WHereas our Sove­raigne Lord the Kings most Excel­lent Maiesty hath been gratiously plea­sed, by His Royall Letters Patents under the Great Seale of England; To Incorporate (together vvith us) the Distillers &c. in and about Lon­don, into one intire body politique, [Page 2] and Company of Distillers of Lon­don. And amongst divers powers and immunities unto us and our suc­cessours by the said Letters Patents granted, His Maiesty hath therein given speciall command, That a Book of Rules and Directions con­cerning Distillation of Strong-wa­ters, &c. and making Vinegars, &c. should be compiled, and by us ap­proved and allowed: as by the sayd Letters Patents or Charter of In­corporation, more at large doth ap­peare. In obedience to his High­nesse sayd Commands, this present Book hath been composed, entitu­led THE DISTILLER OF LONDON. VVhich Book and the Rules and Directions therein contayned, wee have examined and corrected, and doe well approve and allow of the same, and every part thereof; signi­fying [Page 3] and declaring, to the whole Company of Distillers and their suc­cessours, (and whomsoever else the same may concern) That the Rules and Directions therein contayned, are good and warrantable; and may safely be followed and practised, by all the members of this Company, and their successours, in preparing, composing, distilling, and making the severall kinds and sorts of wares therein nominated and expressed, (and others of like nature) and these severall kinds and sorts of wares and merchantdizes, being according­ly, duly ordered and made; cannot be otherwise, than good, sound, and warrantably merchantable; and such as may very well serve, to and for most uses and occasions, whereunto any of those kinds and sorts of wares and commodities, are or may bee re­quired; [Page 4] aswell for spending within any of His Maiesties Realmes, Do­minions, and Plantations, &c. as for victualling of Ships for any voyage or undertaking whatsoever, or wheresoever: and for transportation by way of merchandise, into any the parts beyond the Seas, in the usuall way of commerce and trade. In confirmation of the reallity here­of, we have hereunto subscribed our Names.

IT hath been observed in all ages, that the most excellent of Humane Arts, that ever were invented by the inge­nuity of Men of the most infallible judgements, that even those Arts have not retained their first perfection longer, than they have been confined within the limits of their Au­thors, or like Artists practice. For no sooner have they been divulged abroad, amongst the inconsiderate multitude, and so become the subject of their im­ployments, [Page 6] but those Arts have been thereby expo­sed to eminent danger, of being corrupted through blind Ignorance, or wilfull Error. Among the rest, (as a hereditary evill incident to all Arts) it may as truely be said of this Art and Mystery, the subject of our discourse; for no sooner was the practice there­of, taken up as the last refuge of men inexpert, and of decayed fortunes: (who have (in all times) been ushered in, and instructed by such as themselves.) But forthwith it fell extreamely short of its former excellent esteem, and true perfection; and by degrees is grown so deformed, that Artists either doe not, or rather are ashamed to acknowledge it, to be the same thing, so strangely is it transformed. But our inten­tions are not to obraid the ignorance or folly of any, but rather endeavour the information & direction of such of our members (as wanting the true knowledge of this Art) have runne into errours and absordities in their practices. And for our more orderly proceed­ing in that behalfe, have first made diligent search, to discover and finde out the causes of these confused disorders, both in the trade, and amongst the practi­tioners. And finde them principally to arise from want of power to regulate the true professours, and meanes to suppresse, or at least stop the current of the disorderly and inordinate intrusion of Inter­lopers into the practice of this Art: who by their prepostrous wayes of working, and frequent use of base and unsound materialls, have brought scandall, [Page 7] not onely upon the works of this Art, (the wares) but also on the Art, and Artists themselves. For sup­pression and future prevention of such delinquents, and their erronious wayes; and releife, and reforma­tion, of the present DISTILLERS, and their lawfull successours. His Majesty hath been graciously plea­sed, to supply us with the meanes to performe both: By Incorporating us, into one intire body politick, and granting us and our successours, powers and immuni­ties, tending to reformation, and good government for time to come. And being thus enabled by his Majesties favour: and in obedience also to his High­nesse Royall Commands, (in the said Letters Pa­tents) VVe have prepared and made ready, these Rules and Directions following, aptly fitted and com­posed, for the imitation and practice of all the mem­bers of this Company, and their successours. And having therein rejected and utterly forbidden, the use of base unsound materialls and ingredients, and taken away the abusive use, or misimployment, of those that are sound and warrantable. Jt now remaines that you, together with us, doe henceforth yeeld all ready conformity, to these instructions and directions, and rightly and duly put the same in pra­ctice. And as we, (with constant resolutions) have hitherto undergone the care and trouble, of procuring things tending to reformation and settled govern­ment of