A PROCLAMATION, ¶ For the well ordering of the Market in the City of OXFORD, and for the redress of Abuses, in Weights and Measures, within the Precincts of the UNIVERSITY of OXFORD.  
WILLIAM by God's Providence Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitan of all England, one of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council, Chancellor of the University of Oxon sendeth Greeting, in our Lord God Everlasting. Whereas by the Customs, Liberties, and Privileges of this University of Oxon, by Kings, and Queens, of this Realm of England granted, and by Acts of Parliament confirmed, unto the said University, amongst other noble Privileges, and favours, the Clerkshippe of the Market within the said University, and the allowing, approving, and correcting of Weights and Measures, and the well ordering, and governing of the said Market, for the benefit of of the said University, and the Buyers and Sellers therein, is granted and confirmed to the Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the said University of Oxon, and the execution thereof to the Chancellor, or his Deputy, the Vicechancellor of the said University for the time being. Forasmuch therefore as We plainly perceive, many good Orders and Rules heretofore published, by our Predecessors by Proclamation, and otherwise touching the well governing of the said Market, to take small effect, because they are either forgotten, or else contemned, by divers greatly against the common good of this University, and City of Oxon, only for their private gain, for present redress of all which Enormities and Abuses, we straight Charge and Command, that no manner of Person, or Persons whatsoever, do from henceforth by any manner of means Forestall, Regrat, or engross any manner of Corn, Flesh, Tallow, Candles, Fish, Butter, Cheese, Eggs, Pigs, Geese, Capons, Chickens, Wood, Fewell, or any other Provision whatsoever belonging unto the said Market, nor by any other Cunning shifts, and Frauds in any sort, hurt, or abuse the said Market, upon Pain and Punishment by the Laws, and Statutes of this Realm, and by the Statutes, Privileges, and Customs of this University, Limited and Appointed. And to the intent that good Order be kept concerning the Premises: We will and Command all Inhabitants of the University, and City of Oxon, and others, Buyers and Sellers, that repair to the said Market, duly to observe and fulfil these Articles following. Viz: etc.  
IMprimis, That no Badger, Carrier, Poulterer, Hucster, or any other Person or Persons, bringing any kind of Victuals to be sold in the Market, holden and kept in the City of Oxon, do sell, or compact, or agree to sell, his, or their Victuals, or any part thereof, before all and every part of the same be placed, to be sold in open Market, upon pain of forfeiting for every such offence, ten shillings.  
Item That no Badger, Carrier, Loader, Poulterer, or any other Person or Persons, bringing any kind of Grain, or Victuals to be sold in this Market, shall carry, or cause to be carried, any of the same out of the open Marketplace, to any Victualler, Inholder, Hucster, or any other Person, or keep or retain, any of the said Victuals for any Inholder, Victualler, Hucster, or any other such like, but that every person willing to buy any of the said Victuals, may at all times buy so much as will serve for his necessary use, upon pain of forfeiting for every such offence, ten shillings: And farther to be punished for Contempt.  
Item. That no Person from henceforth do sell, or put to sale, any Faggots, Billets, or Coals, but those that are of the true Assize, and full measure, according to the Statutes of this Realm, and that the Marks and Assizes of the said Billets and Faggots be not altered, under pain of forfeiting, ten shillings.  
Item That no Alebrewer, nor Beere-brewer, do sell any Ale or Beer to any Victualler, or Ale-house-keeper, or other, to sell again which have no lawful Licence, under pain of forfeiting six shillings eight pence, for every Barrel of Beer or Ale so sold.  
Item That no Persons which selleth Wine within this University, from henceforth shall set Abroach any kind of Wine to be sold, before the Chancellor or his Deputy, or other officer appointed for that purpose have tasted, tried, and allowed the same to be good and vendible, or shall after such taste thereof any way embase, blend, or corrupt, under pain of forfeiting, twenty shillings, for every Vessel of Wine so set Abroach, contrary to this present Proclamation.  
Item That all and singular Vintners, and Winesellers, within this University and City of Oxon, from time to time, and at all times do sell their Wines in their several kinds, at such reasonable prizes, as the said Chancellor or his Deputy, shall prescribe or limit, upon pain by the Statutes of this Realm in that behalf provided. And farther under the like Pain, that no Person aforesaid do sell any Wine, in any other Potts, saving only such as hold Measure, and are sealed and allowed by the said Chancellor, or his Deputies, the Clerks of the Market.  
Item That no Butcher, or Butchers, Cook, or Cooks, Chandler, or any other Person whatsoever inhabiting the University, City, or Suburbs of Oxford, shall sell their Tallow to any Foreigner, upon pain of forfeiting the Value thereof.  
Item That all manner of Butchers dwelling or inhabiting, out of this University or City of Oxon, and bringing or causing to be brought, any Victuals to be sold in this Market, shall also bring their Hides, Fells, and Tallow, belonging to the said Victuals, so by them brought to be sold, and shall sell the same, if any will have them at the Prize limited, under pain 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 twelve of the Clock in the Forenoon showed in the Market, shall at that time be adjudged not to have brought them, and so incur the penalty aforesaid.  
Item That no Chandler shall sell any Candles, Cotten or Wieke, above such rates and prizes, as shall be set and limited, from time to time, by the said Chancellor, Vicechancellor, or his Deputy, under pain to forfeit for every such offence, ten shillings.  
