royal blazon or coat of arms HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT  
¶ By the King. ¶ A Proclamation touching common Maultsters, and Brewers.  
THe King's most Excellent Majesty hath taken into consideration the manifold inconveniences that arise to this Kingdom by the excessive number of persons, who take upon them the Art & mystery of Mault-making in all parts of the Realm, who from time to time engross and get into their hands such quantities of Barley to convert into Malt, as often produceth a scarcity of that kind of Grain, which for the poorer sort of people is their usual Bread the Markets also by means hereof are forestalled and unfurnished, and sundry abuses and deceits are practised by them in the making of Malt in unseasonable months of the year, and in lesser space of time in the Fat, and Floor, than it can be perfectly made, and by making it of Mow-burnt, or spired-Barley, and by slack and deceitful drying thereof, and by mixing and selling of good and bad Malt together, and by putting to sale of Malt not well and sufficiently trodden, rubbed or fanned from the dross thereof, whereby it becometh unwholesome and deceitful in the use, contrary to sundry good provisions made by several Acts of Parliament in that behalf, and to the common deceit of this Kingdom and people; His Majesty out of his Princely care to reform aswell these evils, as sundry other unlawful practices now used in the making and selling of Malt, Hath thought fit (by the advice of His privy Council) to lessen their multitude, and to appoint and settle in fit places of the Realm a competent number of meet persons for common Maultsters, such as being approved of by his Majesty's Privy Council, and after incorporated and reduced under government, in each County, may become bound to His Majesty to reform the abuses now commonly practised in that Trade, and to make and sell good and wholesome Malt, and at reasonable prices according to the law: And therefore His Majesty doth hereby declare and publish His Royal will and pleasure to be; And doth straight charge and command, that no person or persons whatsoever now using, or which hereafter shall use any other Trade or mystery, shall use or practise the Trade of a common Maultster, or shall buy Barley or other Grain to malt it, and sell it again; And that no persons whatsoever, in the months of june, july and August, or any of them do convert any Barley or other Grain into Malt to sell; And that in other the proper and seasonable months of the year for maulting, the same Malt shall have in the making thereof (viz.) in the Fat, Floor, steeping and drying thereof, the time and space of three weeks at the least, without which time the same cannot be well and perfectly made, nor wholesome for man's body: And that no persons whatsoever that convert any Grain into Malt to sell, shall buy any Malt, to the intent to sell the same again. And His Majesty's pleasure is, that no persons whatsoever, from and after Christmas next, shall take upon them the Trade of common Maultsters, or shall make Malt to sell, unless they shall be incorporated and reduced under the said government, nor shall use the Trade of Maulting in any other Town or place then shall be assigned them by His Majesty's Privy Council, or His Commissioners in that behalf. And in all and singular the premises, His Majesty requireth all due conformity and obedience of His Subjects, upon pain of His Majesty's high indignation and displeasure, and such penalties and punishments as by the Laws or Statutes of the Realm, or otherwise may be inflicted on them for their contempts or neglects herein.  
Nevertheless, His Majesty's intentions are, that it shall be lawful for all persons which shall have of their own any Barley or Corn growing, or any Tithe Corn, or Rent-corne reserved upon any Lease or Demise, to convert into Malt all or any such Barley or Corn, and to vent and sell the same without restraint; And that any person or persons shall and may buy any Corn or Graine, and convert the same into Malt for the use and provision of his or their own house or family only, any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof notwithstanding.  
