By the King. A Proclamation for reformation of great abuses in Measures.  
WHereas for the avoiding of variety and deceits of Weights and Measures, diuers Statutes, Acts and good Ordinances haue heretofore been made, That one Weight, and one Measure should bee used throughout the realm, And where, according to the Statutes made in the eleventh and twelfth yeeres of the reign of the late king of famous memory King Henry the seventh, there were made, sent, and delivered into diuers Cities and towns, specified in a Schedule unto the said act of 11. H. 7. annexed, Weights and Measures of brass according to the Standards thereof remaining in the treasury of the Exchequer, to remain in the keeping of the Maior, bailiff, or other head Officer for the time being, of every of the same city or town, as the kings Standard of Weight and Measure, with authority and power given by the same Statute, to the said Maior, bailiff, or other head Officer, having the said Weights and Measures, to make, sign and print like Weights and Measures unto every of the kings subiects, duly requiring the same, as by the said Statutes more at large appeareth: And whereas also our late sovereign Lady Elizabeth late Queen of England, being informed that the said Standard measures remaining in those Cities and towns, for the most part were by long continuance of time, or for want of good keeping, or other defects or abuses, differing & not agreeing with the ancient Standard of Measures remaining in her Highnesse Exchequer at Westminster, by occasion whereof the Measures commonly used within the realm were uncertain, & varying one from another, to the great slander of the same, the disquieting of the Subiects, and the deceiving of many both buyers and sellers, Did give order and commandement to the L. Treasurer and under Treasurer, to cause all the ancient Standard measures of all those several Cities and towns to be brought in before them at the Exchequer at Westminster, to be examined and tried by the Standard measure there remaining, according to which her majesties commandement, the Lord Treasurer and under Treasurer haue caused all the ancient Standard measures of all those several Cities and towns to be brought before them into the said Exchequer, where diverse of them vpon diligent and due trial and examination haue been found defective, differing and disagreeing from the true and ancient Standard of the said Exchequer.  
Whereupon the said late queen intending the common & public good of all her loving Subiects, and to avoid all differences and deceits of Measure within her Highnesse realm, vpon good and deliberate aduise, and due consideration therein had, Did not onely establish the foresaid true and ancient Standard of Measures remaining in the said Exchequer, there to continue and be, as her majesties Standard, to examine, try, and size all other Measures of the realm by, from time to time as occasion shall require: But also did give commandement to the Lord Treasurer and under Treasurer to cause all the other Measures which were brought before them( from the Cities and towns afore said) found vpon trial to be differing and disagreeing from the true and ancient Standards of measures of the said Exchequer, to be broken.  
And further her majesty did give order and commandement unto the said Lord Treasurer and under Treasurer, forthwith to cause new Standards of measures in brass to be made, tried, and approved by the said true and ancient Standard of the Exchequer, and after true and just examination and trial thereof had and made, to size and seal( with the letter E crwoned) such and so many Standard measures, for every of the said several Cities and towns limited to haue the custody of weights and measures, according to the queens Standard for every Shire by the said schedule annexed unto the said Statute made in the eleventh year of the reign of King Henry the seventh, there to remain for ever in the keeping of the Mayor, bailiff, or other head Officer for the time being of the said City and town as her Standard of measure, as to them should seem necessary and convenient. And also as many as may serve and be convenient for the clerk of the Market of her Highnesse household( and through the realm) or his Deputies, according to the Statute of Anno 1●. R. 2. Cap 3. And also as might or should serve for any other her majesties Officers or Subiects within this realm, as should make suite for the having and obtaining of the same.  
And now our sovereign Lord the Kings majesty, minding likewise the quiet and public good of all his loving Subiects of the same, And for the right and just maintenance, and execution of all those good and godly laws in that behalf heretofore made by his most noble Progenitors, to be daily used and put in execution amongst all his said Subiects of this his Highnes realm of England, as well within Liberties as without; His majesties will and pleasure is, That the Mayors, bailiffs, Portreues, Wardens, and other head Officers of every of the said Cities, boroughs, towns, Cinqueports, and places mentioned in the schedule annexed to the said Statute of Anno 11. H 7. which haue not already received the said new Standard Measure from the said Exchequer, before the feast of All Saints next coming, at the common charge of the same place, shall sand some sufficient person unto the said Exchequer, authorised to receive such Standards as shall be delivered unto him, by the order and appointment of the said Lord Treasurer and under Treasurer, for the said City, Borough, town, or place, And to pay such reasonable prices for the same, as vpon true valuation of the same shal be by the said Lord Treasurer and under Treasurer ranted or assessed: which Standards, every of the said Maiors, bailiffs, and other head Officers unto whom it shall appertain, shall safely keep or cause to bee kept in some sure and convenient place in the same city, Borough, or town, and by them make or size, or cause to be made or sized, other common Measures for the use of all maner of people in the same City, Borough, town, or place that shall haue cause to use Measures. And shall also make, sign, and prin● with the first letter of the name of the same City, Borough, town, or place where the same measure shalbe so made, sized, and printed, like Measures unto every of the Kings Subiects duly requiring the same, taking such fees for the doing thereof as by the Statutes of the realm are allowed, and no more. And every of the said Maiors, bailiffs, and other head Officers of Cities, boroughs, towns, and places within this realm, shall further do and cause to be done, all such other Act and acts, thing and things, for the providing, having, and using of the said Standards of Measures, as be limited and appoynted to their or any of their authority by the said Statutes made in th● eleventh and twelfth yeeres of the late King henry the seventh, or any other Statute or Ordinance whatsoever: So as all the Measures through the realm may bee reformed and made agreeable according to the Standard of the Exchequer, as by the said Statutes in such case is required. And his majesty further straightly chargeth and commandeth, That no person or persons shall from the aforesaid feast of All Saints next coming, use any other Measure or Measures, but such as shall be made or sized, and respectively agreeing with the said Standards, and printed and marked with the letter I crwoned, with such marks and letters for every town as before is limited, vpon pain to be apprehended, committed to prison, fined and punished, as contrivers and vsers of false Measures, according to the Statutes in that case made and provided. And that this Proclamation for the better instructing of al his majesties Subiects, shall before the feast of All Saints now next coming, be proclaimed in every Market town thorough the realm, and bee hanged up, and fastened in a Table in the Market place by an Officer, where it may continue to bee seen and red by any that will. And that the defaults of Officers, of every town in this behalf, shall bee inquired of and punished by the Iustices of assize, and Iustices of Peace in their Sessions, according to their discretions, as contemners of his majesties commandement. And that all the Standards and Measures whatsoever, not sized, marked and printed, and made respectively agreeing to and with the foresaid Standard, and the true meaning of this proclamation, shall from the said feast of All Saints next coming, which shalbe in the year of our Lord God 1603. be reputed and taken for untrue measures, and shall be broken, defaced and destroyed by the owners of the same, or by such officers as haue or shal haue authority to inquire of false weights and measures.  
And for the better execution hereof, his Highnesse express commandement is, That all Maiors, bailiffs, and other head officers of every City, Shirt, town, Borough, or Market within this realm, shall immediately after the said Feast of All Saints, and so from time to time according to the said Statute, as all other Corporate, Borough, or Market towns within this realm, cause to bee brought before them all the Measures, within the same Cities, Boroughs, Corporate or Market towns, to bee duly viewed and examined, and such as they shall find defective or disagreeing unto the foresaid Standard Measures, either in greatness or smallness, to cause to be broken and defaced, and further punishment to be done vpon the offenders therein, according to the Statute. And that the Iustices of Peace, or two of them( whereof one of them to be of the Quorum) shall with all diligence and from time to time, by examination or enquiry hear and determine the defaults of all Maiors, bailiffs, and other head Officers of Cities, Boroughs, Corporate or Market towns within their limits or authorities on that behalf, and to set Fines and Amercements vpon the offenders in that behalf by their discretions, and those to estreate into the Court of Exchequer, and that vpon pain of the punishment due for such contempt.  
And lastly, his majesty straightly chargeth and commandeth all Iustices of Assize, Iustices of Peace, his Highnesse clerk of the Market, his deputy or deputies, Maiors, bailiffs, Stewards of Liberties, and all other his majesties Officers and Ministers whatsoever, to cause this present Proclamation, and all laws, Statutes, and Ordinances, for the having and using of true Measures, and for the abolishing the use of false Measures, to be put in execution according to their several authorities and jurisdictions, as they herein tender the good service of his majesty, and the Common wealth of this realm.  
given at his majesties Castle of Windsor the fift day of july, 1603. in the first year of our reign of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the six and thirtieth.  
God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most excellent majesty.