VVHereas for the Encouragement of great Numbers of the Inhabitants of this Our Kingdom, a good and profi­table Law was made in the Fourteenth Year of the Reign of Our late Brother of Blessed Memory, Intituled, An Act Prohibiting the Importation of Foreign Bonelace, Cutwork, Imbroidery, Fringe, Bandstrings, Buttons, and Needlework, That no person or persons whatsoever should from and after the Twenty fourth day of June One thousand six hundred sixty two, Sell or cause to be Sold, or offer to Sale within the Kingdom of England, or Dominion of Wales, or Export any Foreign Bonelace, Cutwork, Imbroidery, Fringe, Bandstrings, Buttons or Needlework, made of Threéd, Silk, or any or either of them in Parts beyond the Seas, or Import, Bring in, Send or Convey, or cause to be brought in, Sent or Conveyed into the Kingdom of England, or Dominion of Wales, any such Fo­reign Bonelace, Cutwork, Fringe, Imbroidery, Bandstrings, Buttons, or Needlework made of Threéd and Silk, or any or either of them, beyond the Seas after the First day of May, which should be in the said Year of Our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and two, upon Pain that all and every person and persons who shall Sell, or cause to be Sold, or offer to Sale any such Foreign Bonelace, Cutwork, Imbroidery, Fringe, Bandstrings, Buttons or Needlework, shall Forfeit and Loose for every Offence by him Committed contrary to the said Act, the Sum of Fifty pounds, and the whole Bonelace, Cutwork, Imbroidery, Fringe, Bandstrings, Buttons, or Needlework so Sold, or caused to be Sold, or uttered to Sale; And upon further Pain, That all and every person and persons who should Import, Bring in, Send or Convey, or cause to be brought in, Sent or Con­veyed into this Our Kingdom of England, or Dominion of Wales, any such Bonelace, Cutwork, Imbroidery, Fringe, Bandstrings, Buttons or Needlework, should Forfeit and Loose for every Offence by him Committed contrary to the said Act, the Sum of One hundred pounds, and the whole Commodities aforesaid; And although by the plain intent and meaning of the said Act, all Foreign Buttons whatsoever were Prohibited to be Imported or put to Sale within this Our Kingdom, Yet VVe are given to understand, by the Humble Petition of many of Our Poor Subjects brought up in the Trade of Button-making, that several per­sons of late for their own private Lucre▪ have Imported and Sold within this Our Kingdom, divers great quantities of Foreign Hair-Buttons, to the utter Ruine of multitudes of Families who have been Exercised and Maintained in and by the Trade of But­ton-making, as well in and about Our City of London as other parts of Our Kingdom, whereby the great Mischiefs intended to be Redressed by the said Act, are likely to fall heavy upon Our Poor Subjects, and humbly Praying the timely Interposition of Our Princely Care therein, VVe were most Graciously pleased to hear the Matter Debated by the Council of the Merchants Importers, and of the Button-Makers before Our Self in Council; Vpon Hearing whereof, receiving Satisfaction, That by the true mean­ing of the Law, all manner of Foreign Buttons were intended to be Prohibited, and that the late Practice set on Foot of Import­ing Hair-Buttons, if continued, will Overthrow and Frustrate the main Design of the said Act, to the inevitable Ruine of Multi­tudes of Our Poor Subjects, as was fully made appear to Vs; And being likewise satisfied that the late Practice received Encou­ragement from the Doubtful Penning of some Parts of the said Act, though the Principal Scope and Design of the Law was to Ex­clude the whole Manufacture of Foreign Buttons, which possibly may ingage Our Poor Subjects of that Trade in many Expen­sive Suits at Law: For prevention whereof, and the Mischiefs which are likely to ensue upon such an Evil Practice, VVe have thought fit, by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council to Publish and Declare Our Pleasure to be, That the said Act be duly and effectu­ally observed and put in Execution against all Importers and Sellers of Foreign Buttons, according to the true intent and mean­ing of the said Act. And to prevent all Disputes herein for the future, VVe do by this Our Royal Proclamation strictly Charge, Pro­hibit and Command, That no Person or Persons, Natives, Aliens or others do, or shall from henceforth Import or Bring in, or cause to be Imported or brought into this Our Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, or Port or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, any Foreign Buttons whatsoever, made or to be made in any Foreign Parts whatsoever, by way of Merchandize, or to be Sold, Bartered or Exchanged. And that no Person or Persons shall at any time hereafter Directly or Indirectly Buy, Bargain or Con­tract for or concerning the Importation of any Foreign Buttons, of what sort or kind soever, or Vtter or Sell any Foreign Buttons whatsoever, which from henceforth shall be Imported from any Parts beyond the Seas, upon Pain of such Punishment as by Law may be Inflicted upon Contemners of Our Royal Authority. And VVe do further Charge and Command as well the Commissio­ners of Our Customs, Customers, Comptrollers, Searchers, VVaiters, and all other Officers of Our Custom-Houses and Ports in Our Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Our Port or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, and also all Our Iustices of the Peace, Mayors, Sheriffs, Bayliffs, Headboroughs, Constables, and other Our Officers Civil within Our said Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Port or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, to Seize and Destroy, or to cause to be Seized and De­stroyed all such Foreign Buttons which from henceforth shall be Imported or Bartered, Sold or Exchanged contrary to Our Royal Pleasure herein Declared, in whose hands soever they shall be found, and to Bind over, or cause to be Bound over, the Offenders herein, to Appear in Our Court of Kings Bench, to Answer their Contempt herein at Our Suit, and to be in all other Respects from time to time Aiding and Assisting in all things requisite for and touching the Observation and Execution of these Our Com­mands, as they will Answer to Vs the contrary.

Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Eighteenth day of November, In the Third Year of Our Reign.

GOD SAVE THE KING.