¶ A Proclamation, set forth by the kings majesty, with thassent of his dearest uncle, Edward Duke of Somerset, governor of his most royal person, and of his realms, dominions and subiectes Protector, and others of his most honourable counsel, for the ratyng, assessing, and order of the prices of victuals.  
THe kings majesty, having the principal and continual charge of the common wealth, and tranquilitie of this realm for the which cause almighty God hath given to his majesty, power to rule: and to all his people, hath enjoined lowliness to obey: certainly understandeth, by the information and good advice of his most dere Uncle, Edwarde Duke of Somerset, governor of his most royal person and Protector of his realms, Dominions and Subiectes, and others of his priuey counsel: That of late time, the prices of all maner of victual, necessary for mannes sustenance, be so heigthened and raised, above the accustomend and reasonable valves, that thereby( except speedy remedy be prou●ed) very great loss and damage, must needs chance to his majesties loving subiectes. And therefore both of wisdom, wherewith his majesty useth to consider the state of his common wealth, and of pity, which at all times his majesty conceiveth vpon the lack and greves of his people hath by long and deliberate study, of his said dere Uncle, the lord Protector, and the rest of his priuey counsel, concluded, and finally resolved, to provide remedy herein, the which( resting vpon the former redress, of sundry dissordres in the whole common wealth) although it cannot be so absolutely and speedily had, as his majesties most hearty desire is: yet it is thought by his majesty, for the present disorders, a great relief, to put in due execution, diverse good laws and statuter, provided heretofore, by thaucthoritie of Parliament, in the reigns of the kings majesties most noble progenitors, and especially two politic good statutes, made at Westminster, in the .xxv. year of the reign of his majesties most dere father, late deceased, king Henry theight, or deigned, as by the same appeareth, very pollitiquely for the redress of these like disordres of prices, which at any time thence after might happen. Theffecte of which later statute is, that the lord treasurer, the lord chancellor of england, the lord President of the kings most honourable counsel, the lord priuey seal, the lord Steward, the lord Chamberlain, and all other lords of the kings counsel: The treasurer and controller of the kings most honourable house, the chancellor of the duchy of lancaster, the Iustices of either bench, the chancellor, Chamberlain, under treasurer, and the Barons of the kings Exchequier, or .vii. of them at the least, whereof the lord treasurer, the lord chancellor, the lord President of the kings coū, saill, or the lord priuey seal to bee one, should haue power and authority, from time to time( as the case should require) to set and tax reasonable prices, of all kinds of victuals, mentioned in thesaied act, how they should be sold in gross or by retail, for relief of the kings subiectes. And that after such prices set and taxed, in form aforesaid: Proclamation should bee made in the kings name, under the great Scale of thesaied prices, in such partes of this realm, as should be convenient for the same.  
And it was further enacted, by thesaid statute, that al farmers, Owners, Broggers, and all other victuallers whatsoever, having and keeping any of the kinds of victuals, mentioned in thesaied act, to thintent to sell, should sell the same to such, the kings subiectes, as would buy them, at such prices as should be set and taxed, by thesaied proclamation vpon the pains to be expressed, and limited in thesaid proclamation, to be lost, forfeicted, and levied to the kings use, in such wise, as by thesaied Proclamation should be declared.  
And it was further provided, by thesaid act, that the same act, or any thing therein contained, should not be hurtful to M●iors sheriffs, Bailiefes, and other officers, of cities, boroughs, and Tounes corporate, nor to any person or persons, or bodies poilitique having authority, to set prices of such victualies, or of any of them, but that they and every of them, might set prices thereof, as if the same act had never been had nor made, as by the same act, amongst other things, more at large it doth & may appear.  