the Company; so now we expect (as justly we may) that you will second us, cheerefully with your [Page 8] best abilities, to perfect and establish this good work. Jn this book wee have purposely incisted, principally on the most inferiour and ordinary sorts of wares, such as are most usually required for trade and com­merce, forraigne and domistick. And therein have applyed our selves, to accommodate all sorts of people, that shall have occasion to use our wares. And here it is not amisse by way of admonition, to give a touch of what you are (by our Charter and Ordinances) strictly required and enjoyned to observe and doe: that is, That neither the present Members of this Company, nor any of them, nor any of our successours at any time hereafter, under any pretence whatsoe­ver: Doe presume to distill or make any of the kindes or sorts of wares here expressed, or any other sorts of like nature, any way meaner, weaker, or otherwayes inferiour to those here prescribed. (For, by yeelding to humour some sorts of people in that particular, of making poore conditioned wares, it hath been the ve­ry bane of the Trade, and scandall to the Art, and Artists.) But you are not denyed the making of any of these, or like kindes and sorts of wares and mer­chandizes (according to Art) as much better, richer, or stronger, as you please. And to that purpose we have heere made provision, in some competent manner, to furnish you with Rules and Directions to distill and make richer and higher prized wares and merchan­dizes of those kindes: as also for enriching and bet­tering of divers of those meanest sorts here set down; [Page 9] either by addition of greater quantities of the same, or more sorts of ingredients; to the Rules whereunto those additions are properly referred: unto which, if any shall yet desire to adde more, or other ingredients; they ought to bee persons so qualified, and of such abilities, as are able to give an Artlike account for their so doing: others, by tampering, pretending to amend, will rather indanger spoyling all. VVe are here to admonish both our present members and suc­cessors also, to disclaime the abusive practices of some of the professors of our Art: who, either by giving their undeserving wares, appellations of note, proper only to the best approved Authors rules and compositions, of this kind, purposely to delude the buyers, by such their false glosses; or else by adding to their warrant­able wares, impertinent (if not rediculous) titles: to the former (or worse) ends. These abuses (being of scandalous nature) if henceforth any shall presume to commit, they are to expect sharp reprehention, if not punishment, for their folly and deceipt. Also all the present members of the Company, and our suc­cessours, are to take speciall notice, That they are by the Ordinances, as also by their Oathes, strictly re­quired, To place the true and proper names and titles of every sore of wares (made ready and fitted for sale) respectively, upon each particular vessell con­taining those wares, standing in their Shops or else­where: As also, on all such vessells of wares as shall be put up for sale, or sold; in some evident place, & le­gible [Page 10] manner, that it may be visible to all whom it may concerne: and that they also place their owne proper Mark (allowed them out of the Hall) on all the vessels contayning the wares they sell, in manner as by our Charter and Ordinances is required. And now to returne to such as desire to imitate the best appro­ved Authors in their titles; let not such doe those Au­thors the injury, to deprive them of the least jot of the true compositions proper to those titles; nor alter the nature of their excellent things, by unartlike or prepostrous working. If you vary in any particular from their Rules, bee sure to adde to the excellency and goodnesse of the thing, else let their prescripti­ons be intire: otherwise you may undergoe a censure, and deservedly suffer for your errours. And here our duty requires us all (that are Distillers by profession and Trade) to acknowledge with thankfulnesse, the great care and industry (in adding of divers excellent Rules hereunto, and circumspect perusall and cor­rection of this Book) performed by the Right VVor­shipfull Sir Theodore de Mayerne Knight, First Physitian to the King and Queens most Excellent Majesty, Founder and perpetuall principall Assistant of this Company of Distillers: And the Right VVor­shipfull Doctor Thomas Cademan, Physitian to the Queens most Excellent Majesty, First, and present Master of the same Company. And now least we frame our gate over large for our little City, wee shall con­clude with this one admonition, That seeing we have [Page 11] here forbidden the use of unsound materials and in­gredients, and prescribed for use, only such as are sound and warrantable. If any member of this Com­pany or their successours, having these Directions (which all must have and observe, that intend to pra­ctice this Art) shall yet notwithstanding, make un­marchantable wares, of any of these kindes, (or any other of like nature) or wares any way inferiour to these prescriptions: Such may deservedly, not only un­dergoe the censure of palpable ignorance, or malicious wilfulnesse; but also justly suffer whatsoever by the Lawes of the Kingdome, Ordinances of the Company, or otherwise, may be imposed or inflicted on them, for their delinquency. And so in assured confidence of the respective and willing conformity of you all, in all things; doe bid you all, heartily farewell.