❧ By the queen. ❧ A Proclamation for the Clothiers of suffolk, norfolk, and Essex.  
ELizabeth by the grace of God &c. To our right trusty and right well-beloved counsellor Sir Thomas Sackeuile of the most noble Order of the Garter Knight, Lord Buckhurst, Lord High Treasurer of England, To all our Iudges of all our Courts at Westminster, to the Barons of our exchequer, to all other Iudges in any Court of Record within our realm of England, and to all Maiors, sheriffs, Customers, and Controllers of our Ports, Alnagers, Searchers, and all other our Officers and Ministers whatsoever, and to all others to whom it shall appertain, greeting.  
Whereas humble suit and petition hath of long time been made unto us by our loving Subiects the Clothiers of suffolk, norfolk and Essex, for some reasonable mitigation and toleration of the Statutes now standing in force, touching the making of Clothes within the same Counties; and namely one Statute made in the fifth and sixth yeeres of the reign of King Edward the sixth, entitled, An Act for the true making of Woollen cloth: and one other Statute made in the fourth and fifth yeeres of the reigns of King Philip and queen Mary, entitled, An Act touching the making of Woollen clothes, which as we are credibly informed, partly in respect of the more fine spinning of the yarn, and better making of Clothes in those parts, then was used in times past; but specially for that those Clothes being well wrought, rowed, shorne, clean scoured, and fully dried, do thereby loose much of their weight, whereby the trade of Clothing in those parts is like to be overthrown, the Clothiers being continually and grievously molested by Informers and Searchers: By reason whereof they haue forsaken and left their trade, to the great decay of Cloth making within the said Counties, and to the impoverishment and utter undoing of great numbers of poor people there, which heretofore haue been relieved and set on work by the same: A matter likely to grow to further inconvenience, if some speedy course be not taken for redress thereof. Whereupon we, of our princely and godly disposition, having a most tender care and regard of our said good and loving Subiects, and desiring as much as in us lieth to provide convenient and speedy relief for them, in that behalf, Haue by the advice of the Lords and others of our privy council, who haue had the examination thereof, and with great deliberation haue caused certain Orders to be devised and set down for mitigation of the extremities and strictness of the said Statutes, and for toleration to the said Clothiers for and concerning the same, so as they should not be vexed with any suits by informations or actions, as long as they shal observe the said Orders: which said Orders we haue caused to be hereunto annexed, straightly charging and commanding as well the Clothiers aforesaid, as also all others to whom it shall or may in any wise appertain, duly to observe and perform the same in all things. And our express will and pleasure is, that none of the Clothiers within our said Counties of suffolk, norfolk, and Essex, which shall fully and truly in all things observe, fulfil, and accomplish the said Orders according to the effect and true meaning of the same, shall in any wise be sued, impeached, troubled or molested by any Alnager, Searcher, or Informer, or any other person or persons whatsoever, for or by reason of the breach or not performing of the said Statutes or any of them, or for or concerning any forfeiture or penalty therein contained: which we require you all to see observed in all Courts, where any person shall offer to implead them, contrary to the good intention of the said Orders: And these tolerations to endure during our pleasure, or until by Parliament the same may be further considered and established, as the like provision hath been made for western Clothes in the xxvii. year of our reign. We will also that at the request of the Clothiers of suffolk, norfolk, and Essex, or any of them, the Orders hereunto annexed shal be published and fixed up in our City of London in places convenient: and likewise published in such Market and Port towns as shall be thought needful in the said Counties. All which shall be done by order and direction of our privy council, as they shall think meet from time to time.  
given under our Signet at our Palace of Westminster the seventh day of February, in the xliii. year of our reign.  
God save the queen.   

¶ The Orders, as followeth, viz.  
FIrst, forasmuch as Clothes commonly called Short clothes, made in the Counties of suffolk and Essex ▪ are for the most part carried into the parts beyond the Seas, and there uttered an● sold, and but very few thereof within this realm: Her majesties will and pleasure therefore is, that the same shalbe allowed to pass as good and merchantable Clothes, being made as hereafter is declared, and viewed to be so by the Alneger of the county, and by him sealed accordingly.  
2. Item, whereas by the statutes now being in force, the said Clothes called Short clothes, being well thicked, ought to contain in length( being through wet) between xxiii. and xxv. yards, yard and inch of the rule: and being well scoured and fully dried, ought to weigh lxiiii. pound the Cloth at the least: Forasmuch as the said Clothes, by reason of rowing, dressing, and shearing, do loose of their weight limited by the said Statute: Therefore her majesties pleasure is, That the said Clothiers shalbe tolerated for the weight of four pounds in every such Cloth, well wrought and shorne, and that every of those Clothes being well rowed, shorne, dressed, clean scoured, dry, and ready to sale, which shall weigh threescore pounds the Cloth at the least shalbe allowed to be good and sufficient. And that in like maner for the long Clothes made in those Counties, allowance shalbe made of five pounds in every long Cloth, being well wrought, rowed, shorne, dressed, clean scoured, dry, and ready to sale.  
3. Item, that none of the said Clothes shalbe stretched or strained above two yards in length at the most: And that none of the said Clothes being dry, and ready to sale, shall contain any more or longer measure then xxvii. yards, yard and inch of the rule at the most: And none of the long Clothes being dry and ready to sale, shall contain any more or longer measure then one and thirty yards, yard and inch of the rule at the most.  
4. Item, that the colours of all those Clothes, and all other Clothes whatsoever within the said Counties, being died, in wool, yarn, or Cloth mingled or unmingled, shall be good, sure and true in all respects.  
