RULES and ORDERS MADE BY THE VICECHANCELLOR of the University of OXFORD, and justices of Peace, for the Good and Safety of the University, City, and County of OXFORD.  
WHEREAS there is a daily increase of the Plague in the City of London, the Suburbs, and Parts Adjacent; by reason whereof very many Persons have of late, and daily do withdraw themselves from their respective Habitations; And either in expectation of Gain, of upon considerations of friendship or Alliance are received in several Parts of this County, whereby the Infection has been dispersed into many Towns & Villages thereof to their ruin and impoverishing: as also the great and apparent danger of the University and City of Oxford, and the Inhabitants of this County in general, which are yet not infected: And whereas in probability his Majesty intends to reside and keep his Court in the City of Oxford for some part of this winter; As also to hold his Parliament there: We the Vicechancellor of the said University, and Justices of the Peace of the said County; taking the premises into our serious consideration, and having in Our view the dreadful effects of negligence in the present dangerous disease; as we are by the laws of God, of Nature, and this Realm thereto sufficiently authorised; and also instructed and empowered by the trust reposed in us by his Sacred Majesty our Sovereign Lord the King, who desires nothing more than the health and safety of His People; and in pursuance of those great Ends of Public good, which are ever to be preferred before any private interest: have thought fit to Order and Publish; and do hereby order and publish, as follows.  

I. That no Innkeeper, Alehousekeeper Victualer or private Person whatsoever living in this County shall harbour, lodge or entertain in any of their Houses, any Person or Persons that come from London, or any other Place whatsoever, unless such Person or Persons shall bring with him, or them an authentic Certificate (to be allowed by he chief Magistrate of towns corporate, or the Minister and Constables of Villages respectively) that they came not from any infected place or house; and in case of such Certificate, shall receive them for a night only, and not otherwise: upon pain that every Innkeeper, Alehouse keeper, or Victualler, doing contrary to the premises, be suppressed from farther entertaining, or victualling: and their houses to be shut up with the Inhabitants therein, and also with the Persons they so entertain, until they shall be opened again by public authority; and likewise upon pain to be taken and dealt with, as enemies to the public safety.  
II. That no other person or persons, living within this County, shall entertain any of their Friends, Kindred, Children, or other person or persons, without such Certificate as v, to be allowed as aforesaid, under pain that their Houses be shut up; and the person or persons they shall entertain with them, and their Families therein, not to be opened again, but by consent and allowance of the two next Justices of the Peace to the said House: And further, to be proceeded against as disturbers of the Peace and Safety of this County.  
III. That in case any person or persons that is are so to be shut up as aforesaid, shall refuse obstinately to submit, or shall resist the Officers in doing their office to that purpose, such person or persons shall be, by the Officers, compelled to keep in the said House by force; and in case of recovery or escape from Infection, shall be carried o the Goal, there to remain without Bail or Mainprize, until they be released by public Order.  
iv That no person or persons whatsoever, shall presume to come to Church, or to any Fair or Market, or public Meeting whatsoever, forth of any House that is shut up, or known to be Infected with the Plague, till they have allowance under the Hands and Seals of two the next Justices of he Peace. And that no person or persons bring any Wares, Goods or Merchandizes, to any Fair or Market, forth of any such Town Corporate, or Place whatsoever, unless such Person bring a Certificate from the Major or Chief Officer of such Town Corporate, or the Minister and Constable of such Place or Village, that the same Wares, Goods or Merchandise, came not from any Infected House, or from any Infected Person, under the pain of being proceeded against as an Enemy to the Public Safety.  
V That none be permitted, during the time of God's Visitation upon this Nation, to keep any Wakes or Customary Feasts, or public Meetings for any Games or Pastimes whatsoever, eiher upon Sundays, holidays or Fast-days, or any Weekdays: And in case any Person shall presume to meet at any such Wakes, Feasts or Pastimes, that they be proceeded against as Rioters and Disturbers of the Peace and Safety of this County.  
VI That no Pedlars, petty Chapmen, Tinkers, Hat-dressers, Fiddlers, Beggars, or other Vagabonds, be permitted or suffered to pass or wander up and down this County from place to place; nor none to beg out of their own Parishes, upon the Penalties that are by the Statutes of the Realm to be inflicted upon the Constables, and other Officers, that neglect their duty therein.  
VII. That no person or persons presume to go to visit or converse with any person or persons Infected, or Shut up upon suspicion of Infection, or breach of these Orders, unless such as shall be appointed to attend such persons as are shut up; upon pain to be shut up themselves, in the Houses of such persons as they converse withal.  
VIII. That strict watch and ward be kept in every Town, Parish, Village and Hamlet within this County, especially upon Roades, and in Towns and Villages, where Inns, Alehouses and Victualling houses are, to see these order put in execution, and where occasion shall be or need requires, that double watch and ward be kept, and the Guards enforced; which shall be done at the public Charge of the place where such watch is kept: and all this upon the utmost pains that the Law can Inflict for non performance thereof.  
IX. That no Person or Person be permitted to come or repair to the University or City of Oxford by land or water from London, Henly upon Thames, Wallingford, or any other Town or place infected, nor to bring any Wares or Goods therehence during the time of their being visited upon the pains aforesaid.  
X. That where any place Town or Village is Infected, and there needs Warders, Searchers, Buriers, and Keepers to be appointed, the Chief Magistrate or the next Justice of the Peace to the place Infected, is desired to appoint such as he shall think fit out of such Persons as shall be nominated by the Constables of the Parish or Town Infected, or others: and to give them their Oaths for true and diligent service in their several places they shall be appointed to, and for the preservation of the public good.  
XI. Whereas several persons, having left their places of abode, have secretly intruded and crept into divers Towns Corporate and Villages, other places of this County, and there reside and attempt to settle themselves: All Constables, and Overseers of the Poor in each Parish, are hereby required to bring within a Week after the date hereof, to the next Justice of the Peace, in Writing, the names of such Persons so intruding; and afterwards at the end of every Month, during the time of the present Danger, that they may be proceeded against according to Law.   
And to the End these orders may speedily be made known; and that no person may pretend ignorance of them: It is ordered, that the same be forthwith printed, and published the next Market day in the City of Oxford, and in every Market Town of the said County on their respective next Market days immediately following the date hereof: and that warrants may be issued forth under the hands and seals of the Justices of Peace or some of them, to the High-Constables of the several hundreds within the County: and Chief Officer of every corporation, requiring them to send printed copies of them to the peti-Constables of each Township and Parish in the said County respectively; to the end they may be put in execution with all speed, care, and diligence.  
Given under our hands this 23d. day of August in the 17th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the second: Annoque Domini 1665.