C R  dieu ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon surmounted by a crown and flanked by the English lion and Tudor rose on one side and the Scottish unicorn and thistle on the other  
❧ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation concerning Buildings, and Inmates, within the city of London, and Confines of the same.  
AMongst other His majesties important cares and affairs of State, and high consequence, since His access to the crown, It hath pleased His majesty, to take into His Princely consideration the present estate of the city of London, as being the Kings Chamber, the seat imperial of this Kingdom, and renowned over all the parts of the Christian world; In respect whereof, and of the usual residence of His majesties Court so near it, with the confluence of foreign Ambassadors, and Strangers of great State and eminency thither; His majesty is most graciously careful, to neglect no means of lawful policy to provide for the continuance and increase of the Honour, Liberty, Health,& Safety of the same, by removing and preventing such offensive Lets,& Impediments, as haue heretofore given, or hereafter may give hindrance thereunto: And calling to remembrance what vigilant care His most royal Father, King james, of blessed memory, took in his life time to pursue the good course which the most excellent princess, queen Elizabeth, had in her time begun, concerning Inmates, and buildings within the said city, and Confines thereof, by the well ordering of which two particulars onely, many great inconveniences, and Preiudices to the honour and good of the city, might bee removed and avoyded; His majesty, vpon deliberate advice with his privy counsel, and perusal of what hath been done in like case in the time of his most royal Progenitors, and vpon what grounds and reasons, hath thought good to set down by this one Proclamation, certain distinct and plain Orders, for the furtherance, and aduancement of His most gracious intention, concerning the premises in these Articles following.  
FIrst, His majesty doth strictly charge and command, that no dwelling Houses, Stables, Shops, stalls, or any other building whatsoever, be from henceforth erected, or attempted to be erected, within the city of London, or the Suburbs thereof, or within the distance of two miles, to be taken from any gate of the said city, or from His majesties Palace at Westminster, except it be vpon the foundation of a former dwelling house, or such like Building: And if any such Building, contrary to this Prohibition, shall hereafter happen to bee begun, that the same, be forthwith stayed from further proceeding, by the Alderman of the Ward, or by two of the next Iustices of Peace, and as well such Builder as the workmen employed therein, committed to prison, until they shall enter into sufficient bond, either to demolish, and pull down that which is built, or to answer their contempt in his majesties high Court of starchamber, or before the Lords of the privy council, at the Councell-board: And the Constable of the Parish or place, shall from time to time, in the first beginning of any such work or Building, give notice to the Alderman of the Ward, or two next Iustices of Peace, of any such offence, and of the offenders therein, that this Proclamation may be speedily, and freshly put in execution.  
All Houses, Sheddes, shops, and other buildings, which haue been builded or set up within the limits aforesaid, at any time since the thirteenth year of the late King james, of blessed memory, contrary to any Proclamation published in his late majesties time, shal be forth with pulled down, as is before directed touching other Buildings, to bee stayed or pulled down; And no Cellars erected within the time last mentioned, to be used for Lodgings or victualling houses, but the occupiers thereof to be suppressed, and so to be kept by the Iustices of Peace.  
That no person or persons do erect, re-edify, or set up any House or building in London, or within the distance of three miles from any the gates of the said city of London, or from His majesties Palace at Westminster, unless he do make all the utter walls of the same of brick, or brick and ston: And that all Houses and Buildings to be erected within the said city, or in, or adjoining to any open street of any town or Village out of the said city, within the limits of three miles aforesaid, shall be built according to the form and proportion hereafter in these presents expressed ( viz.) every whole Story of, and in such Houses and Buildings, and all and every the rooms of such whole Story, shall be of the height of ten foot of Assize, at the least, and every half Story, of and in such houses and buildings, shall be of the height of seven foot and a half, at the least; And that the forefront, and all outward, and diuision-walles, betwixt house and house, and the Iambes, heads, and soils of the windows, shal be of brick, or of brick and ston, and the windows( being of timber) not to be put in, until the Iambes and heads aforesaid bee finished, and bear of themselves.  
