WILLIAM by Gods Providence Archbishop of Canterbury , Primate and Metropolitane of all England , one of his Majesties most Honourable Priuie Councill , Chancellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxon sendeth Greeting , in our Lord God Euerlasting . Whereas by the Customes , Liberties , and Priuiledges of this Vniuersitie of Oxon , by Kings , and Queenes , of this Realme of England granted , and by Acts of Parliament confirmed , vnto the said Vniuersitie , amongst other noble Priuiledges , and fauours , the Clerkshippe of the Market within the said Vniuersitie , and the allowing , approuing , and correcting of Weights and Measures , and the well ordering , and gouerning of the said Market , for the benefit of of the said Vniuersitie , and the Buyers and Sellers therein , is granted and confirmed to the Chancellour , Masters , and Scholars of the said Vniuersitie of Oxon , and the execution thereof to the Chancellour , or his Deputie , the Vicechancellour of the said Vniuersitie for the time being . Forasmuch therefore as We plainely perceaue , many good Orders and Rules heretofore published , by our Predecessours by Proclamation , and otherwise touching the well gouerning of the said Market , to take small effect , because they are either forgotten , or else contemned , by diverse greatly against the common good of this Vniuersitie , and Cittie of Oxon , only for their private gaine , for present redresse of all which Enormities and Abuses , we streightly Charge and Command , that no manner of Person , or Persons whatsoeuer , doe from henceforth by any manner of meanes Forestall , Regrat , or ingrosse any manner of Corne , Flesh , Tallow , Candles , Fish , Butter , Cheese , Eggs , Piggs , Geese , Capons , Chickins , Wood , Fewell , or any other Provision whatsoeuer belonging vnto the said Market , nor by any other Cunning shifts , and Frauds in any sort , hurt , or abuse the said Market , vpon Paine and Punishment by the Lawes , and Statutes of this Realme , and by the Statutes , Priviledges , and Customes of this Vniuersitie , Limited and Appointed . And to the intent that good Order be kept concerning the Premises : We will and Command all Inhabitants of the Vniuersitie , and Cittie of Oxon , and others , Buyers and Sellers , that repaire to the said Market , duely to obserue and fullfill these Articles following . Viz : &c.

IMprimis , That no Badger , Carrier , Poulterer , Hucster , or any other Person or Persons , bringing any kind of Victualls to be sold in the Market , holden and kept in the Cittie of Oxon , doe sell , or compact , or agree to sell , his , or their Victualls , or any part thereof , before all and every part of the same be placed , to be sold in open Market , vpon payne of forfeiting for euery such offence , tenne shillings .

Item That no Badger , Carryer , Loader , Poulterer , or any other Person or Persons , bringing any kind of Graine , or Victualls to be sold in this Market , shall carry , or cause to be carryed , any of the same out of the open Market-Place , to any Victualler , Inholder , Hucster , or any other Person , or keepe or retaine , any of the said Victualls for any Inholder , Victualler , Hucster , or any other such like , but that euery person willing to buy any of the said Victualls , may at all times buy so much as will serue for his necessary vse , vpon paine of forfeiting for euery such offence , tenne shillings : And farther to be punished for Contempt .

Item . That no Person from henceforth doe sell , or put to sale , any Faggots , Billets , or Coales , but those that are of the true Assize , and full measure , according to the Statutes of this Realme , and that the Markes and Assizes of the said Billets and Faggots be not altered , vnder paine of forfeiting , tenne shillings .

Item That no Ale-brewer , nor Beere-brewer , doe sell any Ale or Beere to any Victualler , or Ale-house-keeper , or other , to sell againe which haue no lawfull Licence , vnder paine of forfeiting six shillings eight pence , for euery Barrell of Beere or Ale so sold.

Item That no Persons which selleth Wine within this Vniuersitie , from henceforth shall set Abroach any kind of Wine to be sold , before the Chancellour or his Deputie , or other officer appointed for that purpose haue tasted , tryed , and allowed the same to be good and vendible , or shall after such tast thereof any way embase , blend , or corrupt , vnder paine of forfeiting , twentie shillings , for every Vessell of Wine so set Abroach , contrary to this present Proclamation .

