Westminster, Mr Justice Southcote, and others, but by Omission left out in these Letters. Being met, the Recorder shewed unto the Assistants certain Points that the Lord Treasurer in time past gave them for keeping good Order; Viz. Playes, unlawful Games, Fence-Schools, Vagabonds and such like, to be supprest; to have a vigilant Eye to the Plague, and to the Watches, and to lay Privy Searches. The Benefit of which appeared, that at the last Privy-Search, Mr. Fisher and the Recorder took above Sixty Rogues, being all of the Country. They sent them alway at their peril.; and some were well whipped.

The Encreasing of the City by Buildings and Inmates, was look'd upon as very dangerous to the City, and of very ill Consequence. Wherefore the Queen at the Cities desire, set forth this following Proclamation.

THE Quéenes Maiestie, perceiuing the state of the Citie of London, (being aunciently termed her Chambre) and the suburbes and confines thereof, to increase dayly by accesse of people to inhabite in the same, in such ample sort, as thereby many inconueniences are séene already, but many greater of necessitie like to followe, being such as her Majestie cannot neglect to remedie, hauing the principall care vnder Almightie God to foresée aforehand, to haue her people in such a Citie and confines, not onely well gouerned by ordinarie Justice, to serve God, and obey her Maiestie, which by reason of such multitudes lately increased, can hardly be done without deuise of mo newe jurisdictions and officers for that purpose, but to be also prouided of sustentation of victuall, foode, and other like necessaries for mans life vpon reasonable prices, without which no Citie can long continue: And finally to the preseruation of her people in health, which may séeme impossible to continue, though presently by Gods goodnes the same is perceiued to be in better estate vniuersally, then hath bene in mans memorie: yet where there are such great multitudes of people brought to inhabite in small roomes, whereof a great part are séene very poore, yea, such as must liue of begging or by worse means, and they heaped vp together, and in a sort smothered with many families of children and seruantes in one house or small tenement, it must néedes followe (if any plague or popular sicknes shoulde by Gods permission, enter amongst those multitudes) that the same would not onely spread it selfe and inuade the whole Citie and confines, as great mortalitie shoulde ensue to the same, where her Maiesties personall presence is many times required, besides the great confluence of people from all partes of the Realme by reason of the ordinarie Termes for Justice there holden, but woulde be also dispersed through all other partes of the Realme, to the manifest danger of the whole body thereof, out of the which neither her Maiesties owne person can be (but by Gods speciall ordinance) exempted, nor any other whatsoeuer they be. For remedie whereof, as time may nowe serue, vntill by some further good order to be had in Parliament or otherwise, the same may be remedied: Her Majestie by good and deliberate aduise of her counsell, and being also thereunto mooued by the considerate opinions of the Lord Maior, Aldermen, and other the graue wise men on and about the Citie, doth charge, and straightly command all maner of persons of what qualitie soeuer they be, to desist and forbeare from any newe buildings of any house or tenement, within three miles from any of the gates of the sayde Citie of London, to serue for habitation or lodging for any person, where no former house hath bene knowen to haue bene, in the memorie of such as are now liuing, And also to forbeare from letting or setting, or suffring any more families then one onely to be placed or to inhabite from hencefoorth in any house that heretofore hath bene inhabited.

And to the intent this her Majesties Royal commandment and necessary prouision may take place and be duely obserued, for so vniversall a benefice to the whole body of the Realme, for whose respects all particular persons are bound by Gods lawe and mans, to forbeare from their particular and extraordinarie lucre: Her Majeste straightly chargeth the Lorde Maior of the Citie of London, and all other Officers having authoritie in the same, and also all justices of peace, Lordes, and Bailifes of liberties, not being within the iurisdiction of the said Lorde Maior of London, to foresee that no person do begin to prepare any foundation for any new house, tenement, or building, to serue, to receive, or hold any inhabitants to dwell or lodge, or to use any victualling therein, where no fomer habitation hath bene in memorie of such as now doe live: but that they be prohibited and restrained so to do. And both the persons that shall so attempt to the contrary, and all manner of workmen that shall (after warning giuen) continue in any such worke tending to such newe buildings, to be committed to close prison, and there to remaine without baile, vntill they find good sureties with bondes for reasonable summes of money (to be forfaitable and recouered at her majesties suite, for the use of the Hospitals in and about the said citie,) that they shall not at any time attempt the like. And further the said officers shall seaze all manner of stuffe so (after warning giuen) brought to the place where such newe buildings shalbe intended, and the same cause to be conuerted and employed in any publicke vse for the Citie or parishe where the same shalbe attempted. And for the auoyding of the multitudes of families heaped up in one dwelling house, or for the conuerting of any one house into multitude of such tenements for dwelling or victualling places, the saide Lorde Maior and all other officers, in their seueral liberties within the limites of three miles, as aboue mentioned, shall commit any person giuing cause of offence from the day of the publication of this present proclamation, to close prison, as is afore limited. And also for the offences in this part of increase of many indwellers, or as they be commonly termed, Inmates, or vndersitters, which haue beene suffered within these seuen yeeres, contrary to the good auncient lawes or customes of the Citie, or of the Boroughes and Parishes within the foresaid limite of three miles afore mentioned, the said Lord Maior and other the officers aboue mentioned, shall spéedily cause to be redressed in their ordinarie courtes and lawe dayes, betwixt this and the feast of all Saintes next coming. Within which times such undersitters, or Inmates, may prouide themselues other places abroade in the Realme, where many houses rest vnhabited, to the decay of diuers auncient good Boroughes and Townes. And because her Maiestie intendeth to haue this ordinance duely executed: her pleasure is, that the said Lord Maior of London, and other the officers hauing iurisdiction within the said space of three miles aboue mentioned, shall after the proclamation hereof, as spéedily as they may, méete in some conuenient places néere to the said Citie, and there (after conference had) accord among themselues, how to procéede to the execution hereof. And if cause shall so require, to impart to her Maiesties priuie counsell any let or impediment that may arise, to the intent that remedy be giuen to any such impediment, according to her Maiesties pleasure heretofore expressed.

Giuen at Nonesuch the seuenth day of July, 1580. in the two and twentieth yeere of her Maiesties reigne.     
God saue the QUEENE.

Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker, Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie.