affectedly, that he might tell James, by her youthful disposition, how unlikely he was to come to the throne he so much thirsted after *." During The hospitality, and the price of provisions, of this age, are ascertained by the account of the expence of queen Elizabeth's table for one day · "The queene's majesty's dyett, A. D. 1576, A. 18. reginæ Elizabethæ." A declaration made as well of the ordinary dyett of the queene's majesty's booke, signed with her own hand; as also of the extraordinary whiche hathe been dailye servid unto her majestie in sondrie offices, as followeth : "Sunday, the 19th of November, anno 18o Regina Elizabethæ. Breakfast. 6 "Sunday Dinner, the 19th of November, Anno ut supra. The queene's majesty's booke. First Course Cheate and mancheate, six The queene's majesty's daylye service" Cheate and mancheate, fourteen 8 First Course. During the reign of this illustrious monarch, several plans were promoted for the comfort and convenience of the citizens; they are curious documents at the present period, and are added literatim, as an Appendix, from the originals, as published in Strype's edition of Stow's Survey of London, from the report of Fleetwood the recorder, to the queen. Sunday Supper, the 19th of November, Anno ut supra. The queene's majesty's daylye service] es 12 18 The queene's majesty's booke. The increase of the city by buildings and inmates, being considered very dangerous, the queen, at the desire of the magistrates, set forth the following proclamation: "Proclamation against NEW BUILDINGS and INMATES. "THE QUEEN'S MAJESTY perceiving the state of the city of London, being anciently termed her Chamber, and the suburbs and confines thereof, to increase daily by N.B. Cheate and mancheate, are understood to be household and white bread. Harl. MSS. No. 609. accesse accesse of people to inhabit in the same, in such ample sort, as thereby many inconveniences are seen already, but many greater of necessity like to follow, being such as her majesty cannot neglect to remedie, having the principal care under Almighty God to forsee, aforehand, to have her people in such a city and confines, not only well governed by ordinary justice, to serve God, and obey her majesty, which by reason of such multitudes, lately increased, can hardly be done without devise of new jurisdictions and officers for that purpose, but to be also provided of sustentation of victuall foode, and other like necessaries for man's life, upon reasonable prices, without which no city can long continue: And, finally, to the preservation of her people in health, which may seem impossible to continue, though presently by God's goodness the same is perceived to be in better estate universally, then hath been in man's memory; yet where there are such great multitudes of people brought to inhabite in small rooms, whereof a great part are seen very poor, yea, such as must live of begging or by worse means, and they heaped up together, and in a sort smothered, with many families of children and servants in one house or small tenement; it must needs follow, if any plague or popular sickness should, by God's permission, enter amongst those multitudes, that the same would not only spread itself and invade the whole city and confines, as great mortality should ensue to the same, where her majefty's personal presence is many times required, besides the great confluence of people from all parts of the realm, by reason of the ordinary terms for justice there holden, but would be also dispersed through all other parts of the realm, to the manifest danger of the whole body thereof, out of which neither her majesty's own person can be, but by God's special ordinance, exempted, nor any other whatsoever they be. For remedie whereof, as time may now serve, until, by some further good order to be had in parliament or otherwise, the same may be remedied: her majesty by good and deliberate aduise of her counsell, and being also thereto moued by the considerate opinions of the 5 lord lord mayor, alderman, and other the grave wise men in and about the city, doth charge and straightly command all manner of persons, of what qualitie soever they be, to desist and forbeare from any new buildings of any house or tene ́ments within three miles from any of the gates of the said city of London, to serue for habitation or lodging for any person, where no former house hath been known to have been, in the memory of such as are now living, and also to forbear from letting or setting, or suffering any more families than one only to be placed or to inhabit from henceforth, in any house that heretofore hath been inhabited. And to the intent, this her majesty's royal commandment and necessary provision may take place, and be duly observed, for so universal a benefit to the whole body of the realm, for whose respects all particular persons are bound by God's law and man's, to forbeare from their particular and extraordinary lucre: her majesty straightly chargeth the lord mayor of the city of London, and all other officers having authority in the same, and also all justices of peace, lords, and bailiffs of liberties, not being within the jurisdiction of the said lord mayor of London, to forsee that no person do begin to prepare any foundation for any new house, tenement, or building, to serve, to receive, or hold any inhabitants to dwell or lodge, or to use any victualling therein, where no former habitation hath been in the memory of such as now do 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 given, continue in any such work, tending to such new buildings, to be committed to close prison, and there to remain without bail, until they find good surities with bondes for reasonable sums of money, to be forfaitable and recovered at her majesty's suit, for the use of the hospitals in and about the said city, that they shall not at any time attempt the like. And further, the said officers shall seize all manner of stuff, so, after warning given, brought to the place where such new buildings shall be intended, and the same cause to be converted and employed in any public use for the city or parish' where |