And forasmuch as complaint hath been made, of the enhaunsyng of prices, of the same victuals, without ground or cause reasonable, in all partes of this realm: In consideration whereof, the lord treasurer, the lord chancellor of England, and all others requisite by thesaid statute, haue by authority of the same act, set and taxed reasonable prices, of all kind of victuals, mentioned in the same act, to be sold in form following, to thintent the same should be Proclaimed, according to the same act: That is to say, that from the day of this proclamation made, without delay, all and singular person and persons, having or keeping, any of the kindes of victuals, mentioned in thesaid act, within this realm, to thintent to sell, shall sell the same to such of the kings subiectes, as will buy them at the prices, hereafter mentioned, that is to say: from midsummer to Hallowmas, every ox being primed or well strike, of the largest bone. xxxviii. s. of a meaner sort. xxviii. s. An ox fat, and of the largest bone. xlv. s. of the meaner sort being fat. xxxviii. s. Steres and Runtes, being primed or well stricken, and large of bone. xx. s. of a meaner sort. xvi. s. being fat and of the largest bone. xxv. s. being fat of a meaner sort. xxi. s. Heifurths and Kyne, being primed or well strike, and large of bone. xvi. s. of a meaner sort, xiii. s. iiii. d. being fat and large of bone. xxii. s. being fat and of a meaner sort. xviii. s. And from Hallowmas to Christmas, every ox being fat and large of bone. xlvi. s. viii. ð. being fat of a meaner sort. xxxix. s. viii. ð. Steres and Runtes within the same time, being fat and large of bone. xxvi. s. viii. ð. being fat of a meaner sort. xxii. s viii. ð. Heiforths and Kine within the same time, being fat and large of bone. xxii. s. of a meaner sort. xix s. And from Christmas to Shroftide, every ox being fat and large of bone. xlviii. s. iiii. ð. of a meaner sort. xli. s. iiii. ð. Steres and Runtes within the same time, being fat and large of bone. xxviii. s. iiii. ð. of a meaner sort. xxiiii. s. iiii. ð. And from sheryng time to Michaelmas, every wether being a shear sheep, being lean and large of bone. iii. s. of a meaner sort. ii. s. iiii. ð. being fat and large of bone. iiii. s. being fat of a meaner sort. iii. s. Ewes within the same time, being lean and large of bone. ii. s. being lean of a meaner sort. xx d. being fat & large of bone. ii. s. viii. d. being fat of a meaner sort. ii. s. And from Michaelmas to Shroftide, every wether being a shear sheep, being lean and large of bone. iii. s. being lean of a meaner sort. ii. s. iiii. d. being fat & large of bone. iiii. s. iiii. d. being fat and of a meaner sort. iii. s. iiii. d.  
And from Midsomet to Michaelmas the pound of sweet Butter not to be sold above. i. d. q. And from Michaelmas to the new yeres crop, the pound not above i. d. ob. Bartelled Butter of Essex, the pound not to bee sold to any the kings subiectes, above. ob. di. q. And bartelled Butter of any other partes, to be sold to the kings subiectes, not above. ob. q. cheese of Essex, to bee sold to the kings subiectes, from midsummer to Michaelmas, the pound, not above. ob. cheese of other partes, not above. ob. di. q. And of Essex to the kings subiectes, from Michaelmas, to the new yeres crop, not above. ob. di. q. And of any other partes, not above. ob. q. Vpon pain of forfeiture for every ox, steer, cow, Heckfor, and bullock, that should be sold by virtue of thesaid act, and this proclamation, and shall not so be sold, v. f. and for every sheep that should be sold, by virtue of the same act and this proclamation, and shall not so be sold. x. s. And for every pound of Butter and cheese. xii. d. And that for all and every somme that shalbe forfeited, by virtue of the same act, and this proclamation, the king our sovereign lord, shall and may haue his recovery and remedy, by information, bill, plaint, or action of debt, in any of his highnes courts of Record. Wherefore, we considering the premises, to be for the wealth and commodity of this our realm, will and command you our Shirief, of our county of 〈◇〉 within two daies next after the receipt of this said proclamation that ye with all speed shall proclaim the premises, in all Market Tounes, within the said county of 〈◇〉 and that all maner our subiectes, shall obey the same, not onely vpon the pains above said, but also to incurte our indignation and displeasure.  
