WYllyam Cecill knight , high Stewarde of the Citie of Westminster , and Ambrose Caue knight , Chauncelour of the Duchye of Lancaster , two of the priuie counsell to the Quenes moste excellent Maiestie : To the Baylyffe , Headboroughes , Constables , and other officers within the sayde Citie , or within the liberties of the Duchye of Lancaster within the sayde Citie , greetyng . Knowe ye that our sayde soueraigne Lady the Quene , hauyng compassion of the estate of that her Citie , because of the long visitation therof with the plague , and beyng desirous that it myght please almightie God to continue the inclination of his mercy towardes the same , by ceassing of the infection therof vtterly , so as the assemblees of her Iustices and ministers , myght returne thyther safely , to minister Iustice and lawe , and all others her good louyng subiectes to repayre also thyther , and receaue comfort therof , according to the necessitie of theyr causes , and as heretofore hath ben accustomed : Hath therfore thought meete and agreable to the wyll of almightie God , to cause all maner of good orders that may be deuysed for this purpose , to be spedyly and duely executed . For whiche purpose , by her Maiesties expresse commaundement geuen to vs , both by her gracious speache and letters : We to whom the gouernaunce of the sayde Citie vnder her Maiestie doth belong , in the ryght of our sayde seuerall offices aboue mentioned , do wyll and strayghtly commaunde you , that you shall accordyng to the good example of the orders deuised by the ryght honorable the Lorde Maior of the Citie of London , and the Aldermen of the same , publishe this our order folowyng , and the same cause to be duely obserued and kept .

Fyrst , we wyll and commaunde you in the name of our sayde soueraigne Lad the Quene , that all and euery person , now kepyng , or that hereafter shall kepe any mansion house , Inne , lodgyng , or shoppe , within that Citie or liberties , beyng at this present , or that hereafter shal be visited with the plague , or that hath ben visited within twenty dayes before this present daye : do forthwith after the publication hereof , shutte vp both theyr dores and wyndowes towardes the streates or common wayes , by the space of fortie dayes , then next ensuyng , from the last tyme of the visitation or such sicknes of any person within theyr sayde house or shoppe , and that nother the owner , master , or keper of the same house or shoppe , nor any person belongyng to the same house , at any tyme within the same space , go forth of the same , or procure or permit any person , beyng cleane or whole , and not infected with the sayde ●●●tagious sicknes , to resort or come into theyr house or shoppe , vppon payne to be committed to the op●● stockes , and there to abyde the space of seuen dayes , or lesse , or more , as the Bayliffe and Headboroughes and head Constables of the Paryshe shall thynke meete : and after that , to be committed to the commen gayle , there to remayne vntyll the ende of fortie dayes , from the tyme of the fyrst committing to the stockes , without bayle or maynpryse . And yet because Christian charitie requireth , that yf it shall happen that the keper or owner of the house or shoppe , which shal be thus shutte vp as afore is saide , be so poore as the same cannot without some reliefe of other good people , abyde in theyr houses , and susteyne them selues and famyly with necessary victuell and fuell : Therfore the sayde officers aforesayde , with the Curate of euery paryshe , and the Churchwardens of the same , shall cause a collection to be made euery Sunday , or oftener , of the charitie of all the inhabitauntes of the paryshe , and shall appoynt and order certayne honest charitable persons , with the sayde collections , to relieue the sayde poore infected persons , with suche kynde of victuell and fuell , as shal be mete and requisite for the persons so shutte vp and forbidden to come abrode , duryng the foresayde space of fortie dayes .

AND further , where it is euidently knowen that in the sayde Citie of Westminster , there be greater numbres of people inhabytyng , and as it were swarmyng in euery rome , than can reasonably haue theyr sustentation by theyr honest labours or trade of lyuyng , by reason that for gredinesse and lucre ▪ many owners or tenauntes of houses , do take in to them other inhabitauntes and famylyes , to dwell in some part of theyr chambers , shoppes , cellers , or leanetooes , paying for the same also suche excessyue wekely , or other kynde of rentes , as they can not maynteyne them selues without sekyng the same by sundry kyndes of disorder . For remedy wherof , there hath ben in that Citie auncient good orders and burges lawes prouided : Therfore it is ordered , that all maner of persons that dwell in any house , which hath serued within these twelue monethes but for one household , shall suffer no persons , other then such as shal be without fraude knowen to be part of theyr famylye , to dwell and abyde , otherwyse then gestes do in Innes , or strangers do hyre theyr lodgynges for some small tyme , in any part of theyr sayde houses , after the .x. of Apryll next : but that other the one or the other famylye shall remoue from thence , and the whole house , with the chambers , shoppes , and cellers , shal be occupyed but with one ruler , master , or keper , and one famylye thereto belongyng , vppon payne that whosoeuer shall do to the contrary , shal be punyshed accordyng to the auncient orders in that behalfe heretofore deuised . And if that shall not be sene sufficient , further remedy shal be by order prouided , as to such a case is requisite .