royal blazon or coat of arms ¶ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation declaring His majesties further pleasure for matter of Buildings.  
WHereas in the second year of Our Reign of great Britain, for divers reasons of State, and the general good and safety of this Our Commonwealth, We did cause Our Proclamation to be published for restraint of new Buildings, and for re-edifying old Houses with brick, or brick and stone, within Our City of London and two miles of the Gates thereof, which hath been seconded by divers other Our Proclamations made and published, aswell in the fift and sixth, as in the ninth & sixteenth years of Our Reign: all which, many persons out of a private respect of their own gain, without regard of Our Commandments, or the general & common good so often mentioned in the said Proclamations, have taken the boldness to violate; so as contrary to Our disposition, We have been enforced (for prevention of the growing evil) to cause due proceed to be held against some of the offenders against Our Proclamation in Our High Court of star-chamber, where order hath been given for demolishing the houses of divers offenders in that kind, and of others who have built upon new foundations; wherein We finding the number of offenders to be so many, as if We should have proceeded against all of them in such exemplary form of justice, We should have caused great devastation in Our City of London & the places adjacent thereunto, Nevertheless the offences being alike, it could not stand with the rule of Our justice to make some examples of Our displeasure and let others pass with impunity: We were therefore graciously pleased to grant a commission lately to certain persons of trust; giving them power to call before them such as had offended against Our said Proclamations, and for Us and on Our behalf to compound with them for their offences, thereby to deter them and others for adventuring the like in time to come.  
And whereas some Mechanical persons inhabiting in or about Our City of London, who to work their own ends in point of profit, have been the principal occasion of so great deformity in Buildings, by reason of so many base Tenements and Cottages of late years erected within the Suburbs of Our said City, which We are pleased to make Our Chamber, and whereunto so many States and Nations have recourse by their daily repair unto Us: so the same persons, or others of worse condition, finding themselves checked or restrained by the directions given in Our last Proclamation for the building with brick, do endeavour to possess by kind of infection spread into the minds of many Our good and well disposed Subjects, that the end of such Our Royal commandment should be extended to some pecuniary dispensation, or wholly to be released upon suits to be made unto Us: We minding nothing▪ less, have thought fit to declare Ourselves and Our further pleasure herein, that We are so far from giving any toleration or release in that kind, as we are resolved, aswell out of many reasons of State conducing to Our honour, and the honour of Our Posterity, as for the public preservation of Our People from the danger of fire, constantly to uphold and continue Our late prescript for Building with brick or stone, and not otherwise, nor in any other form or manner then in this present Proclamation is prescribed; which the better to manifest Our full and absolute pleasure therein, we have caused to be again renewed and remembered to Our People whom it may concern.  
And We having been lately moved by some of Our Commissioners employed in this Our service, for some further grace and favour to be extended to such of Our Subjects as now are, or shall be willing to conform themselves, and to re-edify their dwelling houses with Brick or Stone, and to waive and avoid that noisome pester of Bulks, Stalls, Shedds, Cants, and juttyes, wherewith Our Streets are in all places so much cumbered and annoyed, that it taketh away the benefit of air, sweetness, and decency of the same; And that We would be pleased to enlarge their authority for the setting forth of the foundation or ground of every one that shall so conform in such sort, as may best beautify the Street where such buildings are, and may encourage those that will new build their houses, and hold uniformity through the whole Range of such Street or Streets where such buildings are: whereunto We graciously inclining, have by Our Commission under Our great Seal of England, given them such power and authority in that behalf, as shall seem good to their wisdoms and discretions, and as may agree with the conveniency and decency of the place, and the wideness of the Street where such building or re-edifying shall be.  
Lastly, to the end that from henceforth no more or further toleration or connivency be used towards them that shall contemptuously oppose Our royal commandment in Buildings, or shall seek by devices and shifts to avoid the direction thereof, only by making new the lower Story of any dwelling house of Timber, or by leaving the lower Story standing, do new build the upper part of their houses with Timber, or do enlarge any part of their houses towards the street with juttyes, or Cant Windows, or otherwise: We hereby command Our Attorney general, that he from time to time upon certificate of such or any other case of offence in Building, contrary to Our said Proclamations to be made from Our said Commissioners, or any four or more of them, under their hands in writing, do proceed for Us, and in Our name against such offenders and every of them, aswell by way of Bill or information to be exhibited into Our high Court of star-chamber, as otherwise upon the examination and confession of the said offenders or any of them, taken before Our said Attorney, according to the course and Precedents of Our said Court in like cases.  
And We further will and command the Lord Mayor of the City of London, and the Aldermen, and Recorder of the said City, for the time being, and also all and every Our justices of Peace, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, & all other Our Officers, and loving Subjects, aswell within Liberties as without, within Our Counties of Middlesex, and Surrey, to be aiding, and assisting to Our said Commissioners, and every of them, in the due execution of Our pleasure herein, as they, and every of them will be accountable for the same when We shall require it. And to the end that Our Subjects, within the places and limits aforesaid, may be the better forewarned and taught to perform their obedience in the premises, which We straightly will and require at their hands:  
Our express will and pleasure is, That in erecting of new Buildings hereafter, every whole Story of and in such houses, and Buildings, and all and every the rooms of such whole Story, shall be of the height of ten foot of assize at the least, and every half Story of and in such houses, and Buildings, shall be of the height of seven foot, and a half at the least; and that the forefront and outward Walls, and the jambes, Heads, and Soils of the Windows shall be of Brick, or of Brick and Stone, and the Windows (being of Timber) not to be put in until the jambes and heads aforesaid be finished and bear of themselves.  
And if the said Buildings do not exceed two Stories in height, than the Walls thereof shall be of the thickness of one Brick, and half a Bricks length, from the ground unto the uppermost part of the said Walls: And where the Building shall be of the height of two Stories, the Walls of the first Story shall be of the thickness of two Bricks length, and from thence unto the uppermost part of the Wall, of the thickness of one Brick and half a Bricks length.  
And that in Building of the said houses, there shall be no jutties or jutting, or Cant-windowes, either upon Timber joystes, or otherwise, but the Walls to go direct and straight upwards, and at the setting off, a water Table to be made; Also the lights of the Windows of every whole Story, to be of more height than breadth, to the end the rooms may receive air for health, and that there may be a sufficient peer of Brick, between the windows for strength; And likewise the windows of every half Story to be made square every way, or near thereabouts.  
And lastly, that all Shops in every Principal Street of Trade, be made with Pilasters of hard Stone, or Brick, and the heads of the Shop windows cut in wedges Archwise, to sustain the Wall about it, and for ornament of the Streets.  
Given at Newmarket, the twelfth day of March, in the sixteenth year of our Reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the two and fiftieth. God save the King.   

❧ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton, and john Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. ANNO. M.DC.XVIII.