And if the said buildings do not exceed two Stories in height, then the walls thereof shall be of the thickness of one brick, and half a bricks length, according to the assize of bricks herevnder mentioned, from the ground unto the uppermost part of the said walls; And where the building shalbe of the height of three Stories, the walls of the first Story shalbe of the thickness of two bricks length, and from thence unto the uppermost part of the wall, of the thickness of one brick and half a bricks length, and so proportionably, if there shall be more Stories.  
That in building of the said houses, there shall be no Iutties, or Iutting, or Cant windows, either vpon timber Ioists, or otherwise, but the walls to go direct and strait upwards, and at the setting off, a water Table to bee made; Also the Lights of the windows of every whole Story, to bee of more height then breadth, to the end the rooms may receive air for health, and there may bee sufficient peers of brick, not less then half the breadth of the windows between them for strength; And likewise the windows of every half Story to bee made square every way, or near there abouts.  
That all Shops, and Street-doores, bee made with Pillasters of ston or brick, to bee in breadth fifteen inches, at the least, and as thick as the wall of the Story, and the heads of the shop windows cut in wedges, with Arches over them, to sustain the wall above; And that none do raise the first floor to gain height in their Cellars, so as they are thereby forced to make steps into the street.  
And, for the better encouragement of his majesties loving Subiects in their buildings, according to the direction of this Proclamation, his majesty hath thought fit, by the aduise aforesaid, to set down these Orders following, concerning the true making, and rating of the price of brick, which is one of the principal Materials, requisite for the said buildings, ( Viz.)  
THat the earth, whereof the brick shall bee made, bee good and fit for that purpose: The first digging thereof to bee between the Feasts of Saint Michael the Archangel, and S. Thomas the Apostle; and the second digging, casting, or turning up of the said earth, to be at, or before the last day of February, then following: 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, or within one mile of his majesties Palace of Westminster.  
That the said Earth be sufficiently and well wrought and tempered before it be moulded; And that the brick makers cause no Earth to be moulded for brick, but onely between the Feast of the Annunciation of the blessed virgin Mary, and the last day of August yearly, and at ne other time or season of the year.  
That in the moulding of the said bricks, the moulds be thoroughly and well filled, and not set in the moulds, in the laying down; And that they be sufficiently and well dried before they be put into the Kilne, and then carefully and thoroughly burned; So as 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.  
That the price of bricks( being thus wrought and made in goodness, size, and maner, as aforesaid) shall not exceed the rate of eight shillings the thousand at the Kilne: And if any excessive rate be demanded for the carriage of the said bricks, from the Kilne, to the place where they shall be to be used, the Commissioners for Buildings to moderate the same, according to equity, in their good discretions; And that no person or persons shall make, or cause to be made within five miles of any the gates of the city of London, nor bring by water or land, or utter, sell, or put to sale within the said City, or any place or places within five miles thereof, as aforesaid, any bricks made or wrought contrary to the directions aforesaid, nor sell the same at any higher rate, then is before mentioned.  
That no person or persons within the said City of London, or within two miles from any the gates thereof, or from His majesties Palace at Westminster, shall in defrauding the intent of this Proclamation, support or strengthen any Buildings so ruinous and old, as are unfit to be continued, by digging of Cellars, and bringing up new brick walls, by erecting new attorneys and stair cases, by placing pieces of Timber, by setting on new roofs or rafters, and thrusting out of dormers, knitting and fastening together the said new additions unto the old Timber, by bars and cramps of Iron, or other like devices, unless he or they shall be thereunto licensed and allowed by his majesties Commissioners for Buildings.  
That no person or persons within the limits last aforesaid, do at any time or times hereafter presume or attempt to erect, cover, whereby or enclose any Houels, or other Sheds of Timber, with Reeds, Faggots, Hay, Straw, Boards, or other materials, or do raise up any Wall, Pale, or bank of Earth, to which Sheds may be added, or do repair or new make into the streets, any maner of bulks, stalls, windows, doors, or other offensive issues, Or do alter or change the use of any dwelling House, or other Building, to any more noisome, or offensive use, end or purpose, then the same was employed before the time of the demolishing or altering the same, without the special Licence and Allowance of the said Commissioners for Buildings.  
