WHereas Wee haue beene informed by the humble Petitions of a great number of Our Subiects, makers of Purles. Cutworks, and Bonelaces, residing in or neere Our City of London, and in sundry other Counties of this Realme, that by reason of the frequent Importation of those Manu­factures from forraine parts beyond the Seas, they were depriued of im­ployment in that Trade, whereunto they had serued and beene brought vp, and whereby they formerly maintained themselues and families, and were thereby now brought to great want and necessity; And for remedy thereof did humbly sue for Our Royall fauour to restraine the Importa­tion of those Commodities from forraine parts, and to appoint an Offi­cer for Sealing of such as should be made within this Our Realm of Eng­land, or Dominion of Wales, whereby the forraine might bee the better discouered: We hauing taken the premisses into consideration, and willing to prouide for the imployment of Our owne Subiects, haue thought fit by Letters Patents vnder Our great Seale, to appoint an Officer to marke or Seale all Manufactures of that kind that shall be here made, and to seise to Our vse all forraine, that shall hereafter be imported and put to sale in this Realme, contrary to Our pleasure herein declared.

And therefore for the effecting of the premisses, Wee doe hereby make knowne Our Royall Will and Pleasure to be, and doe straightly Charge and Command, That no person or persons whatsoe­uer, shall hereafter Import, Conuey, or bring into this Our Realme of England, or Dominion of Wales, from forraine Parts beyond the Seas, any manner of Purles, Cutworkes, or Bouelaces, or any Commodities laced or edged therewith, to be here sold or put to sale, vpon paine of the forfeiture of the same to be seized and taken to Our vse.

And the better to find out such forraine Purles, Cutworkes and Bonelaces, as shall be hereafter secretly brought into this Realme, and put to sale to the preiudice of Our owne people that make the like; We doe hereby require, aswell all and euery Our Subiects, makers of the said Purles, Cut­workes, and Bonelaces, as the sellers and retaylers of the same; That they or any of them, doe not hereafter buy, sell, or put to sale any of the said Manufactures, before the same shall be duely sealed or marked by Our welbeloued Subiect Thomas Smith gentleman, or his deputies, whom we ha [...]e thereunto appointed, vpon paine of Our high displeasure, and such Penalties as by the Lawes or Statutes of this Realme, or otherwise, may be inflicted on them, as contemners of Our Royall Commandement therein.

And in recompence of the attendance of the said Officer, and his deputies in the premisses, We haue Assigned, and granted him the Fee mentioned in Our said Letters Patents: And to the end that the Sealing of the said Purles, Cutworkes, and Bonelaces so made within this Realme, may be done with ease to Our Subiects, We haue authorized the said Thomas Smith, to appoint deputies in all such Market Townes and other places of this Our Realme, as he shall thinke meete for the Sealing thereof: Vnto whom We doe hereby appoint, that the Seales by him, or them affixed on the said Manufactures, shall be duely returned againe after the Sale thereof, that so all deceipts in making vse of those sealings for other of the like Manufactures, may be the better auoided: And We will that none other shall Seale, or presume to counterfeite the marking, or sealing of the same. And further, for the discouery of the fraudes that may be practized in the premisses, We doe hereby will and require, that all Shopkeepers, now vsing the trade of buying and selling of Purles, Cutworkes, and Bonelaces, or other commodities laced, or Edged therewith, shall produce and permit all such of the said Manufactures either Forraine, or home-made as they are now possessed of, to be Sealed by the said Thomas Smith, or his deputies as afore said, who is foorthwith to Seale the same at the Owners Shops, without any fee to be payed in that behalfe.

And Our will and pleasure is, that all such buyers, or gatherers of the said Manufactures, as vsually bring vp the same to Our Citie of London, or places adioyning, to vtter and sell there, shall bring the said Purles, Cutworkes, and Bonelaces to a house next adioyning to the signe of the Red-Hart in Forestreete without Cripple-Gate in London, where the said Thomas Smith, or his deputie, is to attend the sealing of the same, before it be vttered or put to sale, vpon paine of Our heauie In­dignation, and such punishments and penalties, as shall, or may be inflicted, for the contempt, or neglect of Our will and Commandement in that behalfe. And for the better executing of the pre­misses, We haue authorized the said Thomas Smith, and his deputies with the assistance of a Constable, or other lawfull Officer, to enter into any Houses, Shops, Roomes, or places within this Our Realme, and Dominion of Wales, to search for, and finde out, aswell all such Forraine Purles, Cut­workes, and Bonelaces, as shall be Imported and put to sale contrary to Our pleasure herein de­clared, as all such Manufactures of that kinde, as shall be here made and put to sale, before the same be duely Sealed, and the same to seize, and take to Our vse.

Lastly, We doe hereby require and Command all Iustices of Peace, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bay­liffes, Constables, Headbouroughs, and all other Our Officers and Ministers whom it may any way concerne, to be from time to time vpon request made in that behalfe, aiding and assisting to the said Thomas Smith, and his deputies in the accomplishment, and execution of Our Royall will and Commandement in the premisses, and this shall be their warrant in that behalfe.

Given at Our Honour of Hampton Court the thirtieth day of September, in the eleventh yeere of Our Reigne.

God saue the King.