At the Board of Green Cloth,
in Windsor Castle,
this 7th day of May, 1683.
Whereas of late a sort of vicious, idle, and masterless boyes and rogues,
commonly called the Black-guard, with divers other lewd and loose fellowes,
vagabonds, vagrants, and wandering men and women, do usually haunt and
follow the Court, to the great dishonour of the same, and as Wee are
informed have been the occasion of the late dismall fires that happened in
the towns of Windsor and Newmarket, and have, and frequently do commit
divers other misdemeanours and disorders in such places where they resort,
to the prejudice of His Majesty's subjects, for the prevention of which
evills and misdemeanours hereafter, Wee do hereby strictly charge and
command all those so called the Black-guard as aforesaid, with all other
loose, idle, masterless men, boyes, rogues, and wanderers, who have
intruded themselves into His Majesty's Court or stables, that within the
space of twenty-four houres next after the publishing of this order, they
depart, upon pain of imprisonment, and such other punishments as by law are
to be inflicted on them.
(Signed)
ORMOND.
H. BULKELEY.
H. BROUNCKER.
RICH. MASON.
STE. FOX.
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