¶ A Proclamation, aswell for restrainct of carrying of grain out of the realm and order of bringing of the same to the markets, as also for restraynct of carrying out of all kindes of victuals and certain other commodities of the realm, set forth by the kings majesty, with thaduise of his highnes counsel, for reformation of the excessive prices of the same, the .xx. of October, the .iiij. year of his most noble reign.  
WHere as at the parliament holden vpon prorogation at Westminster the .xv. day of january in the .xxv. year of the reign of our most dear father of famous memory king Henry theight, it was ordained and enacted by authority of the same parliament, that the lord chancellor of England, The lord treasurer, The lord President of the kings most honourable counsel, The lord privy 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 kings Iustices of either bench, The chancellor, Chamberlains, under treasurer and Barones of the kings exchequer, or vii. of them at the leste, whereof the lord chancellor, The lord Tresoret, The lord President of the kings counsel, or the lord privy seal to be one, should haue power and authority from time to time as the cause should require to set and tax reasonable prizes of al kinds of cheese, Butter, Capones, hens, Chekines and other kinds of victuals necessary for mennes sustenance mentioned in the said act, Howe 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 be made in the kings name under the great seal of thesaid prices in such parties of this realm as should be convenient for the same. And it was further enacted by thesaid statute that all Farmores, owners, Broggers & all other victuallers whatsoever, having or keeping any of the kinds of victuals mentioned in the said act, to thentent to sell, should sell the same to such the kings subiectes as will bye them, at such prices as should be set and taxed by thesaid proclamation, upon the pains to be expressed & limited in thesaid proclamation, to be lost, forfeited & levied to the kings use, in such wise as by the said proclamation should be declared. And further by the same act it was provided that the same act or any thing therein contained should not be hurtful to Maiors sheriffs, Bailiefes or other officers of Cities, boroughs or tounes corporate, nor to any person or persons or bodies politic having authority to set prices of such victuals, or of any of them, but that they and every of them might set prices therof, as if that act had never ben had or made. And it was also enacted by the same act, that no person or persons oneles it were by licens under the kings great Seal, fromthensforth should carry or convey or cause to be carried or convyed any corn, Beoffes, Muttons, veals, porks or any other of the victuals aforesaid to any the parties beyond the sea, except onely for the victualling of the town of Calice, Guisnes, hams and the matches of the same. And except for victualling of Masters, Mariners & merchants ships passing the seas. And also except barelled Butter and meal to be carried to the parties of Iseland as hath ben accustomend, vpon pain of forfaityng of the value of the thing convyed and carried into the parties of beyond the sea contrary to the same act: Thone half thereof to th use of our said sovereign lord the king, and thoder half to the party that will sue for the same by bill, plaint, writ or information in any of the kings courts of record. In which suits the defendant shall not wage his Lawe, nor any halcyon or essoin for him shalbe allowed, as by the same act more at large it may and doth appear.  
And forasmuch as diuers & sundry great complaints of inhaunsing of the prices of victuals, necessary for mans sustenance, & inespeciall of corn, grain. Butter, & these be had & made not only to the kings most excellent majesty, but also to his most honourable counsellors, by reason that diverse his subiectes, & others vpon their insatiable covetousness, minding & purposing of their perverse mindes to make great dearth & scarcity, more thē necessity requireth of corn, grain, beoffes, muttons, veals, porks, butter, cheese, & other victuals, necessary for mannes sustenance, not onely by unlawful engrossing, forstalling and regrating of the same, but also by unlawful transporting and conueiyng the same victuals and other the premises into sundry parties beyond the seas, contrary to thesaid statute, and contrary to the kings maiestes laws and Proclamations, in that behalf had and made, and to the great hurt and peril of the commonwealth of this his realm: WHERVPON the kings most excellent majesty having a vigilant & merciful eye & respect towards his loving subiects, and willing and straightly charging his said subiects and others fromhencefurth to enterprise no such offences, contrary to his laws, Statutes or Proclamations vpon the pains and forfeitures contained in the same, and vpon his high indignation and displeasure, hath according to the tenor of the said act willed and required his honourable Counsalors name in the said act to setforth reasonable prices of all kind of corn, grain, Butter and cheese, according to the tenor of the said act. In consideration whereof, the lord chancellor of England, The Lord treasurer of england, the Lord President of the kings most honourable counsel, The Lord privy seal, The lord Chamberlein, & al other limited & appointed by thesaid act for taxing & setting the prizes of al kind of victuals mentioned in the said act, haue by authority of the said act, set & taxed reasonable prizes of all kind of Greine, mentioned in the said act to be sold in form following, That is to say, that from the feast of all Sainctes next ensuing without delay all and singular person and persons, having or keeping any of the kindes of Grain, Butter or cheese within this realm to the intent to sell, shal sell the same to such of the kings Subiectes as will bie them at the prices hereafter mentioned, or under, and not above, that is to say, white wheat of the best sort, clean and sweet and not tailed, for xiii s. iiii d. the quarter and not above, and White wheat of the second sort, and red wheat of the best sort, clean sweet and not Tailed, for xi. s. the Quarter, and not above, and Graye wheat of the best sort, clean sweet, and not Tailed, for. x.s. the quarter, and not above. And all other wheat as well White, red and Graye of the meanest sort not clean or tailed, for viii. s the quarter, and not above. And that Malt clean, sweet and of the best sort, shalbe sold for x s. the Quarter, and not above, and Malt of the second sort for viii. s. the quarter, and not above. And rye of the best, cleanest, and sweetest sort, for. vii.s. the quarter, and not above. And rye of the second sort for vi. s. the quarter, and not above. And barley of the best sort, clean and sweet, for .ix s. the quarter, and not above, and barley of the second sort for. vii.s. the quarter, and not above. beans or Pease of the best sort, clean, and sweet for .v s. the quarter, and not above. And beans or Pease, of the second sort, for. iii.s. viii. d the quarter & not above. oats of the best sort, clean, and sweet for. iiii.s. the quarter, and not above, accounting. viii. Busshelles to the quarter.  
provided always that in what place or county soever within this the kings Realm of England or other his graces dominions, the Measure or Reysure shall fortune to be more or less then is above expressed, that then the prices shal be likewise taxed, limited and appointed according to .viii. Galones to every Busshel of land measure, and not otherwise.  
And that from thesaid feast of al Seintes, the pound of sweet butter not to be sold above. i.d.ob. and barreled Butter, of Essex, the pound, not to be sold to any the kings Subiects, above. ob. di {quam}. and barreled Butter of any other partes not to be sold to the kings Subiectes above. ob, {quam}. And Cheese of Essex to be sold to the kings Subiectes from Hallowmes next till the new yeres crop. for. ob di. {quam}. and not above. And cheese of other parties not above. ob. {quam}. And in case any person or persons, by himself or by any other by his assent or procurement shal sel or attempt to sel, any kind of Grain, Butter, or cheese above the prices aforesaid contrary to thesaid act, and this proclamation, that then the offendor or offenders in that behaulf, shal forfete & lose to the king. xiii.s. iiii d. for every Busshel of any kind of the corn or grains before mentioned to be sold, contrary to the tenor and effect of this proclamation, and vpon pain of forfeiture of. ii.s. for every. l. of Butter or cheese, to be sold contrary to the tenor and effect of this proclamation, The mot of the which forfeitures. the kings majesties pleasure is, that the first presenter or approver that will sue for the same, shall haue the same moiety of his highnes gift, And that for all and every such forfeiture 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, in which suit no essoin, protection, ne wager of lawe shalbe allowed.  
AND to thentent this proclamation may be put in good execution, the kings majesties pleasure by thaduise aforesaid is, that the Iustices of the Peace in every Shire shall with all convenient speed after this proclamation made, divide themselves, into handmaides, Rapes, and Wapentakes, according as heretofore in other his highnes affairs they haue done, And that iii. or two of them at the least within the limits of their division, shall with all diligence repair to all farms, barns, stacks, Garners Sellers, Sollers, Loftes, Wykes, Daties, Graunges and other houses within the precinct or limits of their said division, and there shal, by al the ways and means they can, view, search and try out by their good discrecions what quantity of kindes of corn, grain, Butter and cheese, every person & persons haue within the precinct of the same their division, and after the certeinty therof( as nere as yt can) be known unto them, they shall allotte, appoint and allow to the owner of thesaid corn, grain, Butter, and cheese, so by them found in barns, stacks, Garners, Granges, Wykes, Daryes, Loftes, Sellers, Solers and other houses, sufficient and competent grain, Butter and cheese, for the finding and maintenance of his or their houses and family, until the xx. day of september now next coming and also for necessary seed corn to be employed on his or their ground, farm or farms, to be sown before the .xx. day of june now next coming, And for the overplus of the said corn, Grain, Butter and cheese, found in barns stacks and other houses aforesaid, thesaid Iustices shal by virtue hereof haue authority to charge and command in our name and behalf vpon pain of inprisonment the said owner & owners, to bring to the markets next adjoining such portion of the same overplus as they thesaid Iustices shal think meet & requisite. And in such sort as by their discresions shalbe thought meet & convenient, there to be sold according to the rate of prices, before limited by this proclamation. And his highnes pleasure also is, that the Iustices, so viewing, and seing the premises as before, shal after the view taken by their writing, signify unto the chief officer or officers of the market or Marketes, faire or fairs, the just proportion of all such kind of grain, as they shall so appoint to the same, & also what kind of grain it is, to thentent the same may be sold accordingly.  
provided always, that in case any of thesaid owners do sell such portion or part of the portion of the corn, Grain, Butter or cheese as he or they shalbe so appointed to bring to the Market, to any his neighbors being householders or common labourers, having not competent, grain, Butter nor cheese, for his or their family & for the only Sustenance and maintenance of himself, his house & family, that then the same owner and owners shal be discharged from the bringing of thesaid portion to the next Market so to his neighbour sold in form aforesaid.  
AND in case any Fermor or farmers, owner or owners, shall refuse or do not bring to the merkettes his or their corn, grain, Butter or cheese according to theffect of this proclamation, or as he or they shalbe appointed by thesaid Iustices, That then every such offendor, shal for every such default, suffer imprisonment during the kings pleasure. And if it shal happen any variance or dought to arise for the goodness or baseness of any of the kindes of grains aforesaid, Then the same shal be tried and finally judged by any two iustices of the peace, within the same shire, or by the Maior, Bailief, or other head officer with the two constables, or one of them of the town, parish, village, fair or Market, where the said grain shal be put to sale or offered to be sold.  
AND furthermore the kings majesty, of his authority & power royal, straightly chargeth & commandeth al & singular his subiects of what estate or degree so ever he or they be, that they ne any of thē from henceforth, transport Ship or carry, over the Seas, out of this his highnes realm of England or any other his Graces dominions pertaining to the same, or into the realm of Scotlande, or elles where into any other foreign realms, or countries, willingly there to make port sale, of any Wheat, Malt, rye. barley, pease beans, Ootes, Mustardsede or any other kind of grain, or the meales of any of the same or any Bieffes, Muttons, veals, cheese, Butter, Tallow, Candle, beer, Ale, Bread, biscuit, leather, Salt Hides, Wood, coals, wool, fells, or any other kind of victual, vpon pain to forfeit the thing so transported or convyed, and further to incur the danger, pains and forfetures of the kings laws and statutes in that behalf mentioned & provided, any licence, or dispensation to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding  
provided also that all and every of the kings highnes said Subiectes, born within this realm by virtue and authority of the kings Letters patents may carry over and transport any of the kindes of commodities aforesaid, for the necessary victualling and furnishing of calais, Guisnes, hams, rice bank, and the marches of the same, this proclamation notwithstanding, So that by colour therof, the said kindes of commodities ne any of them be not in other places bestowed or employed contrary to the true intent and meaning of this proclamation.  
provided also that it shalbe leeful for al maner of persons aswell merchants as other having good & lawful occasion to repair to the sees, to furnish their ships & vessels with necessary provision of victual for the same & not otherwise, this proclamation or any thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.  
provided always that all Brewers, and Bakers, may bie all & every the said kindes of grains & the Meales of the same, so that they convert the same, so by them bought, or to be bought, into bread & drink to be sold at reasonable prices according to the ancient statutes and laws of this realm, or one of them.  
provided also that all and every inn keepers may sell and utter in their Iunes or houses, beans Pease and oats to such as be or shalbe there gestes and shalbe Lodged with them or any of them, so that they sel the same at reasonable & convenient prices, according to the laws & statutes of this realm.  
provided also that al baggers and common carriers of grain may bye and sel any of the said grains, so that the same be sold to any Bakers, Bruers. Inholders or in open Market, according to the tenor & effect of this proclamation, forseing alway that thesaid Baggers & common carriers ne any other to their use haue at any one time of their own in their possession or in the possession of any others to their use above the number of .xx. quarters of any one of the kindes of grain aforesaid, over & above the grain and corn that he carrieth to the market to be sold from market day to market day, taking for the carriage of the same grain to the market such like gain and advantage as heretofore they haue used for the same carriage.  
AND further the kings majesty most straightly chargeth and commandeth al & every his subiectes of what degree soever he or they be, that in no wise any of them vpon his or their duty of allegiance meddle or enterprise to put any article or clause of this proclamation in execution by colour or pretence of the same, but only the Iustices of peace or such other as haue especial authority by this present proclamation.  
AND we considering the premises to be for the wealth and commodity of this our realm, will and command all Shirifes of our county, Maiors and Bailiefes of every city and borough within this our realm, within vi. daies next after the receit of this our proclamation, that he or they with al speed shall proclaim the premises in al market towns within their limits, and that all manner out subiectes shall obey the same, vpon pain to incur our indignation and displeasure. And this proclamation to continue during our pleasoure.  
God save the King   

richardus GRAFTON typographus Regius excudebat. M. D. L.  
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