WHereas the Art or Mysterie of making Gold and Siluer threed ( a com­moditie of continuall vse in this Our Kingdome of England) hath formerly beene vsed, and made by Strangers in forreine parts only, and from thence transported into this Our Realme; but of late hath beene practised by some of Our louing Subiects, who by their great charge and industrie, haue so well profited therein, and attained to such perfection in that Arte, that they equall the Strangers, in the skilfull making thereof, and are able by the labours of our owne people to make such store, as shall be sufficient to fur­nish the expence of this whole Kingdome. And whereas We, esteeming it a principall part of Our Office, as a King and Soueraigne Prince, to che­rish and encourage the Knowledge and Inuention of good and profitable Arts and Mysteries, and to make them frequent amongst Our owne people, especially such, wherein Our people may em­ploy their labours comfortably, and profitably, and many thereby may be kept from idlenesse, hereby to preserue and increase the Honour and wealth of Our State and people. And finding that the exer­cising of this Arte or Mysterie (considering the continuall vse of Bullion to be spent in the Manufac­ture thereof) is a matter of great importance, and therefore fitter for Our own immediate care, then to be trusted into the hands of any priuate persons, for that the Consumption, or preseruation of Bullion wherof Our Coynes (the sinewes and strength of Our State) are made, is a matter of so high onse­quence, as it is onely proper for Our selfe to take care and account of; Wee haue heretofore to the good liking of the Inuentors thereof, taken the said Manufacture of Gold & Siluer threed into Our owne hands, and so purpose to retaine, and continue it, to be exercised only by Agents for Our selues, who shall from time to time be accomptable to Vs for the same. And whereas for the better per­fecting of so Royall a Worke, by Our Proclamation, Dated the two and twentieth day of March, in the fifteenth yeere of Our Raigne of England, Wee did vtterly prohibite the Importation of all for­raine Gold and siluer threed made in any the parts beyond the Seas, and the vse of any other Gold or Siluer threed, then such as should from time to time be Sealed with a Seale to be to that purpose appointed, therby to discouer all false, counterfeit and prohibited Stuffe, whereby either Our louing Subiects might be abused, or Our selues deluded, as by the same Proclamation appeareth; which Wee will and Command, and Our expresse pleasure is, shall in all things be firmely obserued and kept, according to the purport and true meaning thereof, and of Our Royall intent and pleasure there­in expressed.

Now forasmuch as Wee find, that notwithstanding Our Proclamation, many haue aduentu­red secretly and by stealth to import Gold and Siluer threed from forraine parts, and many others to make the same within this Realme (not being thereunto allowed by Vs, or Our Agents) and to vtter the same to diuers of Our louing Subiects, not being Sealed with the Seale to that pur­pose appointed, whereby Wee finde that Our owne Agents and workemen imployed about the said Manufacture are discouraged, and much false and counterfeit Stuffe is vented, to the great deceit of Our Subiects, scandall of the worke, and Our owne proper losse, and yet the Offenders therein can­not easily be discouered, whereby they might be punished according to their demerits: for that the Silkemen and Silke weauers, and others, who buy and vse the said Gould and Siluer threed, are [Page]vnwilling to discouer such Offenders, and (as We haue cause to feare) doe rather encourage them in their offence, in contempt of Vs and Our proceedings. To the end therefore, that this Our worke which We haue appropriated to Our selfe, may prosper in Our hands, and neither Our Agents be dis­couraged, nor the worke discountenanced by the making, working, or vttering any false, counterfeit, or prohibited Stuffe, and that those whom We haue trusted and imployed therein, may also performe their duties iustly and faithfully, without iust grieuance, or offence to any of Our louing Subiects; We doe hereby straightly charge and Command, That all Silkemen, Silkeweauers, and all and euery person and persons, who now vse, or hereafter shall vse the Arte, Mysterie, Trade, or Occupa­tion of making, working, selling, or vttering of any Lace, Buttons, or any other thing or things whatsoeuer, in all, or in part wrought of or with Gold or Siluer threed, or of or with Copper Gold, or Siluer threed, shall from time to time take and keepe a true, iust, and exact accompt in writing, of all the names, professions, and habitations, of all and euery person and persons, of whom they or any of them shal from time to time buy or receiue any Gold or Siluer Threed, or Copper Gold or Sil­uer Threed, or any thing wrought or made in all or in part therewith, with the time and times and seuerall quantities when and what they so bought or receiued the same: Which said Account, they and euery of them shall once a moneth deliuer vnto a Register to bee to that purpose appointed by some of Our Commissioners for the said Manufacture, that so the offenders against Our former, and this present Proclamation, may be the better discouered, and their offences seuerely punished, as be­ing a high Contempt against Vs and Our Prerogatiue Royall: For the due performance whereof, and to preuent the Inconueniences that may ensue, Our will and pleasure is, and Wee doe hereby straitly charge and command, That all and euery the persons aforesaid, shall enter into Bond of one hundred or two hundred pounds a piece and not aboue (as shalbe thought fitt by Our Commis­sioners appointed for the said Manufacture now, or that hereafter shalbe, or any two of them) to Our Atturney Generall for the time being, in trust for Vs, with condition to performe all and euery the particulars in the former Clause expressed and commanded, vpon the paines hereafter limited, which We will shall be seuerely inflicted on them.

