❧ A PROCLAMATION concerning eating of white meats, made the xvi day of February, the. XXXII. year of the reign of the kings most royal majesty.  
FOR AS MOCHE as by divers and sundry occasions, as well hearing, lings, saltfysh, samond, stockfyshe, as other kinds of fish, been this year scant, and also enhanced in prices above the old rate and comen estimation of their valour: so that if the kings loving subjects should be enforced only to buy and provide hearing and other salt store of fish, for the necessary and sufficient sustentation and maintenance of their households and families, all this holy time of Lent, according as they have been wont in times past to do, & should not be, by some other convenient means relieved therein, the same might and should undoubtedly redound to their importable charge and dctryment. And for as much as his highness constraineth, how this kind and manner of fasting, that is to say, to abstain from milk, butter, eggs, cheese, and all other white meats, is but a mere positive law of the Church, and used by a custom within this realm, and of none other sort or necessity, but the same may be, upon good considerations and grounds, altered and dispensed with from time to time by the public authority of kings and princes, when so ever they shall perceive the same to tend to the hurt and damage of their people. THE KINGS highness therefore most graciously considering and tendering the wealth and commodity of his people, hath thought good, for the considerations above rehearsed, to release and dispense with the said law and custom of abstaining from white meats this holy time of Lent, And of his especial grace and mere motion giveth and granteth unto all and singular his subjects, within this his realm of England, Wales, Cales, Guynes, Hams, and in all other his grace's dominions, free liberty, faculty, and licence, to eat all manner of white meats, as milk, eggs, butter, cheese, and such like, during the time of this Lent, without any scruple or grudge of conscience: any law, constitution, use, or custom to the contrary notwithstandynge. Wherein never the less his highness exhorteth, and in the name of god requireth, all such his faithful subjects, as may, will or shall enjoy this his said grant or faculty, that they be in no wise scruple or doubtful thereof, nor abuse or turn the same into a Aeshly or carnal liberty: but rather endeavour themselves to their possible powers with this liberty of eating of white meats, to observe also that fast, which god most specially requireth of them: That is to say, to renounce the world and the devil, with all their pomps and works, and also to subdowe and repress their carnal effections, and the corrupt works of their flesh, according to their vow and profession made at the font stone. For in these points specially consisteth the very true and perfit abstinence and fasting of a Christian man.  
GOD SAVE THE KING   

Tho. Be●thelet excudebat Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.