AN ORDINANCE Prohibiting COCK-MATCHES.   blazon of the Commonwealth 

Friday March 31. 1654.  
ORdered by His Highness the Lord Protector, and his Council, That this Ordinance be forthwith printed and published.  
HENRY SCOBELL Clerk of the Council   
London, Printed by William dugard and Henry Hills, Printers to His Highness the Lord Protector, 1654.   

 blazon of the Commonwealth  
AN ORDINANCE Prohibiting Cock-Matches.  
WHereas the Public meetings and Assemblies of People together in divers parts of this Nation, under pretence of Matches for , are by experience found to tend many times to the disturbance of the public Peace, and are commonly accompanied with Gaming, Drinking, Swearing, Quarrelling, and other dissolute practices, to the dishonour of God, and do often produce the ruin of Persons and their Families. For prevention thereof, Be it Ordained by his Highness the Lord Protector, by and with the advice and consent of his Council, That from henceforth there shall be no public or set meetings or Assemblies of any persons within England or Wales, upon Matches made for ; And that every such meeting, and assembly of people for the end and purposes aforesaid, is hereby declared to be an unlawful Assembly, and shall be so adjudged, deemed, and taken to be, and punished; And all Sheriffs, justices of the Peace, Mayor, Bailiffs, Constables, and Head-boroughs, within their several Counties, Cities, Limits, and jurisdictions, are hereby required to suppress, hinder, and disperse all such meetings and assemblies.   

Friday, March 31. 1654.  
ORdered by his Highness the Lord Protector, and his Council, That this Ordinance be forthwith printed and published.  
Henry Scobell Clerk of the Council.