A. 18. jacobi Regis. 1620. The brief Contents of the Bill exhibited against Logwood, and abuses in dying.  
1 THis Bill utterly prohibiteth, not only the importation into this Realm of all Logwood alias Blockwood, Saint Martin's wood, and Campecha wood, and all mixtures to dye withal, thereof or therewith made; but also the buying, selling, using, dying with, occupying and keeping the same: upon pain of forfeiture of 40 pounds, whereof a third part to the King, another third to the poor of the Parish, and another third to the Informer; besides such corporal punishment as by the Statute of 39 Eliz. is to be inflicted on such as use Logwood in dying, Penalty. viz. To be set on the Pillory all the market time, one or more days, at the discretion of the Magistrate.  
Reasons. 

1 The former Laws extend not to the prohibition of the importation, and Logwood being licenced to be imported, Dyers will secretly get and use the same, which cannot be prevented, unless the importation be utterly prohibited.  
2 These woods are all of one or like deceitful nature and quality, yet of different names, devised to defeat the Laws, which extend only to Logwood alias Blockwood.  
3 Notwithstanding all the Art and cunning that can be used in the mixture of these woods, yet the colours therewith all died, are very false and deceitful.  
4 By the prohibition of the importation of these woods, his Majesty's Customs will exceedingly increase: for by the book of Rates no Custom is paid for Logwood (the King not tollerating the importation) and every Tun of these woods spent in dying, saveth the spending of ten Tons of woad, or the value of so much in Indigo, for which Custom is paid, so that it is manifest, that by the licence granted for importation of fifty Tun of Logwood yearly (if under colour thereof no more be brought in, as it is to be doubted the contrary) yet the King loseth yearly the benefit of the Custom of 500 Tons of woad, or of the value thereof in Indigo.  
5 By the use of these woods the Subject is deceived, the art of dying both at home and abroad much scandalised, and the ancient Trade of clothing in this Realm greatly decayed.    
2 This Bill authoriseth all persons by warrant of the Major or head Officer of any City or Town corporate, or of two justices of peace of the County, to search in all suspected places for the said woods and stuff to die withal, and finding the same, to seize and deliver to the said Majors, etc. who are to cause the same to be speedily burned.  
Reasons. 

1 Unless they be so authorised, they cannot find where the same woods shall be hidden.  
2 Unless the woods may be speedily burned, the keeping of them may prove very hurtful.    
3 This Bill authoriseth any person by like warrant, to search for Clothes deceitfully died.  
Reasons. Which being found, the punishment for the same is provided by former Statutes.  
4 This Bill authoriseth the Wardens of the company of Dyer's in London, to make the like search in all places in London and the Liberties, and within three miles thereof.  
Reasons. Otherwise many Dyers in those places, not free of the Company of Dyers, will not permit such search to be made.  
5 This Bill forbiddeth all persons using dying in London and the Liberties, or within three miles thereof, to woad any Clothes or Stuffs of a lighter or lesser woad than the stalls or samples shallbe of, which shallbe delivered to them by order of the Wardens & Assistants of the company of Dyers in London, Penalty. on pain to forfeit five pounds for every piece of broadcloth, & fifty shillings for every piece of other cloth or stuff so insufficiently woaded, which forfeitures, as aforesaid, are to the King, to the Poor, and to the Informer.  
Reasons. The Freemen of the Company of Dyers in London, are by their Ordinances strictly bound to observe this good order; but many persons in those places using dying, some free of other companies, and some strangers, not being bound to perform this order, do daily commit many notable deceits to the abuse of the Subject, and scandal of the Art or mystery of Dying.  
6 This Bill appointeth the Wardens and Assistants of the company of Dyers in London, within ten days after Midsummer, yearly to nominate, at the least four persons expert in dying, which shall be Searchers for woaded colours, which Searchers are to be sworn before the Lord Major and Aldermen in London, for the due execution of their office: and the Wardens and commonalty of Dyers, Penalty. for neglect of such yearly nomination to forfeit twenty pounds to the King and Informer.  
Reasons. This Company best knowing who are most expert in that Art, are fittest to have the nomination of the said Searchers.  
7 This Bill authoriseth the said Searchers so named, and sworn to search in all places within the limits aforesaid, where dying is used, all clothes and stuffs woaded before they shall be turned out of the woad into other colours, and shall seal such clothes and stuffs which they shall find well and truly woaded with seals of lead, stamped with such several stamps for several colours, as are provided for that purpose by the Wardens of the company of Dyers: and such clothes and stuffs which the Searchers shall find or suspect to be insufficiently woaded, to bring the same to the Dyers Hall in London, there by a court of Assistants to be adjudged whether the same shallbe sufficiently woaded or not, and then to be redelivered to the Dyer from whom the same was taken.  
Reasons. 

1 By sight of the clothes and stuffs in the woad, expert person's may the better discern whether they are sufficiently woaded for th●●●lours appointed for them, or not.  
2 The like seal is appointed by diverse Statutes for diverse things, to the end that the Subject might not be deceived.  
3 The Freemen of the Company of Dyers using dying, have many years passed observed this good order, which for prevention of deceit is also necessary to be done by all others using dying, though not free of their Company.  
4 Sometimes the deceit may be so much shadowed by Art that the Searchers may be doubtful thereof, in which cases the trial thereof cannot more easily be made then by a court of Assistants of that Company.    
8 This Bill imposeth a forfeiture of 20 pounds to the King and Informer, upon every person which shall not suffer search to be made, according to the tenor of this Act.  
Reasons. divers presentiments there are of the like, as 3. Ed. 6. c. 2. & 4. & 5. Ph. & M. cap. 5.  
9 This Bill alloweth (towards the provision of seals and lead, and recompense of Searchers) ob. to be taken for the sealing of every piece of cloth and stuff well woaded, and that for non payment thereof, the Wardens of the Company of Dyers may distrain: The taking of which ob. cannot be termed a Monopoly, for these reasons, viz.  
Reasons. 

1 The same is taken of the Dyer only, who therefore doth not in any wise enhance his prices of dying, and therefore not prejudicial to the commonwealth in general.  
2 It is doubtful whether ● ob. upon the piece will defray the charge for lead, seals, & searchers.  
3 If the profit should surmount the charge, yet the overplus being reserved to the Company of Dyers, is there to lie in stock for the discharge of all extraordinary payments and taxations, which otherwise are to be levied upon every particular person by the Pole, which stock being so maintained, every member of that Company is partaker of the benefit thereof, and therefore not to be thought unnecessary to be paid.  
4 Precedents there are diverse of receipts upon sealing, as by Statute of 5. Ed. 6. c. 6. for sealing of cloth well dressed etc. 35. Eliz cap. 10. for searching and marking of Carsies, 1. ja. cap. 22. for sealing of leather, etc.    
10 This Bill also imposeth a forfeiture of 20 pounds to the King and Informer, upon every Major, justice of peace, head Officer, Constable, etc. which shall be negligent in the due execution of this Act, for so much as appertaineth to them.  
Reasons. This is not unnecessary, because the life of the Law is in the execution thereof.  
All former Laws not repealed, made for prevention of deceits in dying and against using of Logwood, for so much as are not repugnant to this Act, to stand in force, this Act notwithstanding.