Item That all and singular Vintners , and Winesellers , within this Vniuersitie and Cittie of Oxon , from time to time , and at all times doe sell their Wines in their seuerall kinds , at such reasonable prizes , as the said Chancellour or his Deputie , shall prescribe or limit , vpon paine by the Statutes of this Realme in that behalfe provided . And farther vnder the like Paine , that no Person aforesaid doe sell any Wine , in any other Potts , sauing only such as hold Measure , and are sealed and allowed by the said Chancellour , or his Deputies , the Clerkes of the Market .

Item That no Butcher , or Butchers , Cooke , or Cookes , Chandler , or any other Person whatsoeuer inhabiting the Vniuersitie , Cittie , or Suburbs of Oxford , shall sell their Tallow to any Forreiner , vpon paine of forfeiting the Value thereof .

Item That all manner of Butchers dwelling or inhabiting , out of this Vniuersitie or Cittie of Oxon , and bringing or causing to be brought , any Victualls to be sold in this Market , shall also bring their Hides , Fells , and Tallow , belonging to the said Victualls , so by them brought to be sold , and shall sell the same , if any will haue them at the Prize limited , vnder paine of forfeiting for every such offence , six shillings eight pence . And farther that every such Butcher , who hath not his said Hides , Fells , and Tallow , at twelue of the Clocke in the Fore-noone shewed in the Market , shall at that time be adiudged not to haue brought them , and so incurre the penalty aforesaid .

Item That no Chandler shall sell any Candles , Cotten or Wieke , aboue such rates and prizes , as shall be set and limited , from time to time , by the said Chancellour , Vice-chancellour , or his Deputie , vnder paine to forfeit for every such offence , tenne shillings .

Item It shall not be lawfull for any Person , or Persons whatsoeuer , to Traffique , Merchandize , buy or sell by any Weights and Measures within this Vniuersitie and Cittie of Oxon , or Suburbs of the same , except such Weights and Measures be found lawfull , approued and Sealed by the said Chancellour , his Deputie , or Deputies , the Clerkes of this Market , vpon paine of forfeiture for euery such offence , twentie shillings , and all such false Weights and Measures to be vtterly destroyed .

Item That all manner of Persons , that bring any Corne or Graine to the Market , of this Vniuersitie and Cittie of Oxon to be sold , shall measure the same with the common Market-Bushels , and Measures , & in the Market-place , and not with any other Bushells , or Measures , nor any other where . And whereas We vnderstand , that diverse of the Cittie of Oxford , inhabiting in , or neere the said Corne-market , haue lately of their owne will , without any approbation from Vs , or our Vice-chancellour , taken vpon them to keepe and set forth on Market-dayes , publique Bushells and Measures , for the measuring of Corne and Graine , and take Tole for the same , without stint or limitation , sometimes a Pint and halfe , and sometimes a Quart for the measuring of a Bushell , whereas the ancient and laudable Due is , but the quantity of a quarter of a Pint at the most for such Measure : And also that diverse Malsters , Bakers , and Brewers , doe keepe in their private houses two Bushells , a bigger wherewith to buy , and a lesser to sell , whereby the Country people that bring in their Corne and Graine to the said Vniuersitie , are deterred to furnish the said Market , in regard that the Measure of Graine , will not hold out fully with the said great Bushells . We therefore for the future prevention of the said Inconveniences , and for the better governement of the said Market , that there bee no fraud vsed , doe by these Presents , straightly prohibite the Inhabitants of the Vniuersitie and Cittie of Oxon , and all others resorting to that Market , from keeping and setting forth any publique Bushell , or any other Measure , or to receaue any Tole or profit for the same : And also all Malsters , Bakers , and Brewers , from keeping in their houses , any more then one lawfull and sealed Bushell , by which they shall sell , as well as buy .

