Orders conceived by the Lords of her majesties privy council, and by her Highnesse special direction, commanded to be put in execution for the restraint of killing, and eating of flesh this next Lent, and to be executed as well by the Lord Maior within the city and Suburbs of London, and by the Officers of the liberties and etempt places in and about the same, as by order to be prescribed by the Lords Lieutenants of all the Counties of the realm, to the Iustices of Peace, Lords of Liberties, and Officers of corporate towns.  
S. Febr. xxxix. year of the queens majesties reign.  
FIrst her majesties pleasure is, vpon her understanding of the great disorders heretofore and especially the last Lent committed in killing and eating flesh in the time of Lent, especially in the city of London, & the liberties thereto adjoining, that the statute made in the fift year of her Maissties reign, for the restraint thereof, be put in due execution by the way of inquisition, and charge of Iuries, and by any other good means, both within the city and all other places requisite within the realm.  
And for the better knowledge of the truth of these disorders, and redress of the inconveniences, the said Iuries shall call before them, and sand for any of the seruants of any Inholders, Victuallers, taverners, and keepers of ordinary Tables, and such other that utter victuals, to examine them vpon their corporal oaths, what flesh shall bee, or is any day during the Lent season dressed, killed, uttered, or eaten in their houses: which if they shall refuse to do, then they shall commit to prison the said seruants, so refusing vpon their oaths to declare the truth.  
And because a great part of this disorder groweth by the Butchers of the City of London, and also of the country, that secrets kill and bring flesh to the city: there shall be onely viii. Butchers licensed by the Lord Maior to kill flesh within the said city and liberties thereof, without paying any thing for their licence, because they shall be bound in reasonable sums of money to abscrue such order as shall be prescribed to them.  
And every of these Butchers, to be so licensed, shall be first bound in the sum of two hundred pounds to her majesties use, and the bonds to bee certified to the queens Remembrancer in the exchequer) to sell no flesh in the time of Lent, but to such persons as shall show them special warrant from the Lord Maior under his hand, and that the Butchers do truly keep particular books of their daily sales, and the names of those to whom they shall so sell, with the quantities and the times thereof.  
That the Lord Maior give order to these Butchers, not to sell any flesh but at reasonable prices, and for that purpose the prices shall be set down by the said Lord Maior, such as may be reasonable both for the buyer and seller: and it the Butcher shall ●●eake that order, then to be forth with discharged, and committed to prison, and another put into his place, and his bond to be certified into the exchequer to the queens benefit.  
That the Lord Maior himself shall grant no warrant for buying of flesh in Lent, but to such as shall haue and show to him licence in good writing according to the laws of the realm to eat flesh, and the said licence to be viewed & registered, first by some two meet persons to be appointed for this purpose by the Lord Maior, and books to be kept thereof, to be shewed further when the same shall be required, unless it be to ambassadors and Agents of foreign Princes, to whom notwithstanding no further ●●a●●●tie shall be allowed, then rateably for their own household, and that such Ambassadors and Agents shal give to the L. Maior 〈◇〉 Certificate weekly, what they shall require to be for their own tables.  
That the L. Maior shal now presently before Lent, cause all Inholders, Tablekeepers, Victuallers, Alehousekeepers, & taverners within the city and liberties thereof, to appear before him, or such persons as he shall appoint meet for that purpose: and shal take bonds of every of them in good sums of money, not under one hundred pound a piece to her majesties use, not to 〈…〉 esse any flesh in their houses this Lent time for any respect, except it be for some such person that lieth in their house, and that also hath licence through sickness or other necessary cause, to eat flesh. Bonds shall be taken also of the Poulters, not to utter any Poultry ware, but to such as shall be likewise licensed to eat flesh, and that such as will not give such bonds, that they be secluded from all utterance of victual during the Lent season: excepting those Poulters that do ordinarily serve her majesties household, of whom like bonds shall be taken by her majesties Officers of the green cloth.  
And for the Butchers and others that come with victuals of flesh out of the country to the city, the L. Maior shal cause certain persons, whereof some to be name to the L. Maior by the Wardens of the Fishmongers, to watch at the gates & other like places in the suburbs, where flesh may be brought in, to view and search, and to intercept the same. And in case the same shalbe bound to be brought to any person not warranted nor licensed to eat it, as it aforesaid, then the same to be forfeited and sold at the discretion of the L. Maior, for the use of the poor in the Hospitals and prisons in the city, and the bringers to be imprisoned. And otherwise the Carriers of the said victuals of flesh to be guided to the persons houses that haue licence, with regard therein not to be abused. And this watch to be continued daily during the whole time of Lent: and if any of these watchmen be found negligent and corrupt in his charge, then he to be committed to prison, there to continue during the whole Lent.  
And to the end the said Orders may be duly executed, it is thought convenient, that the L. Maior should sand for the chief Heads of the company of the Fishmongers, and shal cause them to make choice of four or more wise and discreet persons of the said company, and men of good wealth and ability, to whom they shall commit the charge to make enquiry after such as shall be found transgressors of the said Orders, who in respect of their travel bestowed in that behalf, shal haue the one moiety of such bonds as shall be forfeited by transgressing of the said Orders, and the other moiety to be converted unto godly uses, by the discretion of the queens majesties High almoner, specially vpon poor and lame souldiers, with the privity of some of the privy council.  
And that there may be due execution of the said Orders, aswell without as within the Liberties of the city, it is thought convenient, that they that haue the chief charge over the places privileged & exempt. where any Leets or Law daies are kept, shall authorize under their hand and seal four persons as are above mentioned, to make search within the said privileged & exempt places for such as shal transgress the said Orders, and shall for their travell therein employed, receive the moiety of the Bonds forfeited, as is above mentioned. And for the avoiding of corruption and partiality in the said persons, it shall be necessary of take their others, and give bond in some good & large sums, to see( as much as in them lieth) a due observation of the said Orders.  
And for that it is to be doubted, that the said Fishmongers, vpon the observation of the said Orders, will take occasion thereby to enhance the prizes aswell of Fresh as of Sea fish: It is thought meet, that the L. Maior shall take order with the said Fishmongers, that as well the Salt as Fresh fish shalbe uttered at reasonable prizes.  
And it is ordered, that no Butchers shall kill any beeves, but such as shall be specially licensed thereunto, without any fraud, for the furnishing of such ships as shall be lawfully employed by Sea, either in the way of traffic, or otherwise. And that such Butchers as shal be licensed within the Liberties by the head officers of the Liberties to kill any flesh, shal every fourteen dayes at the least, give a true certificat unto the Lord Maior and head officers of the places exempt, of such numbers of veals, Lambs, and Muttons, as shal be by them weekly killed: to the end, there may be a true certificat made every fifteen dayes unto the Lords and others of her majesties privy counsel, what numbers of the several kindes above mentioned shalbe killed, either within the city, or places exempt.  
And as these Orders are expressy devised to be executed in the city of London, and places near to the same, so her majesties pleasure and commandement is, that the execution of these or like Orders be performed by the commandement of her majesties Lieutenauts to be sent to the Justices of the Peace, in all Shires within their rule, and to all other Officers in towns corporate, or in any Liberties, with like order for bonds to be taken to her majesties use.   

Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker, Printer to the queens most excellent majesty.