And further We will and Command that no Fynor or Fynors of Gold or Siluer, shal at any time or times hereafter melt, disgrosse, or sell, or cause to be molten, disgrossed or sold any refined Gold or Siluer, to any person or persons whatsoeuer (other then to Our Agent and vndertakers for our said manufacture) vntill he or they shall haue first entred into Bond to vs of one hundred pounds, or more before our said Commissioners, or any two of them to our vse, to melt none of Our Coines for the making of refined Gold or Siluer, and from time to time, to giue a true accompt in writing of all the Names, Professions, and habitations of euery such person and persons, as shall from time to time, buy or haue any refined Gold or Siluer of him or them, and of the true quantity and quan­tities of all & euery such parcell & parcells, as he or they shall from time to time vtter, sell, or deliuer: For all which said Bonds so to be entred into respectiuely, We are neuerthelesse pleased, That no fee or allowance shalbe required or taken, nor that the same Bond shalbe sent or deliuered into Our Ex­chequer, nor otherwise put in Suit, but vpon apparant breach thereof, first appearing to Our Com­missioners aforesaid, or any two of them, or to Our Attourney generall for the time being; and that at the end of euery sixe moneths the same Bond respectiuely shalbe deliuered vp to the party bound, to be Cancelled, if in the meane time no breach thereof shall appeare to haue bin made as aforesaid, and then a new Bond to be entred into by him or her respectiuely to the same effect, to continue likewise for o­ther sixe Moneths, and so for euery sixe Moneths, as long as this or Our former Proclamation shall remaine in force, or that Our pleasure shalbe further signified to the contrary. Likewise Our pleasure is that if any of Our saide louing Subiects shall casually or vnawares, without any wilfull or obstinate Contempt, fall into the breach of any such bond; that Our Chauncellor of England, or Keeper of Our Great Seale, for the time being, shal vpon a Petition to him exhibited, & in a summa­ry Course, haue power to order and Moderate the same, as he in his wisedome shall thinke fitt. And also We will & Command, That no Gold-Drawer or other person or persons, whatsoeuer, shal at any time hereafter, during this or Our said former Proclamation, draw, flat, or vse any refined Gold or Sil­uer, for the making of Cloth of Gold, or Cloth of Siluer, without the speciall Licence of two of Our said Commissioners, vnder their hands in writing, first had & obtained; vpon paine of forfeiture of all such Gold or Siluer as shalbe wrought, contrary to this Our Royall will and Commandement; and vpon paine of Our high indignation and displeasure, and such other paines and punishments as in like Cases are vsuall.

