THE spreading of the Infection in our Citie of London , and in the places next about it , doeth giue vs iust cause to be as prouident as a carefull Prince can bee , to take away all occasion of increasing the same . And if such directions as We gaue , and our Councell , at our first approching to the Citie , had bene obeyed , it is like that ( with Gods fauour ) the Sickenesse had neither growen to that height , nor spread so farre as now it is . But that hauing bene omitted by the negligence of such whom it most concerned to haue had it performed , The same care of our peoples welfare , mooueth vs as much as we may , to prouide for the time to come . And forasmuch as there are at hand two notable Faires , vnto which there is vsually extraordinary resort out of all parts of the Kingdome , one in Smithfield neere our City of London , commonly called Bartlemew Faire , and the other neere Cambridge commonly called Sturbridge Faire , which if they should be held at the vsual times , would in all likelyhood be the occasion both of the increase , and of dispersing of the Contagion into all the parts of our Realme : We haue thought good by open declaration of our pleasure , not onely to admonish , and to require all our louing Subiects , to forbeare to resort at this time to any of the said two Faires , of Bartlemew neere London , and of Sturbridge , but also to enioyne to the Lords of the said Faires , and others interessed therein , and of al other Faires within fiftie miles of our City of London , that they shall not holde the saide Faires , nor any thing appertayning to them , at the times accustomed , nor any time till they shall be licensed by vs , vpon paine of such punishment , as for a contempt so much concerning the vniuersall safetie of our people , they shal be adiudged to deserue , Which they shall be assured that Wee will cause to be inflicted vpon them with all seueritie . For such is our desire to preuent an vniuersall Contagion among our people , which this Infection threatneth , as We will not spare any one who shal be cause of dispersing such an euil among them . And we do further charge and enioyne vnder like penaltie , to all Citizens and inhabitants of our City of London , that none of them shall repaire to any Faires held within any part of this Realme , vntill it shall please God to cease the Infection now reigning amongst them .