5. Item, her majesties will and pleasure is, That the said short Clothes weighing threescore pounds the Cloth at the least, and not exceeding in length xxvii. yards at the most, and being clean scoured, fully wrought, dried, and well dressed, as is aforesaid: And the said long Clothes being of such weight at the least as is before allowed, not exceeding the length of xxxi. yards, yard and inch of the rule, and not being in breadth above that which the laws and Statutes do allow, and being well dressed, as is aforesaid: And also all unwrought short Clothes not exceeding xxvii. yards in length as aforesaid, having their full weight of threescore and four pounds, shalbe allowed and permitted to pass without trial by water, by any Searcher or Searchers.  
6. Item, That it shall be lawful for all Searchers to make search of all the said Clothes wheresoever the same may be found, for the colours, weight, and length thereof, according to these Orders.  
7. Item, That the list of any short Cloth shall not be in breadth above one nail at the most, and shall not weigh by common iudgement above five pounds at the uttermost: and no list of the long Cloth shalbe in weight above six pounds.  
8. And for the avoiding of great deceits commonly practised by bad Clothiers, in caxxying of their false & insufficiently made Clothes to Cloth workers houses, and other private places in and near about the city of London, and there uttering and selling the same, not bringing them to the open and common Market of Blackwelhall: Her majesty straightly chargeth and commandeth, that all Clothiers of the said Counties, shall hereafter bring to the common Market of Blackwelhall aforesaid, or to such other open place as shal be for that purpose assigned by the Lord Maior and court of Aldermen of London for the time being, All such Clothes, as they or any of them shall bring, or cause to be brought to the said city or to the Suburbs or places near thereunto, and there shall utter and show the same, whether they were sold before or not; And that no Clothier, or any other person within or near the said city, shall keep or suffer any private Markets or sales of any such Clothes to be used or suffered in their or any of their houses, shops, or warehouses, And that no Clothier shall hereafter take or enjoy any benefit of these Orders and tolerations for any their Clothes uttered or brought in, or to the said city of London, or the Suburbs or places near to the same: saving those onely which shall bring the same their Clothes to the said common Market of Blackwelhall( or such other open place, as shall be for that purpose assigned by the Lord Maior and court of Aldermen of London for the time being) And for their Clothes made, and wrought according to these Articles; And that all Searchers shall haue power and authority to make search for all defective and insufficient Clothes in all other private houses, shops and places within the said city of London, and the Suburbs thereof, according to the Statutes in those cases provided.  
9. And to the end the said Clothiers shall not pretend any ignorance, or lack of knowledge of her highnesse pleasure in this behalf; Her majesty willeth and commandeth, that the Maior of London before the twentieth day of this month of March shall cause the same to be openly published and declared in the common Market of Blackwelhall aforesaid.  
10. And forasmuch as there is great fraud and inconvenience in the over straining of Clothes, and for that, that in those parts there are two sorts of Clothes made, the one called A long Cloth, which is to contain in length between xxviii. and xxx. yards, yard and inch of the Rule: and the other called A short Cloth, which is to contain in length between xxiii. and xxv. yards of like measure: Her majesty chargeth and commandeth, that in the said Counties, all long Tentours shall be cut to xxxi. yards, yard and inch of the Rule: And all short Tentours and Racks to xxvii. yards, yard and inch of the Rule, and that one Tentour shall not be permitted to stand near to another by two yards at the least: And that all Tentours that are not agreeable to the lengths aforesaid, shall be cut and reformed before the feast of Easter now next coming: And that no short Cloth shalbe tentoured vpon any long Tentour, vpon such pains as the Law doth appoint.  
11. Item, That the chief officer or officers of every City, town corporate, or Port town, where any the said kind of Clothes are made, sold, or shipped, shall appoint an open and convenient place, whereunto we straightly charge and command, that every Clothier, or Selier of Cloth, shall bring every the said Clothes to be preached and viewed, not being brought to London or the Suburbs thereof as aforesaid.  
12. And that every such officer or officers, shall search, view, and seal with some seal for that purpose to be ordained, or cause to be preached, viewed, and sealed, every such Cloth before the same be shipped, or set to sale, vpon such pains and penalties, as may be inflicted vpon Contemners of her Highnesse princely and royal commandement.  
13. provided always, that by colour hereof nothing be exacted or taken of the Clothier or Seller of Cloth, more or otherwise then is allowed by the Statutes in that behalf made, And that search, view and sealing be made as is aforesaid, with all expedition that conveniently may be.  
14. And that no Clothier shall hereafter take or enjoy any benefit of these Orders and tolerations for any their said Clothes brought, uttered or sold, in any part of this realm, or the dominions thereof, saving those onely which shall bring their Clothes to such places as herein before is ordained, and there after the said Clothes are viewed, preached and sealed, do in the same Market or open place sell or utter the same, and for such of the same only, as shal be made and wrought according to the true intent and meaning of these Orders.  
15. And finally, her majesty willeth and commandeth, that no person which shall infringe and break these Orders, or any of them, saving for the matter of weight, shal in any wise enjoy or claim any benefit thereby, but shal be subject to all the penalties and forfeitures limited and appointed in and by the said Statutes, And that all Searchers, Informers, and all other persons, to whom it shall or may appertain, shal and may hereupon haue and use like remedy, benefit and advantage against every one so offending, as though these Orders had never been made.  
16. And concerning the reformation of the weight above mentioned, considering the penalty for want of weight, for every pound not exceeding four pounds, is ii. s. and for every pound being above four pounds is v.s. by the Statute: It is ordered that the Statute shalbe executed vpon all Clothes made contrary to the form of these Articles, as is aforesaid. The aforesaid Orders to continue onely during her majesties pleasure.   

❧ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printed to the queens most excellent majesty.  
ANNO 1600.