And Our further will and pleasure is, and hereby Wee doe giue full power and authority vnto Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of them, and to all and euery such person and persons, as Our said Commissioners or any two or more of them, shall by warrant or writing vnder their hands nominate or appoint, from time to time and at all times conuenient, at their pleasure, in peace­able maner (taking with them a Constable or other fitt officer, and giuing notice to the owner or pos­sessor, or his or their seruant or seruants, or their purpose in that behalfe, to the end they may if they [Page]will accompany them) to enter into all, and all manner of Shoppes, Cellers, worke-houses, ware­houses, Storehouses or other Roomes or places whatsoeuer, by them suspected, within Our said Realme of England or the Dominions thereof, as well in Cities, Tsownes corporate, and places priuiledged, as elsewhere: And likewise to enter into any ship, bote, or other vessell whatsoeuer, riding at Ancre, or otherwise abiding in any Port, Hauen or Creeke of Our said Realme, and Dominions thereof, for the searching and finding out of all such offences, of what nature so­euer, as shall bee Committed contrary vnto this, or Our sayd former Proclamation: And likewise to seaze and take into their hands vnto Our vse, all such Gold and siluer threed, and Copper Gold and Siluer threed, and Gold and Siluer wyer imported, or that shall be imported into this Our Realme wrought or made, or that shall be wrought, made, drawne, or flatted within this Realme, other then by Our Agent and Vndertakers, their Deputies and Assignes, touching the said Manufacture. And further Our pleasure is, that whatsoeuer threed wrought, or vnwrought, as aforesaid, or wyer, shall be so seized to Our vse as aforesaid, shall foorthwith, vpon the seizure thereof be inuentoried in writing, subscribed by all such persons, as shall be present at any such seizure, and shall with all conuenient speed, be brought vnto Our said Commissioners, now, and for the time be­ing, or any two of them, to be disposed of, as we shall thinke fit, and direct from time to time. And for the better accomplishment of Our seruice herein, We doe hereby straightly charge and Command all Maiors, Sheriffes, Iustices of the Peace, Constables, Comptrollers, Searchers, Waiters, and all and euery other Our Officers, or Ministers and Subiects whatsoeuer, That they and euery of them be from time to time assisting, aiding and helping vnto Our said Commissioners, and such as they, or any two of them shall authorize in that behalfe, in and by all things in the due Execution and performance of the premisses, according to Our true meaning herein declared, as they tender Our pleasure, and will answere the contrary at their vtmost perils. And further, Wee will and declare Our Royall pleasure and Commandement to be, that if any person or persons shall withstand, or refuse to obey this Our Proclamation, in all or any part thereof, vpon complaint and proofe thereof had and made in that behalfe, before Our Commissioners or any two, or more of them, that now be, or hereafter shall be for the said Manufacture, or before Our Attorney Generall for the time being, that they take order to punish any such person so offending, as a contemner of Our Royall will and Commandement, by imprisonment or otherwise, as shall and may stand with the Iustice of this Our Realme. And We further hereby declare Our intent and pleasure to be, That if any Agent, worke­man, or other person or persons whatsoeuer, imployed by Vs, or Our said Commissioners, now or at any time hereafter, in, or about the said Manufacture, or any thing thereunto belonging, or in, or about any search to be made as aforesaid, shall in any thing falsifie the trust by Vs, or Our said Com­missioners committed to him, or them, to the iust offence, or grieuance of any of Our louing Subiects, that Our eares shall be euer open to any iust complaint to be made thereof: And that euery person who shall wilfully or corruptly offend by colour of any authoritie, or imployment giuen, or deriued from Vs, any way touching or concerning the said Worke, shall be seuerely punished for the same, ac­cording to the quality of his or their offence.

Giuen at Roystone the tenth day of October, in the seuenteenth yeere of Our Reigne of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the three and fiftieth.

God saue the King.