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HONI SOIT QVI MAY Y PENSE  ❧ By the King. ❧ A Proclamation prohibiting the Merchant Adventurers Charter from henceforth to be put in practice or execution, either within the Kingdom, or beyond the Seas.  
AS there is no great action, which tendeth to the advancement of a public good, but it requireth certain degrees of timely proceeding, and nevertheless meeteth with divers impediments; some by accident, and some by practice: So is there nothing that doth more adorn the true Majesty and greatness of Sovereign Princes, then to be constant in their well-grounded Resolutions, and by their policy and lawful power, to scatter and beat down all difficulties, and undue oppositions, until they have conducted their Actions to a good and happy end: We therefore, having propounded unto Ourselves; as a principal work of Our times, to ordain and provide, that the great commodity of Broadcloth, being one of the principal Dowries of Our Kingdom, may receive the due Manufactures of Dying and Dressing within the Realm; did to that end publish Our Royal Proclamation, dated the three and twentieth day of july last, prohibiting and ordaining, That no Broadcloth, of what sort soever, made here within this Our Kingdom of England, should be Exported Vndied and Undressed, after the second day of November next ensuing the date of Our said Proclamation: Which time was given, aswell for the Merchant Adventurers, to vent their Whites, which might be upon their hands, as for the preparing of divers things, necessary to the settling of the new Trade of Died and dressed Clothes. And We did further by Our said Proclamation promise in the Word of a King to all Our loving Subjects, that should undertake to Export the said Broad-cloths in their true Manufactures, that neither the Charter of the Merchant Adventurers, nor any other Licences or Dispensations by Non obstantes, contrary to Our Laws, heretofore granted by Us, or any Our Predecessors, should be any manner of prejudice, impeachment, disturbance, or interruption to such, as should after the time aforesaid vent the said Clothes Died and Dressed, according to Our said Royal Ordinance and constitution; but should be from the said second day of November, declared to be annihilated, & made void to all intents and purposes. At which time of the publishing of Our said Proclamation, We did expect that the said Charter of the Merchant Adventurers should, before the said second day of November, have been in due form of Law surrendered: But after, finding the said Company of Merchant Adventurers to make difficulty concerning the Surrender of their Patent; We have been enforced through their wilfulness and inconformity, aswell to order a Legal course to be taken for the overthrow of their said Patent: as also to licence divers of Our loving Subjects, that have very worthily, and with great alacrity, undertaken to set up and manage the said Trade of Dyed and Dressed Clothes, to export also Whites in the mean while, until such time as the said Patent of the Merchant Adventurers shall be by judgement evicted, and some respite of time afterwards, lest there might have ensued some stand of the vent of Cloth before the new Trade were settled: But for as much as the course of a judicial proceeding, though in a Case never so clear & plain, must have due forms & times observed according to the rules of Law, & for that time in this case is exceeding precious, and that it is not possible for the new intended Company, to go on with that confidence and encouragement, that in so great a business were fit, as long as the Charter of the Merchant-Aduenturers is put in ure, and practise:  
Therefore to remove and discharge all discouragements and impediments: We do by these presents prohibit, forbidden, constitute and ordain, That from henceforth the Charter of the said Merchant adventurers, and all powers, licences, authorities, privileges, forms of government contained in the same, or otherwise all usages, holding of Courts, meetings, assemblies, and all other proceed, by colour or virtue thereof, together with all the dependences, be not from henceforth put in any manner of practice or execution, either in the parts beyond the Seas, or here within Our Kingdom. And to that end, We do not only notify and publish this Our Royal prohibition and ordinance, aswell to all Foreigners, as to all Our loving Subjects, to whom it may appertain: But do furthermore straightly and expressly charge and command, aswell the Governor, Deputy, or Deputies, and Assistants of the said Company of the Merchant Adventurers, as the whole body of them, and also every of them in particular, and all their Factors, Servants and Ministers, aswell beyond the Seas, as on this side, within Our Kingdom and Dominions; That from this time forwards, they do in no wise presume, directly or indirectly, to do, perform, or execute any Trade, Traffic, or merchandising, into, or from any the Countries, or places where the said Merchant Adventurers, are, or have been privileged, or any point or thing whatsoever, by virtue or colour of their said Charter, or by virtue of any former treaty or treaties, betwixt any Our noble Progenitors, or Predecessors, and any Prince or Potentate, City or politic Government, or former usages, upon pain of Our High indignation, imprisonment, and other punishment, which by Our Laws or Prerogative Royal, may be inflicted upon them: Letting them know, that We shall proceed against every such offender, as a contemner of Our Royal Commandment, and a disturber of so excellent a work, wherein We have so far declared Ourselves for the Universal Weal, and comfort of Our people.  
Provided nevertheless, that where Our Treasurer of England hath directed his Letters to the Officers of Our Customhouse, and Ports, giving liberty of importation, only until the last of this present month of December: That these presents shall not any way countermand the said limitation of time so prefixed, & no longer: But that the said Merchant-Aduenturers, may during that time import accordingly; any thing before in these presents, to the contrary notwithstanding.  
Given at Our Court at Newmarket the second day of December, in the twelfth year of Our Reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the eight and fortieth.  
God save the King.   

❧ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. ANNO DOM. 1614