royal coat of arms 
E R  
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   
By the queen.  
ELIZABETH By the grace of God queen of England, france, and Ireland, defender of the Faith &c. TO all to whom these presentes shall come greeting.  
WHEREAS we by our letters patents dated at Westminster the fourth day of june in the twentieth year of our reign did give & grant full power, licence and authority to our well-beloved servants raff bows, and Thomas Beddingfield Esquiors and to their assigns that they by themselves or their said assigns or the servants, Factors, or deputies of them or their assigns or any of them as well Englishmen, Denizens as strangers being with us in league and amity from and after the date of the said letters patents unto the end and term of twelve yeares then next and immediately following should and might provide and buy in any the parties beyond the Seas being with us in amity all and every sorts of playing cards as they or any of them should think good and the same cards from time to time to bring or sand or cause to be brought or sent or transported by any manner of means into this our realm or any our dominions there to utter sell and distribute the same in gross or by retale to their most commodity without incurring any manner of penalty, forfeiture or danger. Any ordinance act Statute restraint prohibition lawe custom or usage thertofore had made or used to the contrary in any wise or by any means notwithstanding. AND that the said raff bows and Thomas Beddingfield and their assigns and the servants, factors and deputies of them and their assigns onely should haue and enjoy by force of the same letters patents the whole trade and traffic and merchandise of playing cards during the said term. AND therefore by our said letters patents wee did in most straite manner charge, restrain, command and forbid all person and persons of what estate, degree, or condition soever the same should be that none of them during the said term of twelve yeares as aforesaid other then the said raff bows and Thomas Beddingfield and their assigns and their servants Factors and deputies at their or any of their appointment should bring or send or cause to be brought sent transported or laid on land by any manner of means or colour into this our realm or into any of our Dominions any manner of playing cards nor during the said term should merchandise, buy, sell, give distribute or deliver out or keep or offer to sell or put to sale in any shop, warehouse, seller, soller, standing both or any other place any manner of playing cards nor should make or cause to bee made any playing cards within this our realm or Dominions during the said term contrary to the intent and true meaning of the said letters patents. As by our said letters patents amongst diuers other things it doth and may at large appear.  
NOUUE know ye that in consideration as well that the said raff bows and Thomas Beddingfield haue surrendered the said letters patents into our court of Chauncerye to bee canceled to the intent that a new letters patents of the premises may bee made. As also for sundry other good causes us thereunto moving and in consideration of the sum of one hundreth marks of currant money of this our Ralme to be paid by our well-beloved servant raff bows Esquior or his assigns to us our heires and successors yearly into the receit of our exchequer at the feast of the Annunciation of our lady or within one month after at one entire payment during all the yeares mentioned in this our grant for the true payment whereof he hath entred into bands into our court of exchequer before our Barons there. WE haue given and granted and by these presentes for us our heires and successors of our especial grace certain knowledge and mere motion do give and grant unto our said servant raff bows and to his assigns full power licence and authority that he by himself or by his said assigns and by the servants Factors or deputies of them or their assigns or any of them as well Englishmen Denizens as strangers being with us in league and amity shall and may provide and buy in any of the partes beyond the seas being with us in amity all and every such sorts of playing cards as he the said raff bows or his assigns or his or their servants deputies or factors shall think good. And the same cards from time to time to bring or sand or cause to be brought or sent and transported by any maner of means into this our realm or any other our Dominions there to utter sell and distribute the same in gross or by retale to his or their most commodity without incurring any manner of penalty forfeiture or danger for the same any Ordinance act Statute restraint prohibition lawe custom or usage heretofore had made or used to the contrary in any wise or by any means notwithstanding. AND that the said raff bows and his assigns and his and their servants Factors and deputies onely shall haue and enjoy by force hereof the whole trade traffic and merchandise of all maner of playing cards whatsoever. AND moreover of our especial grace certain knowledge and mere motion we do further grant unto the said raff bows and to his assigns and to such person and persons as he the same raff or his assigns shall nominate and appoint in that behalf that he the same raff bows and his assigns and such other person and persons as he the same raff bows or his assigns shall so nominate and appoint, and no other shall haue the making of playing Cards within this our realm and other our Dominions.  