And for that the dividing of Houses into several Tenements and habitations, and the letting part of Houses and Chambers to Inmates, and Vnder-sitters, is no less inconvenient then excessive Buildings, as well in regard of surcharge of people, especially of the worse sort, and for breeding and spreading of Infection, as otherwise, His majesty hath also by the advice aforesaid, commanded these Articles following to be duly observed:  
THat no person or persons within the City of London, or two miles from any the gates thereof, do divide any dwelling House by Lease, sufferance, or otherwise, into, or for any more Tenements or dwellings, then are at this present, or haue been heretofore used within the same, by the space of thirty yeeres last past.  
That no person do hereafter receive into any House, any Inmates or Vnder-sitters, or any more families then one.  
That no person or persons, who shall erect a new House vpon, or within the Precincts of an old Foundation, shall divide the same into more Tenements, or several dwellings, then were used in the said former Houses.  
By the due observation of which several Articles, as the uniformity of the Buildings will bring much honour to the City, and grace and ornament both to the Streets thereof, and to the neighbour towns; So the Building with brick or ston will be more durable and more safe from the danger and casualties of fire, and withall, the reducing of all sorts of Houses to this order, and the present removing of Inmates and Vnder-sitters, according to this Direction, will in short time discontinue, and take away the many Cottages, Sheds, and base places of habitation in by-lanes and backe-streets, whereby the City, Suburbs, and Confines will become more suitable, and less subject to that danger of sickness and Infection, which by the unwholesome pestering of multitudes of poor people together, is now threatened against the same.  
And therefore His majesty, vpon mature and deliberate consideration taken of the premises, doth straitly charge and command, all and every person or persons of whatsoever degree, quality, or condition he or they be, That he, they, and every of them, do well and truly observe and keep all and singular the Articles before specified, in all things to them respectively belonging, as they will avoid his majesties high displeasure, and such further penalties and punishments, as their contempts and neglects herein shall demerit, and by his majesties prerogative royal, or otherwise, may be inflicted vpon them.  
And because the life of all good Constitutions and orders, standeth in the quick and due execution of them, as His majesty, out of his further Princely care and desire to haue this good work prosper and proceed according to his majesties most gracious intention, Hath chosen and appointed certain of the Lords of His privy council, and others, Gentlemen of quality, to be His Commissioners, to take special care of the same, and to see this His royal pleasure, so much concerning the public good, to be duly executed and performed; So His express charge and commandement is, as well to the said Commissioners, as to the Lord Maior, Recorder, and Aldermen of the said City of London, and all Iustices of Peace within the Counties of Middlesex, Essex, Kent, and Surrey, and all High Constables, petty Constables, Headboroughes, and other Officers, to whom it may appertain, That they and every of them in their several places and offices, respectively, do diligently and duly attend to give their uttermost aid, help, and assistance, according to their duties concerning the premises: And where they, or any of them shall find any offence to be committed against any Branch or Article of this Proclamation, to make certificate thereof to the Lords of Our privy council, whom Wee require to use all fitting care, providence and endeavour, to correct and reform the same, or else to give speedy notice thereof in writing, to Our attorney general, whom Wee do hereby command and authorize, to prosecute and proceed against all, and every the offender and offenders aforesaid, in the said Court of Star-chamber, That by the Sentence of that High and Honourable Court, they may be better taught to know, and to do their duties, and both themselves and others by their example, be brought to that conformity, which His majesty expecteth and requireth.  
given at the Court at White-Hall, the second day of May, in the first year of His majesties reign of Great britain, France, and Ireland. 
 God save the King.   

¶ Printed at London by Bonham Norton and John Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent majesty. M.DC.XXV.