By the King, a proclamation for reforming the abuses in making of gold and siluer threed within this realme and for the inhibiting the importation thereof, from the parts beyond the seas.

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SHAME ON ANYONE WHO THINKS BADLY ABOUT IT - HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

By the King.

A Proclamation for reforming the abuses in making of Gold and Siluer Threed within this Realme, and for the inhibiting the Importation thereof, from the parts beyond the Seas.

IAMES by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting. Where Wee haue alwayes helde it one of the most necessary cares and considerations, incident to the State and office of Kings and Soueraigne Princes, so to dispose of their people and gouernement, as the knowledge and vse of good and profitable Arts and Inuentions, may become common and frequent among their people, the same being one of the greatest meanes to increase and preserue the wealth and strength of State and people; considering that labour and industry well imployed, maketh kingdomes great and flourishing.

And forasmuch as some of Our good and louing Subiects of Our Realme of England haue of late, to their great charge, brought into this Our Kingdome, and haue herein by their great industry erected and perfectly established the Arte and Mysterie of making Gold and Siluer threed, a Feate or Manifacture, formerly vsed or made in forraine parts beyond the Seas, and by Strangers and others from thence transported and brought, as a commoditie of great vse, into this Our Kingdome of England, wherein they haue so well and commendably proceeded, as that they are now able to make sufficient store of Gold and Siluer threed, to serue for the vse and expence of Our whole Kingdome.

And whereas, a matter of so great consequence, and wherein so many of Our people should be interessed, both in the making and vse therof, may well be iudged more fit for Us to take into Our hands, then to leaue the same to the power and dispose of priuate men; and aswell to preuent the abuses which may bee offered to Us and Our Subiects, by the counterfeiting of the said Gold and Siluer threed, as likewise for the preseruation of Bullion within this Our Kingdome, Wee haue caused this Our whole worke to be taken into Our possession, for the generall good and benefit of Our people and louing Subiects, and haue also prouided and taken sufficient order that Our louing Subiects in all parts, shall not at any time want conuenient quantitie of the said Gold and Siluer threed for their vse, but shal also be serued of it at reasonable prises: And that such as are skilfull in the working and spinning thereof, shall be imployed therein, if they faithfully and honestly performe the same, and at such rates and wages, as they whom Wee specially shall licence thereunto shall thinke meete and conuenient: which care and good intention of Us, hath of late beene greatly interrupted and opposed, not onely by the bringing into Our said Kingdomes and Dominious great quantities of Gold and Siluer threed, from diuers parts beyond the Seas, but also by the priuate working and making thereof in Corners, by diuers strangers and others, contrary to Our Patent of priuiledge heretofore granted; the same being no knowne nor continued trade within these our Realmes; howsoeuer diuers of the Goldsmiths of London haue lately presumed and attempted to make the same parcell of their Trade, by reason onely of some few experiments heretofore by them and others made, and by fittes onely, and for very small quantities of Gold and Siluer threed, whereby this so excellent an Inuention thus brought into this Our Kingdome, is likely to be vtterly ouerthrowen, and Our Subiects much wronged by counterfeit and base Gold and Siluer threed, made and sold by the vnderhand workers, if the same by Our care should not be prouided for, and speedily preuented: And albeit that by meanes of the Gold and Siluer threed, made and to be made within Our said Realmes, Wee should receiue great hinderance in Our Customes and other dueties, formerly paide vnto Us and Our Predecessors, Kings and Queenes of this Realme of England, for and vpon that commodity imported, for which neuerthelesse Wee haue taken order as farre as is conuenient: Yet Wee that in all Our Actions and proceedings haue Our eye of grace rather vpon the flourishing estate of Our Kingdomes, and the comfort of Our people, then vpon Our profit, haue resolued to prefer the estate & good of Our Kingdom, before the precise cōsideration of Our own benefit, rather then to interrupt or ouerthrow so excellent a worke, and effect of our care and princely pollicie for the welfafe of Our subiects.

These are therefore to require and command all and singular person and persons whatsoeuer, as well Our naturall borne subiects as Denizens, or strangers, that none of them, nor any other person or persons whatsoeuer, (other then such as Wee shall giue speciall licence thereunto; and such as they shall set on worke) doe at any time or times hereafter attempt or presume to make any Gold or Siluer threed, or Copper Gold and Siluer threed within Our said Realmes and Dominions, vpon paine of forfeiture of all and euery quantitie and quantities, parcell or parcels of such Gold and Siluer threed, and Copper Gold and Siluer threed, so made in Our said Realmes and Dominions contrary to this Our present commandement, and also vpon paine of Our high indignation and displeasure, and such further paines, penalties, and punishments, as for the contempt of Our commandement Royall in this behalfe, may any way bee inflicted vpon them or any of them so offending, contrary to the true intent and meaning herein signified.

And whereas by a Statute made in the fourth yeere of the late King Henry the seuenth, it was ordained and enacted, that no Finer of Gold and Siluer, nor parter of the same by fire or water, from thenceforth should alay no fine Siluer nor Gold, nor none sell in any otherwise, nor to any person or persons, but only to officers of Mints, changes, & Goldsmithes within this Realme, for the augmentation and amendment of Coine and Plate; nor sell to no person any maner of Siluer, molten and alaied, vpon pain of forfeiture of the same, or the value of the Gold or Siluer so alayed or sould.

