so offending the se∣conde tyme, shall for hys seconde offence forfayte twenty shyllynges of lawfull money of Englande, and also suffer emprisonment by the space of twentie dayes, and duryng the tyme of hys or hir sayde emprisonment, to abstayne frome eatyng of any m••••er of fleshe, and so lyke payne and emprisonment as often as he or she afterwarde shall offende.
AND furthermore, it is ordeyned and enacted by thaucthoritie aforesayd, that Iustices of gaole de liuerie or Iustices of peace, in all and singuler Counties, Cyties, Townes corporate, and other places