TO haue hold exercise & enjoy the said trade traffic and making of playing cards according to the purport meaning and intent of this our present grant licence and privilege unto the said raff bows his executours and assigns onely from the date of these presentes for and during the full and whole term of twelve yeares from thence next and immediately ensuing and fully to be complete and ended. AND forasmuch as wee are desirous and fully minded that the said raff bows and his assigns and deputies shall haue receive and take the full and whole benefit profit and commodity of all the playing cards so to be made or brought into this realm or any other our Dominions during the term aforesaid, we do by these presentes for us our heires and successors in most straight maner and wise, charge, restrain, command and forbid all person and persons of what estate, degree, or condition soever the same be that none of them during the said term of twelve yeares as aforesaid other then the said raff bows and his assigns or his or their Seruants Factors and deputies at his or their appointment shall bring or send or cause to bee brought sent transported or laid on land, by any manner of means or colour into this our realm or into any our Dominions any maner of playing Cards nor during the said term shal Merchandise, buy, sell, give, distribute, or deliver out, or keep, or offer to sell or put to sale, or to utter in any shop, warehouse, seller, or soller, standing both or any other place whatsoever, any maner of playing cards, nor shall make or cause to be made any maner of playing cards within this our realm or Dominions of any sort or fashion whatsoever, during the said term contrary to the true meaning and intent of this our grant, or of any lawe, statute or restraint in that case made and provided upon pain that every person offending against the true meaning of the same, not onely to incur our high and grievous displeasure and to suffer such fine and punishment as offenders in cases of wilful contempt do deserve, but also shall forfeit & pay the sum of ten shillings of currant money of England for every gross of playing cards which any such person shall bring in, buy, sell merchandise keep or set to sale or shall make or cause to bee made contrary to this our grant. And shall likewise forfeit all the said playing cards so to be brought in bought sold kept made or set to sale contrary to the true meaning and intent of these presents, and whatsoever also is or ought to be forfeit by any lawe or statute in such case made or provided. The one half of which forfeiture to be to us our heires and successors and the other half we give and grant for us our heires and successors by these our letters patents unto our said seruant and his assigns. And for the more sure and better execution of this our grant we haue given and appointed and hereby do give and appoint unto our said seruant raff bows and his assigns a scale to set upon such cards as he or his assigns or deputies shall utter distribute and sell to the end to make known what cards haue lawfully passed his or their hands, most straightly charging and forbidding all every & our subiects whatsoever to make, counterfeit, or use any such or like seal or to set the same or any other scale vpon any playing cards vpon pain of imprisonment and our high displeasure. AND further also for the better execution of this our said grant we do by these our letters patents for us our heires and successors give and grant to the said raff bows full power licence and authority that he by himself and vie his assigns, Seruants, Factors and deputies shall and may at all times and from time to time during the said term of twelve yeares enter into any ship bothome, vessel, boat, shop, warehouse, or other place whatsoever which they or any of them shal think good within this our realm or any other our dominions by water or land as well within liberty as without and there to try and search by all ways and means for all such playing cards as shal be brought in transported laid on land bought sold Merchandised kept or put to sale or made or carried forth of this our realm or Dominions contrary to the true meaning and intent of these our letters patents or of any lawe restraint or statute in that behalf made or ordained, and finding any such to arrest seize carry away and detain the same to the use in these our letters patents before mentioned and expressed. AND furthermore we will & command and by these presents for us our heires and successors do straightly charge and prohibit al and singular our Customers Collectors and controllers and farmers of our customs and subsidies of and within all & every Borough town port haven Creeke and other place whatsoever within this realm or any other our Dominions that they nor any of them by themselves their clerks deputies or servants receive or take any custom or subsidy or any other thing in the name or lieu of any custom or subsidy or compound or agree or make any composition or agreement or any entry into any book of or for any custom subsidy or other duty which shal hereafter during the said term happen or grow due to us our heires or successors for any playing cards which shalbe brought into this our realm or any other our Dominions or transported forth by any person or persons other then the said raff bows or his assigns servants factors or deputies or some or one of them. AND further wee will and grant by these presentes for us our heires & successors that the treasurer and Barons of our Exchequer for the time being byforce of this our grant or the inrelment thereof in the same Court at all and every time and times during the said term at & upon their request of the said raff bows or his assigns or any other his or their Attorney factor or deputy shall and may make and direct under the seal of the same Exchequer such and so many writ and writtes close or patent unto such Maiors bailiffs Sheriffes farmers of Customs Customers Collectors controllers searchers or other officers of us our heires or successors in such shires, Counties, Cities, boroughs, Ports, havens, or Creckes or other places whatsoever within any our dominions as our said seruant or his assigns Attorney seruant or factor shall at any time require commanding and charging them and every of them thereby that they nor any of them during the said term receive or take any custom or subsidy or any other thing in the name or liewe of any custom or subsidy or compound or agree or make any composition or agreement or any entry into any book of or for any custom subsidy or other duty which shal hereafter during the said term happen or grow due to us our heires or successors for any maner of playing cards which shalbe brought into this our realm or any other our Dominions or transported or carried forth of the same by any other person or persons then the said raff bows and his assigns Seruants Factors and deputies. And also from time to time and at all times during the said term they do in all places within their office or charge carefully and diligently try and search by all ways & means for all such playing cards as by any person or persons other then the said raff bows & his assigns seruants factors & deputies or some of them shall within the said term be brought & laid on land merchandized bought sold kept or put to sale made or transported contrary to the tenor of these our letters patents or of any lawe proclamation ordinance or statute in that behalf made or ordained. And finding any such to arrest seize and deliver the same to the said raff bows his assigns seruants factors and deputies or to some of them to the use above specified. AND further that they do carefully & diligently endeavour themselves that the intent & true meaning of these our letters patents may be duly observed. And if in the execution therof they shall find any resistance that they certify the same unto the said exchequer to the end that the offenders therein may receive condign punishment for the same their offences. AND further we will and command by these presents that all Maiors sheriffs, bailiffs, Constables, controllers, Custummers, farmers, of customs, searchers and all other our Officers, Ministers, & Subiects, do not onely permit & suffer the said raff bows his assigns seruants factors & deputies to haue and enjoy the full benefit and commodity of this our grant, but also that they be helping aiding & assisting in the execution of the same when they shal be thereunto required at all times during the said term as they will answer to the contrary at their uttermost perils, and nevertheless our full will pleasure & intent is that of our customs Subsidies & duties to be paid for any playing cards brought or to be brought in or transported further by the said raff bows or his assines servants, factors, or deputies we be duly answered and paid during the said term. IN witness whereof we haue caused these our Letters to bee made patents.  
witness ourself at Westminster the thirteenth day of june the thirteenth year of our reign. Per breue de privato Sigillo. Kindesley.  
God save the queen.   

Printed at London by Thomas Purfoote.