BY THE KING.  
A Proclamation prohibiting the keeping of Bartholomew Fair, and Sturbridge Fair.  
THE Kings most Excellent Majesty out of his Princely and Christian care of his loving Subjects, that no good means of providence may be neglected to stay the further spreading of the great infection of the Plague, doth find it necessary to prevent all occasions of public concourse of His people for the present, till it shall please Almighty God of his goodness, to cease the violence of the contagion, which is very fare dispersed into many parts of the Kingdom already. And therefore remembering that there are at hand two Fairs of special note, unto which there is usually extraordinary resort out of all parts of the Kingdom. The one kept in Smithfield near the City of London, called Bartholomew Fair: and the other near Cambridge, called Sturbridge Fair. The holding whereof at the usual times would in all likelihood be the occasion of further danger and infection to other parts of the Land, which yet by God's mercy stand clear and free. Hath with the advice of his Majesty's Privy Council, thought good by this open declaration of his pleasure, and necessary commandment, not only to admonish and require all his loving Subjects to forbear to resort for this time to either of the said two Fairs, or to any other Fairs within fifty miles of the said City of London, but also to enjoin the Lords of the said Fairs, and others interessed in them, or any of them, that they all forbear to hold the said Fairs, or any thing appereaining to them at the times accustomed, or at any other time, till by God's goodness and mercy the infection of the plague shall cease, or be so much diminished, that his Majesty shall give order for holding them, upon pain of such punishment, as for a contempt, so much concerning the universal safety of his people, they shallbe adjudged to deserve, which they must expect to be inflicted with all severity, his Majesty's desire being so intentive for preventing the general infection threatened, as he is resolved to spare no man that shall be the cause of dispersing the same. And to that purpose doth hereby further charge and enjoin under like penalty, all Citizens, and Inhabitants of the said City of London, that none of them shall repair to any Fair held within any part of this Kingdom, until it shall please God to cease the infection now reigning amongst them, his Majesty's intention being, and so hereby declaring himself, that no Lord of any Fairs, or others interessed in the profits thereof, shall by this necessary and temporary restraint receive any prejudice in the right of his, or their Fairs, or liberties thereunto belonging, any thing before mentioned notwithstanding.  
Given at the Court at Woodstock the fourth day of August, in the first year of his Majesty's Reign of great Britain, France, and Ireland. 
 God save the King.   

Printed at Oxford by I.L. and W.T. for Bonham Norton and john Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1625.