WHereas Our louing Subiects the Freemen of Our Citie of Lon­don trading in Butter and Cheese, haue by their Petition lately pre­sented vnto Vs, Humbly shewed that time out of minde euery Fir­kin of Butter hath vsed and ought to bee of the weight of fifty sixe pounds neat Butter besides the Caske, and the Caske eight pounds and no more; But by the greedy and coueteous practises of some de­ceiptfull persons, who are the makers and packers of Butter, most part of the Firkins that are filled and packed, do weigh some twelue, and some foureteene pounds the emptie Caske, And both Caske and Butter for the most part, weigh not aboue sixty or sixty and two pounds, and many times but fifty eight pounds, And that by meanes thereof Our louing Subiects are dayly deceiued of foure, sixe, and eight pounds of Butter, and sometimes more in each Firkin, and so accordingly in greater and les­ser Vessells: And likewise that the makers and packers of Butter doe vsually packe vp corrupt Butter with their best Creame-butter, to the no lesse abuse and deceipt of Our louing Subiects; For preuention whereof Our said Subiects the Free-men of London most hum­bly prayed, That Wee would be graciously pleased by Our Letters Patents to appoint one person of trust, Authorizing him and his Deputies to Brand and set a Marke on the outside of each Firkin, Kilderkin, Barrell and other Caske, and Vessell whatsoeuer wherein But­ter is to be packt and put vp, within Our Kingdome of England, and Dominion of Wales, to expresse the weight of the same with allowance to each Caske for seasoning.

[Page] And withall to prohibite all makers and packers of Butter not to fill or pack vp Butter into any Firkin, Kilderkin, Barrell, or other Vessell whatsoeuer, vntill such Officer or his Deputies haue so Branded or marked the same empty Caske or Vessell, vpon paine of forfei­ture aswell of the Butter as the Vessell.

And that the said Officer, and his Deputies, might haue power to search for, seize and take away all such Firkins, and other Vessells of Butter, as he or they should find filled and packed vnmarked and falsely packed as aforesayd, which Petition we referring to the Con­sideration of the Lords, & others of Our priuie Councell, vpon due Consideration had there­vpon, it was thought very requisite that the sayd deceits and abuses should be speedily re­formed: And the best meanes for the doing thereof was also conceiued to be by appointing such an Officer to Brand and marke all the said emptie Caske & other Vessell before they be filled, thereby to expresse the weight, and contents on the outside thereof, as was humbly desired by the said freemen of London: Wee therefore for the auoiding and preuenting hereafter of all the abuses, and deceits before specified for the good, and benefit of all Our Louing Subiects, did by Our Letters Patents, dated the second day of Iuly last past, for vs, Our heires, and Successors, appoint, erect, create, and make an Office, aswell for the gaging of Butter, as for the Branding, and marking of all empty Butter-Caske, and Vessell.

And We reposing trust, and confidence in the fidelitie, industry, diligence and experience of Captaine Iohn Read, did at the nomination of the said freemen of London, Trading in Butter, and Cheese, thereby giue and graunt to him, his Deputies, and Assignes, during his na­turall life, the said Office of gaging, Branding and marking of all empty Butter-Caske, and Vessell within Our said Realme of England, and Dominion of Wales. And also according as was thought fit by Our said Subiects the freemen of Our said City, Wee did by Our said letters Patents, as also We doe by these presents ordaine and appoint that the said Captaine Iohn Read, his Deputies and Assignes, shall haue, take and receiue of all and euery person and persons whatsoeuer, who shall bring the said Caske or other Vessell to be marked or Branded, vpon the Branding or marking of euery Firkin the summe of two pence, and so pro­portionably according to the same rate for euery lesser or greater Caske or Vessell.

And We do hereby straightly charge, prohibite, and forbid all and euery makers and packers of Butter, within this Our Realme of England, and Dominion of Wales, that they nor any of them doe at any time or times hereafter, from and after the first day of March next ensuing the date hereof, presume to fill or packe vp any Butter into any Firkin, Kilderkin, Pot or other Vessell whatsoeuer, to be put to sale, before such time or vntill the said Captaine Iohn Read, or his Assignes, or his or their Deputy or Deputies haue first gaged and marked euery such Caske and vessell, and set his Brand or marke thereupon expressing the weight thereof on the outside, whereby the buyer and buyers of any such Butter, may haue fifty sixe pounds of neate Butter in euery Firkin, and so after the same rate in euery other Vessell, Pot, and Caske to be filled with Butter, proportionably. And likewise we doe hereby prohibite, that no person, or persons whatsoeuer, from and after the day aforesayd, doe buy any Butter, put vp in any Vessell or Caske, vnlesse the same be first Branded and marked as aforesaid.

[Page] And also that the said makers and packers of Butter doe not presume to make vp, or packe into any such Vessell, or Caske, any bad or corrupt Butter, with good Creame-butter, vpon paine of being punished in Our Court of Starre-Chamber, as contemners of Our Royall Com­mands, and as falsifiers, and deceiuers of Our people.

And Wee doe hereby giue full power and authority vnto the said Captaine Iohn Reade, and his Assignes, and to his and their Deputy, and Deputies, and euery of them with the assist­ance of a Constable, or other Officer, to enter into any place, or places whatsoeuer, at conue­nient times, to search for all such Vessell, and Caske, as shall be filled with Butter vnmarked, or vnbranded, or falsely, or corruptly filled as aforesaid, and finding any such Caske, or Vessell, to seize and destroy the same, and to cause the Offenders to be duely punished.

And that Our purpose herein may bee firmely executed for the good and benefit of Our Subiects, Wee doe hereby prohibite and forbid all and euery person, and persons whatsoe­uer, that none of them, other then the said Captaine Iohn Reade, and his Assignes, and his and their Deputie, and Deputies doe take vpon them, or presume, or attempt to marke, gage, or brand any empty Butter-caske, or Vessell whatsoeuer, or intermeddle, or doe any thing to the said Office belonging, or appertaining, contrary to the true meaning of these presents, vpon paine of Our high indignation, and displeasure, and of such other paines, penalties, and punishments, as by the Lawes of this Our Realme of England, or by Our Prerogatiue Royall, can, or may bee inflicted vpon the offenders herein, for breach, and contempt of this Our Royall pleasure and Commandement.

And lastly, Wee doe hereby for Vs, Our Heires, and Successours, straitly Charge and Command, all and singular Maiors, Iustices of Peace, Sheriffs, Bayliffs, Constables, Headboroughs, and all other Officers, and Ministers whatsoeuer, of Vs, Our Heires, and Successours to bee ayding, assisting, and helping, vnto the said Captaine Iohn Reade, and his Assignes, and his, and their Deputy, and Deputies, and euery of them, in the due execution of the said Office, and of Our Will and pleasure herein expressed in all things, according to the true meaning of these presents, and in no wise to hinder him, or them, in the execution and performance of this seruice, As they tender Our pleasure, and will auoyd the contrary at their perills.

Giuen at Our Court at Theobalds, the thirteenth day of Nouember, in the tenth yeere of Our Reigne.

God saue the King.