HAuing of late bene earnestly petitioned by diuers of Our louing Subiects, aswell of the Growers and Breeders of Wooll, as the Merchants and Traders therein, and Clothiers and Conuerters thereof, to take into Our Princely care and consideration, the due and orderly disposing of the Woolls of this Our King­dome; We by the aduice of Our Priuie Councell, and Our Councell learned, haue maturely examined the Lawes of Our Kingdome in that behalfe made, and the Charters of the Staplers, concerning their power and interest in the Trade of buying and selling of Woolls; And haue also taken into Our Princely considera­tion the conueniencie of a middle hand betweene the Wooll Growers, and Conuerters thereof, that ioyning the respect of State & policy, with that of right and Law, We might resolue how the same might be setled most for the publique good of Our Subiects; And obseruing that Our famous progenitors, haue aswell by diuers Lawes, as by sundrie Charters made to the Societie of the Merchants of the Staple, prouided that there should be a continuall Trade or Merchandize of buying and selling the Woolls of this Kingdome, either within the Realme or without, to which purpose diuers Staples haue bene by them erected and assigned, as­well within the Realme, as beyond the Seas, as the present occasion of the State had required; And finding that the Merchants of the Staple haue power and authoritie by the Charter and free grant of Our deare sister Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie, to keepe the Staple of Woolls at Middelburgh, Bridges, and Bergen-op Zoom, which is neuerthelesse to be remoued and setled elswhere within Our Land or without, at the plea­sure of Vs, our Heires or Successors, vpon nine moneths warning giuen vnto the said Staplers vnder Our great Seale; And being resolued that it most tendeth to the generall good, that the Woolls of this Our Kingdome shall be wrought within Our Realme, To which end Wee minding to continue and establish a due and orderly meanes, aswel to furnish the Wool-growers with seueral sorts of Chapmen for their Wools, and also for the fit and timely dispersing and disposing thereof into all parts of this Our Realme, where it may be best vsed; And for that of ancient time the whole Trade and vse of Woolls within this Realme hath beene vnder the gouernement of the Maior and Societie of the Staple for the time being, (other then that which the Clothiers and Conuerters haue heretofore, and may still lawfully buy to conuert,) And that the said Staplers haue a gouernment established, both by the Lawes of this Kingdome, and by diuers Char­ters [Page]of Our famous Progenitors, with sworne Officers, as Wooll-winders, Porters, Packers, Searchers, Woolshuters, Correctors and the like, fit for the well vsing and ordering of their Trade, and for the preuen­ting of all frauds and deceits therein; By Our letters Patents lately made vnto them, Wee haue signified Our will and pleasure, That they the said Maior, Constables and Societie of Merchants of the Staple, and euery of them shall within nine moneths next after the date thereof, remooue themselues, their goods and seruants, and by vertue of Our said letters Patents, Wee haue declared for Vs our Heires and Successors, That the Staple of woolls shalbe and is remooued from the foresaid Townes of Middelburgh, Bridges, and Bergen op Zoom; And that from thencefoorth they and euery of them shall forbeare to cary any Woolls out of this Realme, to the said places, or to any other place whatsoeuer beyond the Seas; And by Our said letters Pattents aforesaid, We haue assigned and appointed, That the Staples shall hereafter bee kept within this Our Realme, at the seuerall Cities, Townes and places hereafter mentioned, Viz. At the Citie of London and the Suburbs thereof, at the cities of Canterbury, Exeter, Norwich, Worcester, Winchester, & Lincolne, And at the Townes of Shrewsbury, and Oswestrie in the Countie of Salop, Northampton, and Brackly in the Countie of North­hampton, Cirencester in the Countie of Gloucester; Reading in the Countie of Berks; Kendall in the Countie of West­merland, Sherborne in the Countie of Dorcet; Richmond, Hallifax, and Wakefield in the Countie of Yorke; Ratesdale in the Countie of Lancaster, Tanton Deane in the Countie of Somerset. Deuizes in the Countie of Wilts, Coggeshall in the Countie of Essex, And Woodstocke in the Countie of Oxon. And Wee haue likewise thereby granted and confirmed vnto the Maior, Constables and Societie of the Merchants of the Staple of England, and to their Successors, and to all and singular Merchants and others, which are or shal be of, and vnder the Free­dome and gouernment of the Societie of the Staple of England, full and free power, libertie and Authoritie to buy, bargaine and contract all maner of Woolls in all parts of this Kingdome of England, and Domi­nion of Wales, of all person and persons whatsoeuer, and the same to vtter and put to Sale in any of the said Staple-markets, cities or Townes without any impeachment, restraint or condition in that behalfe.

