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C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT  
❧ 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 observed by all sorts of people.  
WHereas diverse good Laws and Statutes, have heretofore, with great care and providence been made and enacted for the due observation of Lent, and other days appointed for Fishdays aswel for the sparing and increase of Flesh victual, as for the maintenance of the Navy & Shipping of this Realm, by the encouragement of Fishermen to go to the Seas for the taking of Fish, which Laws, and politic Constitutions, have from time to time been seconded and quickened by sundry Proclamations, and other Acts and Ordinances of State in the tunes of Our Royal Predecessors; And whereas, notwithstanding so many good provisions heretofore had and made in that kind, We have observed, that the inordinate liberty usually taken by all sorts of people, to kill, dress and eate Flesh in the Lent season, and on other days and times prohibited, is become so inveterate an evil, that it will require more than ordinary care to suppress the same.  
We therefore, much affecting the reformation of so great and growing an evil, which is so great an enemy to the plenty of this Our Kingdom, Have thought fit thus timely, (the better to take away all pretences of excuse) to express Ourself and Our Royal Commandment in this behalf: Whereof without future declaration of Our pleasure in this kind, We shall expect, and do require from all Our Subjects, that due notice be taken, and that a strict and continued obedience and conformity be yielded thereunto, both for the present, and 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 Ourself 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 & 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, Victuallers, Cooks, Alehousekeepers, Taverners, and keepers of Ordinary tables, & such others that utter Victuals, & 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, Victuallers, Alehouse keepers, & 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 a piece, 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, & every of the said Recognizances to be certified into Our Exchequer.  
And for the Butchers, and others that come with Victual or 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 & 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 & constant resolution for observance of Lent, & 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, aswell in respect of the public, as of his private case and benefit: So We straight charge and command all Inholders, keepers of Ordinary tables▪ Victuallers, 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, valesse 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 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, according to Our Laws in that case provided, (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 penalties, 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, and places near to the same, so it is Our express pleasure and Commandment, That our justices of Peace in all Shires within their Rule, & all other Majors, Bailifeses and chief Officers in Towns Corporate or in any Liberties within their Precincts, shall cause the same to be observed & 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 the 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, aswell 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 others Victuallers 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 a piece: 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 forthwith to become bound by Recognizance with Sureties to Our use, (viz.) The Principals in twenty pounds, and their two Sureties in ten pounds a piece, not to victual, 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, and become bound as aforesaid. And further, for all such Inholders, Cooks, Taverners, Alehouse-keepers, Butchers and other Victuallers, as shall not appear before the said justices, as aforesaid, That they may immediately send forth their Warrants, or grant Process against them, and every of them so making default, to appear & 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, Victuallers, 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, and 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, aswell 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.  
And because these Directions are for better observation of Order, and due keeping of the Lent according to Our Laws, which Our Ministers and Officers are to see executed of Office, without making the same grievous to Our People, by taking of excessive Fees for their entering into Recognizances to observe these Orders, whereof many have complained: We therefore straitely charge and Command, that no Town-clerk, Clerk of the Peace, nor other Officer, shall, or do presume to demand or take any Fee or Reward above the sum of twelve pence for taking any such Recognizances as aforesaid, nor shall give any Fee or Reward for returning the same into Our Exchequer.  
And lastly, for that the Fishmongers (upon the observation of the aforesaid Orders) may perhaps take occasion thereby, to enhance the prices, aswel 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, aswell 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 enhancement 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 Hampton-Court., the 25. day of january, in the second 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.XXVI.