HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENS   royal blazon or coat of arms  
¶ By the King.  
A Proclamation for restraint of killing, dressing, and eating of Flesh in Lent, or on Fish days, appointed by the Law, to be hereafter strictly observed by all sorts of people.  
WHereas, for the benefit and commodity of this Our Realm of England, as well in the maintenance of Our Navy and Shipping (a principal strength of this Island) as for the sparing and increase of Flesh victual, diverse good Laws and Statutes have been provided, for the due observation of Lent, and other days appointed for Fish days, which from time to time have been seconded and quickened by sundry Our Proclamations, and other Acts and Ordinances of State; And whereas, notwithstanding the many good provisions heretofore had and made in that kind, We yet find the inordinate liberty, now usually taken by all sorts of people to kill, dress, and eat Flesh in the Lent season, and on other days and times prohibited by Law, is become an evil of such inveterate growth, as it requireth more than ordinary care to suppress the same:  
We therefore much affecting the Reformation of this so great an evil (and enemy to the plenty of Our Kingdoms) Have thought fit eftsoons (and thus timely, the better to take away the excuse, and to prevent the provisions of Flesh that usually men make against the Lent season) To express Ourself and Our Royal Commandment in this behalf: Wherein, without any future declaration of Our pleasure in this kind, We shall expect and require from all Our Subjects, that due Notice be taken, and that a strict and continued obedience and conformity be yielded thereunto in all succeeding times.  
And therefore We do straight Charge and Command all and every person and persons whatsoever, to whom it may appertain, carefully to provide and see, that these Orders following may be duly observed and put in execution, upon pain of Our high displeasure, and such penalties, as by the Laws of this Our Realm may be inflicted upon the Offenders, for their contempt or neglect of Us and Our Laws, whereof We shall show Ourselves most sensible.  
And first, whereas We find, that the chiefest cause of these disorders hath grown from the Licences that have been granted to Butchers, to kill and utter Flesh contrary to Law, And that by Our Laws, no Mayor, justice of Peace, or other person of what degree or quality soever, can grant any Licence in this kind, And that the Lords and others of Our Privy Council, do by Our direction forbear to grant the same, or give way thereunto; Our will and pleasure is upon the penalties provided by Law, and such further punishment to be inflicted upon the offenders, as shall be thought meet, that no such Licence shall be granted for the kill or uttering of Flesh; And that no Butcher or other person whatsoever, do by colour thereof, kill, utter, or put to sale any Flesh contrary to the Laws established and provided in that behalf.  
And for the avoiding of such inconveniences hereafter, Our will and pleasure is, That the Lord Mayor of Our City of London, and every other Officer and justice of Peace, shall call before them, and send for any of the servants of any Inholders, Uictuallers, Cooks, Alehousekeepers, Taverners, and keepers of Ordinary tables, and such others that utter victuals, and to examine them upon their corporal Oaths, what Flesh is, or hath been, during the Lent season, or other days prohibited by the Law, dressed, killed, uttered, or eaten in their houses, which if they shall refuse to do, then to commit to prison the said servants so refusing upon their Oaths to declare the truth.  
That the Lord Maior shall also yearly before Lent, or at the beginning thereof, cause all Inholders, Keepers of Ordinary Tables, Uictuallers, Alehouse keepers, and Taverners within the City and Liberties thereof, to appear before him, or such persons as he shall appoint meet for that purpose; And shall take Recognizances with sufficient Sureties of every of them in good sums of money, (viz.) One hundred pounds of the Principal, and their sureties thirty pounds apiece, to Our use, not to dress any Flesh in their houses in the Lent time, or at other times prohibited, for any respect, nor suffer it to be eaten contrary to Law. The like Recognizance with Sureties, shall be taken of the like parties upon like penalties, by the justices of Peace of Our City of Westminster, and the Liberties thereof; and every of the said Recognizances to be certified into Our Exchequer.  
And for the Butchers, & others that come with victual of Flesh out of the Country into the City, Our pleasure is, That the Lord Maior shall cause certain persons to watch at the Gates and other like places in the Suburbs, where Flesh may be brought, to view and search, and to intercept the same: And if any of those Watchmen shall be found negligent and corrupt in his Charge, than he to be committed to prison during the whole Lent.  
And to the end that Fishermen may employ themselves to Sea with better encouragement than heretofore, and that the Fishmongers may furnish themselves with such store from time to time hereafter, as shall be expedient, aswell for the provision of the City, as for selling the same at reasonable Rates; We will that they take notice of this Our Commandment, and constant resolution for the observance of Lent, and Fish-days, both now and hereafter, as by Law is required.  
And furthermore, as We think it fit, that every man should be a rule of order and abstinence in his own House, as well in respect of the public, as of his private ease and benefit, So We straight charge and command all Inholders, Keepers of Ordinary Tables, Uictuallers, Alehouse-keepers, and Taverners, not to make any Supper for any person or persons whatsoever, upon Friday nights, either in Lent or out of Lent; nor to suffer any meat to be then dressed, uttered, sold or eaten in their Houses, upon pain of such punishment, as is due to those that shall contemn Our Royal pleasure and Commandment.  