Notwithstanding the Statute made in the fifth yeere of the late King Edward the sixt, or any other Law, Statute, Restraint, Prouision, or Proclamation to be contrary in any wise; As by our said Letters Patents vnder our great Seale of England more at large appeareth. Wee doe for Vs, Our Heires and Successors, straightly charge, command and prohibite all and euery our louing Subiects, that none of them doe Sue, Implead, or vexe in any Court of Record whatsoeuer, the sayd Merchants of the Staple, or any of them, their Wiues, Apprentices, or Houshold seruants, or any of them, for or concerning buying of Woolles in any place whatsoeuer, to sell againe by Retayle or otherwise, within the Staple Townes aforesayd. And if any Suit hereafter shalbe brought or prosecuted in any of Our Courts against the sayd Merchants of the Staple, or any of them, their wiues, Apprentices, or Houshold seruants, for the buying of any Woolls, which shall be bought to the intent to sell againe at any of the sayd Staple Townes, vpon any Statute or Ordi­nance whatsoeuer, made against Ingrossing and buying of Woolles, to the intent to sell them againe: Then and so often Wee doe by these presents, for Vs, our Heires and Successors, will, charge and require all and euery the Iudges and Iustices of Vs, our Heires and Successors, of all and euery our Courts, where any such Suite shalbe brought and prosecuted, and the Barons of the Exchequer of Vs, our Heires and Succes­sors, so soone as they, or any of them shalbe truely certified, that the partie sued is a Merchant of the Staple, or wife, Apprentice, or Houshold seruant to a Merchant of the Staple; They, and euery of them the sayd Iudges, Iustices and Barons of Vs, our Heires or Successors, shall vse and imploy the vttermost of their power and authoritie, and take all courses, and doe all things which may stand with Law and Iustice, for the speedie stopping and repressing of all such Suits and troubles against the sayd Merchants of the Staple, or any of them, their wiues, apprentices, or houshold seruants of them, or any of them, for buying and selling [Page]of Wooll as foresaid. And We doe also hereby reuoke, and disanull all Licences, Powers, and Authorities which haue bene giuen, or may be pretended to be giuen for the buying of Wooll within this Land, either for to Ship to any of His Maiesties Ilands, or to sell againe vnconuerted, Except such as haue bene giuen to the Merchants of the Staple: And doe hereby straightly charge and command, that the seuerall Sta­tutes in that behalfe made against all others shalbe put in execution: And do inhibite all others vpon paine of Our displeasure, to buy or contract for any Wooll to sell againe vnwrought: And further, to preuent and reforme all frauds and abuses heretofore practised by Glouers and Felmongers in the vttering of their Fel­wools, We wil and ordaine, and straightly charge and command all Felmongers, and euery of them, which doe, or shall inhabite within twelue miles of any of the said Staple Markets, Cities, or Townes before li­mitted and assigned, That they and euery of them shall from time to time put to sale all sorts of their Fell­wools, at some, or one of the said Staple Markets or Townes, and not elsewhere, there to be viewed, proo­ued, weighed, and registred by some of the Officers and Ministers of the Staple. And to that ende and pur­pose, that a due and orderly gouernment may be established and continued at the Staple Townes aforesaid, both for weighing, prouing, searching, and disposing of all sorts of the Woolles of this Our Realme, as may tend most to the welfare of all Our Subiects; Our will and pleasure is, That the Maior of the Staple for the time being, shall appoint some one of the Societie to attend the Lords of Our Priuie Counsell for their Direction from time to time, whensoeuer they shalbe commanded for that purpose.

Prouided neuerthelesse, that the Clothiers and Dealers in New Draperies, or any other naturall borne Subiects, that shall buy to conuert into Manufactures, shall not bee barred from buying immediatly at the hands of the Wooll-grower, Wooll fit for their vse; And also that the Dealers in New Draperies and Stuffes, who doe not vse the whole Fleece of the Woolles they buy, and haue vsed to sell the rest to the Clo­thiers, shal and may continue the same vsage, as formerly they haue done, so as they sell the same at the Sta­ple Markets, there to be viewed, weighed, and registred by the Officers and Ministers of the Staple.

Giuen at Burley on the Hill the foure and twentieth day of March, in the fifteenth yeere of Our Raigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland. 1616.

God saue the King.