DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon surmounted by a crown and flanked by the English lion on one side and the Scottish unicorn on the other  
❧ By the King.  
¶ A Proclamation for the due making and sizing of Brick.  
THE Kings most Excellent Majesty, shortly after His first happy entrance into this kingdom, taking into His Royal consideration the great decay and consumption of Timber, and the necessity of preservation thereof, for most necessary uses, and especially for the shipping and Navy of this Realm (an especial part of the defence and safety of the same) and that in the very City of London (being the principal City of this kingdom, and His Majesty's Royal Chamber, whereunto, not only the Noblemen and Gentry of this Realm, but also the States, Ambassadors, and others of foreign Nations do continually resort) for want of sufficient Timber, they were daily driven to build with Beech, and other like kind of Timber of small continuance (which in time, if the same were not prevented, would turn to the peril and decay of the same City) did propose unto himself, and resolve of a course of building with Brick, in, and near the said City of London, foreseeing the good event that would ensue thereupon. And to that purpose sithence, hath published diverse Proclamations, and granted diverse Commissions to some of the Lords of His Privy Counsel and others (by time and experience found necessary) for the better ordering and effecting that so worthy a work; whose care and endeavour in the execution of those Proclamations and Commissions, His Majesty doth graciously accept, and highly commend. And whereas His Majesty, from time to time remaining constant to his former resolution, hath now found apparent and manifest, what himself prejudged, that the materials of Brick are of fare better use than those of Timber, for such of His Subjects as have occasion to build, in, or near the said City of London, and tendeth not only to the preservation of the said City, and places adjoining, from diverse inconveniences and mischiefs, which might happen by reason of building the walls and forefronts of houses there with Timber, but also to the beautifying and adorning the same City and places adjacent, to the honour, beauty, and lustre thereof, which for this small time of proceeding with Brick, is greatly applauded and approved, aswell by Ambassadors of foreign Nations, as others: His Majesty doth therefore hereby encourage his said Commissioners, and require them, as they have begun with care and endeavour, so to continue their vigilancy over this so good a work, and from time to time, to put in execution His Majesty's gracious and Princely commandments therein, and to chastise and reform all those that are, or shall be contemptuous or disobedient to the same.  
And now His Majesty finding, that the goodness of the work itself hath overcome all opposition, all men of quality and worth most readily and willingly proceeding therein; His Majesty to comfort and encourage them in such their conformity, is most desirous to provide that His Subjects, which shall have cause to build, be not by any sinister practice, or for any private respect wronged, or prejudiced, either by making of the said material of Brick insufficient, or by enhansing, or raising of the prices thereof, being of necessity to be used; the said materials of Bricks having been of late years (by the undue courses of the Brickmakers) very slightly, insufficiently, and ill made, the earth being neither digged, nor cast up in seasonable times, nor well wrought, neither the Bricks moulded, dried, and burned as they ought to be. For prevention whereof His Majesty, having (upon deliberate consideration and advice, of men of judgement, experience, and worth, for the general good of His Subjects that shall be occasioned to build with Brick) caused these ensuing Instructions and Directions to be devised, as rules to be observed, in the true making and sale of Bricks, Hath thought it necessary to publish the same to His loving Subjects, and doth hereby straight charge and command, that no person or persons after the last day of this present month of November, do make or cause to be made within five miles of any the gates of the said City of London, or bring or convey, or cause to be brought or conveyed, either by water or by land, unto the said City of London, or any place or places within five miles of the gates of the same City, or utter, sell, or put to sale, within the said City, or in any place or places within five miles thereof, as aforesaid, to any person or persons whatsoever, at any time or times hereafter, any Bricks, made contrary to the true meaning of these His Majesty's Directions, or at any higher price or rate than is herein after mentioned, upon pain of His Majesty's indignation, and displeasure, and the severest censure of his Court of Star chamber, and such further pains and punishments, as by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, may be inflicted upon them for their offences and contempt.  
First, that the earth whereof the Bricks shall be made, be good and fit for that purpose; The first digging thereof to be between the feasts of S. Michael the Archangel, and S. Thomas the Apostle; And the second digging, turning, or casting up of the said earth to be, at, or before the last day of February ensuing; And that no person whatsoever do presume to dig, or make any Brick in any place within one mile of the Gates of the said City of London, from and after the last day of this present month of November.  
Item, that the said earth be sufficiently and well wrought and tempered before it be moulded.  
Item, that the Brickemakers' mould, or cause to be moulded, no earth for Brick, but only between the feast of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, and the last day of August yearly, and at no other time or season.  
Item, that in the moulding of the said Bricks, the moulds be throughly and well filled, and not set in the moulds, in the laying down, and that they be sufficiently and well dried before they be burned, and then carefully and throughly burned.  
Item, that for the Assize, every Brick being burned contain in length, nine inches, in breadth, four inches one quarter and half a quarter of an inch, and in thickness, two inches and one quarter of an inch.  
Item, that for the price, they sell not their Bricks above the rate of eight shillings the thousand, at the Kill, being made and wrought in goodness and manner as aforesaid.  
And to the end his Majesty's care of this so useful and necessary a material should take effect; His Highness' will and pleasure is, and His Majesty doth hereby command, That the Commissioners for buildings do appoint either the Master and Wardens of the Company of Bricklayers of the said City of London, for the time being, or such other trusty persons of skill and experience, as shall be by the said Commissioners thought fit, from time to time to make search and enquiry in all places within the City of London, and all other places within five miles of the Gates of the said City, aswell of the due observation of the Articles aforesaid, as of the prices hereby limited; And that where they shall find any breach of any of these his Majesty's Directions, That they from time to time make known the same to his Majesty's Commissioners for building, for the time being, with the names of the parties offending, whom We also hereby require and authorize thereupon, to take due examination, aswell of any neglect or contempt which shall be used by the said Bricklayers, by connivency or otherwise, as of the offences and contempts to be committed by the Brickemakers or others, making, carrying, bringing, or uttering any Bricks, contrary to the true intent of the Directions aforesaid, and the same, together with the names of the offenders, from time to time, to certify to His Majesty's Attorney General, for the time being, to be proceeded against in the said high Court of Star-chamber, as wilful contemners of this his Majesty's pleasure and commandment.  
And where any neglect or contempt of this His Majesty's commandment shall be found in places more remote, His Majesty doth hereby authorize and require His justices of Peace, within their several limits and divisions, and every of them to take due examination and notice of any offences and offenders, contrary to the true meaning of these His Majesty's Directions, as aforesaid and to make known the same to His Majesty's said Commissioners for Buildings, and they to make further certificate unto His Majesty's said Attorney General, to be prosecuted in manner aforesaid; whom We hereby command to sue, and prosecute such offenders accordingly.  
Given at Our Court at Theobalds', the seventh day of November, in the year of Our Reign of England, France, and Ireland, the twentieth, and of Scotland the six and fiftieth. 
 God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and john Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. M.DC.XXII.