And forasmuch as upon further advice and consideration had, that the restraint of killing and dressing of flesh is no sufficient remedy for the mischief, unless there be better care also taken to suppress the unlawful and inordinate eating of Flesh in the time of Lent, and on other days and times prohibited, wherewith Our subjects have accustomed themselves, rather for delicacy then for necessity; It is therefore Our Royal will and pleasure, and accordingly We do hereby straight prohibit and forbid all Our Subjects of what degree or quality soever within this Our Realm, to eat any manner of Flesh in the time of Lent, or on other days now usually observed as Fish-days, without a special Licence first obtained from the Bishop of the Diocese, or such other as by the Law have power to give Licence in that behalf, (which We will and command shall be sparingly granted, and in cases of necessity only) upon pain of Our high displeasure, and to be proceeded against by Our Attorney General in Our Court of Star-chamber, as contemners of Our Royal Commandment, and upon such further penalty, as by the Laws and Statutes of Our Realm may be inflicted on those that shall wilfully offend in this kind.  
And as these Orders are to be executed in Our City of London, & places near to the same, so it is Our express pleasure and Commandment, That Our justices of Peace in all Shires within their Rule, and all other Majors, Bailiffs, and chief Officers in Towns corporate, or in any Liberties within their Precincts, shall cause the same to be observed and performed in like manner; and that no manner of Toleration, Favour, or Connivencie be used by any justice of Peace, or other Officer, contrary to the true meaning of this Our Proclamation, as both they that shall presume wittingly so to tolerate the offence, as also the party himself offending, will answer the same at their uttermost perils: Our Commandment being, That Our Laws in this case shall be hereafter severely executed upon all offenders whatsoever.  
Further charging and commanding the Lord Mayor of Our City of London, the justices of Assize in their several Circuits, the Majors and chief Officers of all other Cities and Towns corporate, justices of Peace, Lords of Liberties, and all other Officers and Ministers within the several Counties of this Our Realm, That they and every of them fully obey this Our Pleasure, and cause and compel the same to be obeyed and executed by others, as they will answer the contrary at their uttermost perils.  
And for the due execution of the Premises in all other the Counties of this Our Realm, as well as in Our Cities of London and Westminster, We do hereby straight charge and command all Our justices of Peace within the same Counties, aswell within Liberties as without, That yearly and every year hereafter before Lent, they cause to come and appear before them all Inholders, Cooks, Taverners, Alehouse-keepers, Butchers, and other Uictuallers whatsoever, and to require and take of them to Our use, several Recognizances, with Sureties, for observation of the premises, (viz) The principals in ten pounds, and their two Sureties in five pounds apiece: And if they shall refuse or neglect to enter into such Recognizances, than the said justices shall suppress such persons so refusing, from victualling any more, and shall also cause them forth with to become bound by Recognizance with Sureties to our use, (viz) The principals in twenty pounds, and their two Sureties in ten pounds apiece, not to Uictuall or sell Beer or Ale from thencefoorth, which if they shall refuse to do, than the said justices to commit to prison all such persons so refusing to enter into such Recognizances, until they shall submit themselves, & become bound, as aforesaid. And further forall such Inholders, Cooks, Taverners, Alehouse keepers, Butchers, and other Uictuallers as shall not appear before the said justices, as aforesaid, That they immediately send forth their Warrants, or grant process against them and every of them so making default, to appear and answer their contempt at the next general Sessions of the Peace.  
And further, for the more due punishment of Inholders, Keepers of ordinary Tables, Cooks, Butchers, Uictuallers, Alehouse keepers, Taverners, and such like, who shall forfeit their Recognizances by killing or dressing of Flesh, or suffering it to be eaten in their houses in the Lent time, & other Fish days, And to the end that the same may be as well taken in due form of Law, as duly certified into Our Exchequer, We do will and require all justices of peace, as well within Liberties as without, That at such times as they shall meet within their several Divisions, for the taking of such Recognizances, that they give notice to the Clerks of the Peace, or their Deputies, to attend them for that purpose. Of whom we will require a strict Account for the Legal taking and returning of the same Recognizances into Our said Exchequer: The said Clerks of the Peace and their Deputies, taking for the making and certifying of the same Recognizances of all Innkeepers, Taverners, Cooks, and Butchers, the Fee of two shillings six pence; And of all Alehouse-keepers the Fee of twelve pence, as is limited to be taken by the Clerk of the Peace for Our County of Middlesex for every such Recognizance, and no more.  
And lastly, for that the Fishmongers (upon the observation of the aforesaid Orders) may perhaps take occasion thereby to enhance the prices, as well of Fresh, as of Sea Fish, we do therefore hereby further charge and command all Fishmongers whatsoever, That they sell and utter their Fish at moderate and usual Rates and prices; And that all justices of Peace, Mayor, Bailiffs, and other Our Officers, as well within Liberties as without, to whom it shall appertain, shall from time to time take such order with the said Fishmongers, that Our Subjects be not grieved by any such enhauncement or increase of prices upon Fish, upon pain of Our high displeasure, and such further punishment as may be inflicted upon them by Our Laws.  
Given at Our Court at Newmarket the seaventh day of February, in the two and twentieth year of Our Reign of great Britain, France, and Ireland. God save the King.   

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