C 2 R  
DIEV ET MON DROIT  
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
Charles R.  
WHereas Complaint hath often been made unto Us, That divers Persons do rudely press, and with evil Language and Blows force their way into Our Theatres, (called the Theatre Royal in Bridges-street, and the Duke's Theatre in Dorset-Garden) at the time of their Public Representations and Actings, without paying the Price established at both the said Theatres, to the great disturbance of Our Servants, Licenced by Our Authority, as well as others, and to the danger of the Public Peace: Our Will and Pleasure therefore is, and We do hereby straightly Charge and Command, That no Person of what Quality soever, do presume to come into either of the said Theatres before and during the time of Acting, and until the Plays are quite finished, without paying the Price established for the respective Places. And Our further Command is, That the Money which shall be so paid by any Persons for their respective Places, shall not be returned again, after it is once paid, notwithstanding that such Persons shall go out at any time before or during the Play; And (to avoid future Fraud) That none hereafter shall enter the Pit, First, or Upper Gallery, without delivering to the respective Doorkeeper the Ticket or Tickets which they received for their Money paid at the first Door.  
And forasmuch as 'tis impossible to command those vast Engines (which move the Scenes and Machine's) and to order such a number of Persons as must be employed in Works of that nature, if any but such as belong thereunto, be suffered to press in amongst them; Our Will and Command is, That no Person of what Quality soever, presume to stand or sit on the Stage, or to come within any part of the Scenes, before the Play begins, while 'tis Acting, or after 'tis ended; and We strictly hereby Command Our Officers and Guard of Soldiers which attend the respective Theatres, to see this Order exactly observed. And if any Person whatsoever shall disobey this Our known Pleasure and Command, We shall proceed against them as Contemners of Our Royal Authority, and Disturbers of the Public Peace.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Second day of February in the Twenty sixth Year of Our Reign.   

LONDON, Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher Barker, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1673.