And furthermore the kings majesty of his authority & power royal, straightly that geth & commandeth all maner his Iustices of Peace, Shirifes, Maiors and bailiffs of any tounes corporate, or any other ministers to be assigned or appointed by any two Iustices of Peace of the said county, if any the market or markets within the same county shall lack wherewithal to furnish the marketies, for the relief of his loving subiectes, that then they shal foresee & provide that the owners, graziers, drovers, farmers, Broggers, or any other of any kind of estate or degree whatsoever, nere adjoining, having such store of any kind of the aforesaid victual, that he may spare part of his said store, be it lene or fat( over and besides the store necessary for the maintenance of his household, the allowance whereof must be made, in respect of his accustomend expenses, and the time of an other usual provision) toward the futniture of the market, shall by thappointment, and order of the said Iustices, and other officers above name, bring to the market and markets such nombre and quantity of the said victuals, and at such time and times, as they shall think the cause and necessity requireth, and the same shall sell there according to the prices by the said Iustices to be ranted, as for an example, where the markets cannot be ser●ed with sufficient quantity of Motton, so that in default thereof the people hap to haue everich lack, then in that and like cases, the kings majesties will and commandment is, that the said Iustices of every county, and officers above name, vpon the certain knowledge of that lack shall compel all and every such person and persons, as shall haue nigh to the said market tounes, the number of v. C. here sheep, for every hundreth of the same v. C. and above, to sand to the market so lacking, at the most 1. of the best and fattest sheep of that sort, to be sold from time to time, and at the prices to be ranted by the said Iustices and other officers, and if less lack, then less in number, vpon like pain aforesaid, for every sheep not so brought to the market. Furthermore because the prices of the Bieffes and Mottons hereto adjoined, be but the prices of Bieffes and Mottons alive and sold in gross and not by retail, as the Boucher useth to do: His majesty notwithstanding the tenor of this proclamation, lieenseth the Boucher in such cases where he shal buy of those prices so to sell above the said price, as it shalbe thought & ordered by the said Iustices, and officers above name according to the laws & statutes of the realm meet, for a convenient gain toward his living. And so in all cases the same to be observed vpon pains expressed in sundry statutes for the same.  
provided that notwithstanding any article or clause above mentioned, every Boucher being no grazier having bought, and in his possession any maner cattle above the prices herein contained, before the time of this proclamation, shal haue licence and full liberty, to make sale of any such cartell so bought of those prices according to the rate and {pro}porcion of the price he paid or then became debtor for, without any couyn, by the space of viii. dayes after the proclamation shalbe proclaimed, in the next market town to his dwelling place, or to the place where he shall that sell, and after those viii. dayes, then to remain subject to the whole tenor of the proclamation. And herein the kings majesty to whom onely under God appertaineth auengement, punishment, and redress of his peoples offences whatsoever the same be, most straightly chargeth, and vpon the pain of his highnes extreme indignation, commandeth al maner of people to seek the redress & amendment of any maner offence against the tenor of this proclamation, or any other statute or laws, only by order of his majesties laws, wout force, riot, manasse, unlawful assemblies, or any other disturbance of peace. And on the contrary if any subject of what degree or estate soever he be, shall contrariwise, and unlawfully, that is to say, otherwise then by complaint or order of lawe, seek, begin, or enterprise to redress, his own cause, or the cause of any other, be the same never so just: Then his majesty asserteneth and letteth the same to know, that without any maner favor, or grace to be hoped vpon, he and every of them, so offending, shall surely feel, by extreme punishment the kings highnes utter indignation, and in such case no extremity to be spared, but to be taken and accepted, not onely as unkind, unnatural, vnlouyng and disobedient subiectes: But also as high traptors and rebellors against the kings majesties own royal person, his crown, state, and dignity: Dated at Richmont the second of july, the third year of the reign of king Edward the. VI.  
God save the king.   

Excusum Londini, in edibus Richardi Graftoni Regij impressoris.   

●um privilegio ad imprimendum solu●