WHereas the secret Pawning, or Selling of Goods vniustly gotten, to Brokers, Broggers, Hucksters, and others residing in and neere the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Liberties thereof; and their venting of such goods to others in like manner, hath beene ob­serued to bee the Ground and Nurserie of Burglaries, Robberies, Felonies, and Frauds, which the care of former times hath beene studious to reforme and preuent: And to that end seuerall Actes of Common Councell haue beene heretofore made, by the Lord Ma­ior and Commons of the Citie of London; and an Office of Registry for that purpose erected in the Citie of London, in the time of the Reigne of the late Queene of famous memory, Queene ELIZABETH, which hath been since also confirmed by Our most deare and Royall Father of blessed memory, King IAMES, who finding the necessity thereof, and the benefit likely to growe thereby, was graci­ously pleased also to erect the like Office of Registry in the Citie of Westminster for the same pur­pose, vnto both which (beeing now reduced into one intire Office,) Wee, by Our Letters Patents, dated the twentieh day of August, in the fifth yeere of Our Reigne, haue likewise giuen Our Royall confirmation.

And for the better discouery and reformation of the sayd abuses, haue appointed certaine Re­gisters of the sayd Office, vnto whom and their Deputies, at such places and times as they shall appoint, all such Brokers, Broggers, Hucksters, and others are to haue recourse, and to regi­ster weekely by way of duplicate, all such Goods as they or any of them shall buy or take to pawne, together with a true description thereof, and of such persons of whom they receiued them, and for the true performance thereof are to enter Bond, as thereby is enioyned: Which courses, neuerthelesse, so already taken, for preuention of Felonies and other abuses, haue not pro­duced such effect, as from thence was expected, but still the desire of vnlawfull gaine hath found meanes (in some ill disposed persons) to euade from the same.

Wee therefore, for the more full, effectuall and perfect reformation, and suppression of all the sayd offences and other practises, and for the better execution of the sayd Office, and the punish­ment of all such as shall neglect the same, doe by, and with the aduice of the Right Honourable the Lords and others of Our Priuie Councell, publish and declare Our Royall will and plea­sure to bee.

And Wee doe hereby straitly charge and command, all and euery retayling Brokers, Brog­gers, Hucksters, or such other persons inhabiting or residing within the Cities of London and Westminster, or the Liberties thereof, and within two miles compasse of the same, and which shal keep any Shop or Roome, for the buying or taking to pawne of any Plate, Iewels, Goods, Wares, Merchandizes, Apparell, Houshold-stuffe, Bookes, Bedding, Remnants and Ends of Silkes, Veluets, or of Linnen or Woollen Cloth, or such wares or commodities, to sell againe; or shall vse to buy, or take to pawne, any such Goods to sell againe: That they and euery of them shall before they presume to keepe a Brokers Shop, or intermeddle in the buying or taking to pawne of any such Goods, become bound by Obligation in the summe of one hundred pounds, to bee taken by the said Registers, or one of them, their Deputie or Deputies, according as is li­mited in the said Letters Patents, and Acts of Common Councell.

And Our further will and pleasure is, That if any Bonds already entred into, by any such Retaylers, be defectiue in Law, or come short for the performing the matters before enioyned to be done by them, That then new Bonds of the penalty aforesayd, be foorthwith entred into by euery such Retayler, in manner aforesayd, for the performance of all and singular the premis­ses, according to the Tenor of the sayd Letters Patents: All which matters, Our will and pleasure is, and Wee straitly charge and command be duely obserued and performed in all things before expressed, by all such whom it doeth or may concerne, vpon paine of Our high displeasure and indignation, and vpon such further Paines, Penalties and Forfeitures, as for such disobedi­ence or contempt therein, shall or may bee imposed vpon them and euery of them.

And for that end and purpose Our further will and pleasure is, and Wee doe hereby expresly require, charge and command Our Attourney Generall for the time being, and from time to time, as there shall bee occasion vpon complaint to him made, to proceede in Our high Court of Starrechamber, or in any other course or Legall way against such offenders, and for the due pu­nishment of all and euery offences, and negligences in the execution of the premisses, as to Our said Attourney Generall for the time being shall seeme meete.

And Wee doe further hereby expresly require, charge, and command all Maiors, Sheriffes, Iustices of the Peace, Constables, Magistrates and ministers of Iustice whatsoeuer, to ayde and assist all and euery the said Registers, and their Deputie or Deputies, in the due execution of the sayd dueties and Offices, for the better discouering, suppressing, and punishing of all such Of­fences and Offenders, as aforesayd.

Giuen at Our Court at White-Hall, the fift day of Iuly, in the sixth yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France and Ireland.

God saue the King.