And that no Goldsmith within this Realme should melt or alay any fine Siluer, to, or for any workes of other intent, but onely for making of amels, or for amending of Plate, nor that they should sell no fine Siluer, nor other Siluer alayed, molten into masse to any person or persons whatsoeuer they bee, nor one Goldsmith to another, vpon paine of forfeiture of the same Siluer, or value thereof.

Wee therefore for the better execution of Our said will and pleasure, and preseruation of Our Bullion within this Our Kingdome, do further straitly charge & command, that no Goldsmith or Goldsmithes, Finer or Finers, Parter or Parters of Gold and Siluer within Our said Dominions, shall for their vse or benefit, vses or benefittes, fine, part, or cause to bee fined or parted any Gold or Siluer, or prouide or cause to bee prouided any Gold or Siluer, and the same vtter and sell or otherwise dispose to any person or persons whatsoeuer, whereby to make or cause to be made the said Gold and Siluer threed, except to such person and persons, as We shall license to make the same to Our vse; And that the said Goldsmith or Goldsmithes, Finer or Finers, Parter or Parters or any of them, or any for them or to their vse or vses, shall not prouide, vtter, sell, or deliuer any Gold or Siluer at all to any person or persons whatsoeuer, without taking speciall notice of the names and habitations of such person and persons, as shall buy, receaue, or haue any such Gold or Siluer of them, to the end it may appeare to Us, to what vse and vses the same Gold and Siluer shall bee imployed, vpon paine of forfeiture of all such Gold and Siluer, and of vndergoing Our high indignation and displeasure, with such further paines and punishments, as for the same their defaults, may any wayes bee inflicted vpon them and euery of them, in this behalfe offending.

And We doe further straitly charge and Command all and singuler person and persons whatsoeuer, within Our said Realmes and Dominions, that they nor any of them do, or shal at any time or times hereafter make, erect, set vp, mend, or vse any Frame, Engine, Instrument, Mill or Toole whatsoeuer, for the Drawing, flatting, milling and spinning of Gold and Siluer threed, or of Copper Gold and Siluer threed, or for the Drawing or Flatting, of wyer to the ende to make the same, without the lycence of Us, or such as We in that behalfe shal specially appoint, vpon the paines & penalties before expressed: nor that any person or persons whatsoeuer shall prouid or sell, or cause to bee prouided, or sould any Silke to be throwen or made fitting for the making or spinning of Gold or Siluer Threed, or of Copper Gold and Siluer Threed, except to such person and persons as We shal license to make the same to Our vse, vpon the like pains and penalties before mentioned.

And that no person or persons whatsoeuer after the twentieth day of April next comming, shall attempt or presume to bring in, or cause to be brought into Our said Realmes, and Dominions thereof, or to any of the Ports, Hauens, Creeks, or places of any of them, any Gold or Siluer Threed, or any Copper Gold and Siluer Threed, made or to be made in any Forreine place or places whatsoeuer, vpon paine of Forfeiture of all such Gold and Siluer Threed, and of all such Copper Gold and Siluer Threed, so brought in, or caused to bee brought into any of our sayd Dominions, contrary to Our said commandement.

All which said Gold and Siluer Threed, and Copper Gold and Siluer Threed, brought in and forfeited as aforesayd, Our will and pleasure is that such person or persons as shall make seizure of the same, shall forthwith bring and conuey the same to the Storehouse, within Our Custome-house, in Our City of London.

And after such person and persons shall haue made such Seizure, of such forfeited Gold and Siluer Threed, and Copper Gold and Siluer Threed, and brought the same to our Custome-house as aforesaid, then Our will and pleasure is that hee or they after due appraisement thereof, by the sworne praisers for such purposes, shall receiue the moitie of the value of such Gold and Siluer Threed, and Copper Gold and Siluer Threed, so seized and brought in, as aforesayd, vpon paine of imprisonment, and such other punishment as shall be fitt to be inflicted for the breach of this Our Royall Commandement.

And Our further wil and pleasure is that no person or persons whatsoeuer, after the twentieth day of Aprill next comming, shall buy, receiue, vtter or sell any Gold or Siluer Threed, or Copper Gold or Siluer Threed, made in the parts beyond the Seas, or made or to be made within any of Our sayd Dominions, but onely such Gold and Siluer Threed, and Copper Gold and Siluer Threed, as shalbe first Sealed with Our Seale, already appointed for that vse, by such person or persons as shalbe by Us in that behalfe, especially nominated or appointed. And Wee doe hereby further charge and command all Customers and Collectors of Our Customes, Comptrolers, Farmers and their Deputies, that after the twentieth day of Aprill next, they take no entrie, nor receiue any Custome or Subsidy of any Gold and Siluer Threed, or for Copper Gold or Siluer Threed, to bee imported from the parts beyond the Seas into this Our Realme of England, or the Dominions thereof: And for the better Execution of this Our present Will and Commandement, Wee doe straitly charge and command all Iustices of peace, Maiors, Bayliffes, Sheriffes, Constables, Headborowes, Tithingmen, and all other Our Officers, Ministers and louing Subiects, to whom it shall or may appertaine, from time to time, to bee aiding and assisting to all such person and persons as Wee shall lawfully, from time to time authorize, for the searching, seazing, taking, or carrying away of all such Gold or Siluer Threed, and Copper Gold and Siluer Threed, imported, wrought, or made, within this Our Realme and Dominions, contrary to Our pleasure herein expressed.

Giuen at White-hall the two and twentieth day of March, in the fifteenth yeere of Our Reigne of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the one and fiftieth.s

God saue the King.

Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and Iohn Bill, Deputies and Assignes of Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie.

ANNO M. DC. XVII.