By the King.  
A PROCLAMATION To Restrain the Excessive Carriages in Wagons and four-Wheeled Carts, to the destruction of Highways.  
CHARLES R.  
WHereas it appertaineth to Us to have special Care, that the common Highways, and Bridges, leading from place to place within this Realm, might be kept in due repair for the ease and good of Our Loving Subjects; And observing notwithstanding the good provision of Our Laws in that behalf made, and the conformity and forwardness of Our Subjects in so Public and Necessary a Work, That Our Highways and Bridges are at this present grown into great decay, and very dangerous for Passage, We have upon due examination found, that the said Decays are occasioned by the common Carriers of this Realm, who for their singular and private profit, do now usually Travail with Carts and Wagons with four Whéels', drawn with eight, nine, or ten Horses or more, and do commonly therein carry sixty and seventy hundred weight at one burden at one time, which burden and weight is so great and excessive, as that the very Foundations of Bridges are in many places thereby shaken, and the Highways and Cawseys Furrowed and Ploughed up by the Whéels' of the said Carts and Wagons so overladen, and made so deep, and full of dangerous Slows and Holes, as neither can Passengers Travail thereby in Safety, nor the Inhabitants or Persons by Law bound to repair them, be able to undergo so great a charge: Where heretofore all common Carriers usually went with Carts of two Whéels' only, wherewith they could not well carry above twenty hundred weight at once, or there abouts, which the Bridges, Cawseys, and ordinary Highways, did and might well bear without any great damage to the same: We therefore intending the Reformation of the Premises, and it having been resolved by the Advice of the judges formerly taken herein, That by the Law of this Our Realm, the said excessive and extraordinary kind of Carriages, whereby Our Highways are thus destroyed, are common Nuisances and Annoyances against the Weal-public, and an offence against Our Crown; Do hereby straight charge, require and command, that no common Carrier, or other person or persons whatsoever, shall hereafter use, go, or travail with any Cart or Wagon made with four Wheels, to be drawn with above five Horses at once along their journey, unless they go all two abrest, in which case they are limited to no number, that the Highways and Bridges may hereafter receive the less damage thereby, upon pain of incurring Our high Displeasure, and to receive condign punishment, as contemners of Our Royal Will and Commandment, and to be further prosecuted and punished for the said Nuisances and Annoyances, by Fine and such other ways, as the Laws of this Our Realm have provided against Offenders in that kind: To which end, We do hereby expressly charge, as well Our judges, as Our Atturney-General, to exact and require the extremity of Our Laws in that behalf; And that every Offender contrary to this Our Proclamation shall for his contempt be prosecuted in Our Court of King's Bench, and other Courts whereunto the Cognisance thereof shall belong, by Information or Indictment, and thereupon be Fined and proceeded against according to their demerit; Nevertheless, Our Intent, Will, and Commandment is, And we do hereby straight charge, command, and prohibit, that no common Carrier whatsoever shall by colour hereof take occasion to Enhance or raise the prices of Carriage from any part or place within Our said Realm, under pain of Our Displeasure, and upon complaint thereof to Us, or Our Privy Council made, to be further punished; as shall be thought fit and just according to Law. And lastly, We do hereby Will and Require all Majors, Sheriffs, justices of Peace, and other Our Officers and Ministers in all Counties and Privileged Places whatsoever within this Our Realm, that they, and every of them in their several Offices and Places, do from time to time provide and see to the due execution of this Our Pleasure and Royal Commandment; and that they discover and make known all offenders herein, that they may be severely punished for their contempts, as also that they neglect not, but continue the repair and maintenance of Highways, Bridges and Cawseys within this Our Realm, according to the Laws, Statutes and Ordinances now in force, as they tender Our Pleasure, and will answer the contrary at their utmost perils.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the Sixteenth day of August, 1661. in the Thirteenth year of Our Reign. God save the KING.   

LONDON, Printed by john Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the KING'S most Excellent Majesty, 1661.  
At the KING'S Printing-House in blackfriars.