And herein also His Majesty doth further declare his Royal Will and Pleasure to be, That if any Maultsters whatsoever, already Incorporated or Licenced, or hereafter to be Incorporated or Licenced, or any other persons whatsoever, shall at any time or times hereafter, directly or indirectly, conspire, combine, covenant, or agree together, That they will not buy Barley, or other Grain to convert to Malt, nor will sell the same so Maulted, but at set and certain prices limited and appointed by and amongst themselves, whereby His Majesty's Subjects shall be constrained to sell their Barley or other Maulting Grain at low and cheap prices, and to buy their Malt at high and dear rates, or shall make or put in ure any other conspiracy, combination, practice, covenant, or agreement amongst themselves, or any of them, tending to the enhancing or abating of prices, or other public inconvenience, That then every such Corporation, or persons so Licenced, or others whatsoever so conspiring, combining, practising, or agreeing together in setting of prices (being convicted thereof) shall not only incur the forfeitures, penalties, and punishments ordained by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm in that behalf, but shall be disabled for ever after to use that Trade, and shall be further proceeded against with all severe and exemplary punishment, which His Majesty will strictly require to be executed on them. And whereas his Majesty hath likewise taken into consideration the manifold inconveniences arising to his Kingdom and people, for that Innkeepers, Alehouse-keepers, Taverners, Cooks, and other Victuallers, do take upon them to Brew the Beer and Ale they utter by Retail, and thereby, for their own private lucre and gain, and with the consumption of double the Malt, and Fuel that is needful, do make strong, heady, and unwholesome drinks, serving rather for drunkenness and excess, then for any good or necessary use, and do utter and Retail the same without keeping the Assize or prices appointed by the Law; His Majesty intending reformation likewise herein, is pleased to appoint and settle in fit places in England and Wales, a convenient number of common Brewers, such as shall be allowed of by His Majesty's Privy Council, who being likewise Incorporated and reduced under government, may become bound to His Majesty, as well to reform the abuses now commonly practised in that Trade, as to Brew wholesome Beer and Ale, and therein to observe the Assize and prices appointed by the Laws and Statutes of the Realm, and who may also breed and bring up Apprentices in the same Trade. His Majesty therefore by like advice of His Privy Council, doth hereby express and declare his Royal Will and Pleasure to be, and doth straightly charge and command, That no Innkeeper, Alehousekeeper, Taverner, Cook, or Victualler whatsoever, in any County, City, Borough, Town Corporate, or other place or places whatsoever, within the Realm of England, or Dominion of Wales, as well within Liberties as without, from and after the Feast of S. Michael the Archangel next coming, shall Brew any Beer or Ale, to utter or sell by Retail, but shall have or receive the same, of or from some common Brewer, allowed and settled, or to be allowed and settled by His Majesty, or by His Commissioners in that behalf. Nevertheless, His Majesty's intentions are, That in such places where there shall be no such common Brewers allowed, or being allowed, they will not serve the said Innkeepers, Alehouse-keepers, and other Victuallers with Beer and Ale, by carrying and delivering of the same at their several houses, that in every such place only, and in none other, it shall be lawful for any the said Innkeepers, Taverners, Alehouse-keepers, and Victuallers, to Brew their own Beer or Ale, and to sell the same by Retail, as heretofore they have done; Any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.  
And His Majesty doth hereby further declare; That every such person as shall be allowed, as aforesaid, for a common Brewer, shall not be licenced or allowed to make his own Malt, nor shall use the Trade of a common Maultster, Cooper, nor any other Trade; And that every person so to be allowed for a common Brewer, shall make and sell wholesome Beer and Ale, and shall sell and utter the same at reasonable prizes, and shall keep the Assize thereof according to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm; And to these his Majesty's Royal commands, His Majesty doth likewise require of all His Subjects, all due conformity and obedience, as they tender His high displeasure, and such punishments as shall be meet for their contempts.  
Provided always, that these presents, or any thing herein concerning Brewing, shall not extend to the City of London, or four mile's distance of the same. And His Majesty doth lastly require and command all justices of the Peace, Mayor, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughes, and all other His Majesty's Officers and Ministers, to take care in their several places, that His Majesty's Royal pleasure herein declared, may be duly performed, as they tender His Majesty's service.  
Given at the Court at Greenwich, the ninth day of july, in the thirteenth year of His Majesty's Reign.  
❧ God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty: And by the Assigns of john Bill. 1637.