Item It shall not be lawful for any Person, or Persons whatsoever, to Traffic, Merchandise, buy or sell by any Weights and Measures within this University and City of Oxon, or Suburbs of the same, except such Weights and Measures be found lawful, approved and Sealed by the said Chancellor, his Deputy, or Deputies, the Clerks of this Market, upon pain of forfeiture for every such offence, twenty shillings, and all such false Weights and Measures to be utterly destroyed.  
Item That all manner of Persons, that bring any Corn or Grain to the Market, of this University and City of Oxon to be sold, shall measure the same with the common Market-Bushels, and Measures, & in the Marketplace, and not with any other Bushels, or Measures, nor any other where. And whereas We understand, that divers of the City of Oxford, inhabiting in, or near the said Corne-market, have lately of their own will, without any approbation from Us, or our Vicechancellor, taken upon them to keep and set forth on market-days, public Bushels and Measures, for the measuring of Corn and Graine, and take Tole for the same, without stint or limitation, sometimes a Pint and half, and sometimes a Quart for the measuring of a Bushel, 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 divers Malsters, Bakers, and Brewers, do keep in their private houses two Bushels, a bigger wherewith to buy, and a lesser to sell, whereby the Country people that bring in their Corn and Grain to the said University, are deterred to furnish the said Market, in regard that the Measure of Grain, will not hold out fully with the said great Bushels. We therefore for the future prevention of the said Inconveniences, and for the better government of the said Market, that there be no fraud used, do by these Presents, straightly prohibit the Inhabitants of the University and City of Oxon, and all others resorting to that Market, from keeping and setting forth any public Bushel, or any other Measure, or to receive any Tole or profit for the same: And also all Malsters, Bakers, and Brewers, from keeping in their houses, any more than one lawful and sealed Bushel, by which they shall sell, as well as buy.  
Item That to provide a sufficient and convenient remedy for the premises. We have by our Letters Patents under our Seal, appointed Christopher Divall Inhabitant within the said University, to look unto the cleansing, and sweet keeping the Corne-market-place, and to provide a competent and sufficient number of Bushels, and other Measures, to be approved and Sealed by us, or our Deputies the Clerks of the Market, to measure the Corn and Graine brought to the said Market, and to take and receive the just and due Tole for the same, Viz: a Quarter of a Pint for every Bushel and not above: And We will and require, that no Buyer or Seller, or Inhabitant within the University or City of Oxon, not exempt from paying of Tole, do hinder, deny, or molest, Him the said Christopher Divall, in the due and lawful execution of the said office, and taking the said Tole under penalty to be punished, as contemners of the Privileges and Liberties of this University, and the government of the same.  
Item It shall not be lawful for any Hucster, living and inhabiting within the University or City of Oxon, and Suburbs of the same, or any other Person whatsoever under colour of buying, keeping or making provision for any College or Hall of this University, or for any other Person whatsoever Privileged or not, or under any other pretence to buy, obtain, or get into his hands or possession in this Market, or within four Miles thereof, any Pigs, Geese, Capons, Hens, Chickens, Coneys, Fish, Butter, Cheese, Eggs, or other Victual whatsoever, to sell the same again in this Market, or within four Miles thereof, or to dispose of the same otherwise then for his own use and spending. And because Huckster's have proved the Baine of the Market, and their cunning devises by any former Rules and Orders heretofore published, have not been sufficiently met withal: We do therefore hereby straightly Prohibit, all and every Hucster aforesaid, from bringing or placing their Wares, Victuals, and Provisions, though bought without the four Miles afore mentioned, to be sold in the common Marketplace, Viz: upon or near CARFOX, or Penny-loes-bench, but that they keep and contain themselves for the uttering their said Wares and Provisions in one proper place, to be appointed and assigned from time to time, by us or our Deputies, which place for the present We appoint and assign, to be under the Westwall of Christ-church, between the great Gate thereof and CARFOX, only so far 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 & assigned, (Viz:) under Christ-church-wall, or shall otherwise break or violate any part, or clause of this Article; for every time so offending, he shall incur the penalties of the Statutes of this Realm in that behalf provided, and be farther proceeded against as a Contemner of the Liberties and Privileges of this University, and the Government of the same.  
Item Whereas the greedy, and over hasty coveting of Victuals in the Buyer, hath been a great means to encourage, and cherish Huckster's, it shall not be lawful for any Person or Persons whatsoever, to buy of any Hucster any manner of Provision aforesaid, elsewhere then in the Place formerly appointed and assigned by Us, nor before the same be brought and placed there openly to be sold, upon pain of forfeiting for every such said offence, ten shillings, and farther to be punished for Contempt.  
Item That if any Butcher, Baker, Brewer, Poulterer, Cook, Manciple, Fruiterer, Hucster, or any other Person whatsoever, shall be convinced to conspire against any Article, Clause, or Branch of this Proclamation, whereby the same may not be duly executed according to the true meaning thereof, than every such conspirator so convinced, shall be punished according to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm.  
And to the intent that every man to whom it appertaineth might know his duty, and not by Ignorance thereof, incur any of the said Penalties, We do straightly Charge and Command, that no manner of Person whatsoever, do Rent, Tear, or pluck down, or any way deface this Proclamation, or any Parcel thereof, but shall suffer it continually to remain in his Place, under Pain of Imprisonment, and such other punishment, as shall be thought fit to be executed, upon all and every the transgressor of this Commandment.  
GOD SAVE THE KING.   

¶ Printed at OXFORD, by JOHN LICHFIELD, Printer to the University, Anno Dom. M. DC. XXXIV.