Item That to provide a sufficient and convenient remedie for the premises . We haue by our Letters Pattents vnder our Seale , appointed Christopher Divall Inhabitant within the said Vniuersitie , to looke vnto the cleansing , and sweet keeping the Corne-market-place , and to provide a competent and sufficient number of Bushells , and other Measures , to be approued and Sealed by vs , or our Deputies the Clerkes of the Market , to measure the Corne and Graine brought to the said Market , and to take and receaue the iust and due Tole for the same , Viz: a Quarter of a Pint for every Bushell and not aboue : And We will and require , that no Buyer or Seller , or Inhabitant within the Vniuersitie or Cittie of Oxon , not exempt from paying of Tole , doe hinder , denie , or molest , Him the said Christopher Divall , in the due and lawfull execution of the said office , and taking the said Tole vnder penaltie to be punished , as contemners of the Priviledges and Liberties of this Vniuersitie , and the government of the same .

Item It shall not be lawfull for any Hucster , liuing and inhabiting within the Vniuersitie or Cittie of Oxon , and Suburbs of the same , or any other Person whatsoeuer vnder colour of buying , keeping or making provision for any Colledge or Hall of this Vniuersitie , or for any other Person whatsoeuer Priviledged or not , or vnder any other pretence to buy , obtaine , or get into his hands or possession in this Market , or within foure Miles thereof , any Piggs , Geese , Capons , Hennes , Chickens , Conies , Fish , Butter , Cheese , Eggs , or other Victuall whatsoeuer , to sell the same againe in this Market , or within foure Miles thereof , or to dispose of the same otherwise then for his owne vse and spending . And because Hucsters haue proued the Baine of the Market , and their cunning devises by any former Rules and Orders heretofore published , haue not beene sufficiently met withall : We doe therefore hereby straightly Prohibite , all and every Hucster aforesaid , from bringing or placing their Wares , Victualls , and Provisions , though bought without the foure Miles afore mentioned , to be sold in the common Market-place , Viz: vpon or neere CARFOX , or Penny-loes-bench , but that they keepe and containe themselues for the vttering their said Wares and Provisions in one proper place , to be appointed and assigned from time to time , by vs or our Deputies , which place for the present We appoint and assigne , to be vnder the West-wall of Christ-church , betweene the great Gate thereof and CARFOX , only so farre as that Wall reacheth . And in case any Hucster aforesaid , shall presume to place his said Wares and Provisions , or put the same to sale elsewhere , then in the place formerly appointed & assigned , ( Viz: ) vnder Christ-church-wall , or shall otherwise breake or violate any part , or clause of this Article ; for every time so offending , he shall incurre the penalties of the Statutes of this Realme in that behalfe provided , and be farther proceeded against as a Contemner of the Liberties and Priviledges of this Vniuersitie , and the Government of the same .

Item Whereas the greedie , and over hasty coveting of Victualls in the Buyer , hath beene a great meanes to encourage , and cherish Hucsters , it shall not be lawfull for any Person or Persons whatsoeuer , to buy of any Hucster any manner of Provision aforesaid , elsewhere then in the Place formerly appointed and assigned by Vs , nor before the same be brought and placed there openly to be sold , vpon paine of forfeiting for every such said offence , tenne shillings , and farther to be punished for Contempt .

Item That if any Butcher , Baker , Brewer , Poulterer , Cooke , Manciple , Fruiterer , Hucster , or any other Person whatsoeuer , shall be convinced to conspire against any Article , Clause , or Branch of this Proclamation , whereby the same may not be duely executed according to the true meaning thereof , then every such Conspiratour so convinced , shall be punished according to the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme .

And to the intent that every man to whom it appertaineth might know his dutie , and not by Ignorance thereof , incurre any of the said Penalties , We doe straightly Charge and Command , that no manner of Person whatsoeuer , doe Rent , Teare , or pluck downe , or any way deface this Proclamation , or any Parcell thereof , but shall suffer it continually to remaine in his Place , vnder Paine of Imprisonment , and such other punishment , as shall be thought fit to be executed , vpon all and every the transgressour of this Commandement .