HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  ❧ By the King.  
¶ A Proclamation for removing the Staple of Wools from parts beyond the Seas, unto certain principal Cities and Towns within this Our Realm.  
Having of late been earnestly petitioned by divers of Our loving Subjects, aswell of the Growers and Breeders of Wool, as the Merchants and Traders therein, and Clothiers and Converters thereof, to take into Our Princely care and consideration, the due and orderly disposing of the Wools of this Our Kingdom; We by the advice of Our Privy Council, and Our Council learned, have maturely examined the Laws of Our Kingdom in that behalf made, and the Charters of the Staplers, concerning their power and interest in the Trade of buying and selling of Wools; And have also taken into Our Princely consideration the conveniency of a middle hand between the Wool Growers, and Converters thereof, that joining the respect of State & policy, with that of right and Law, We might resolve how the same might be settled most for the public good of Our Subjects; And observing that Our famous progenitors, have aswell by divers Laws, as by sundry Charters made to the Society of the Merchants of the Staple, provided that there should be a continual Trade or Merchandise of buying and selling the Wools of this Kingdom, either within the Realm or without, to which purpose divers Staples have been by them erected and assigned, aswell within the Realm, as beyond the Seas, as the present occasion of the State had required; And finding that the Merchants of the Staple have power and authority by the Charter and free grant of Our dear sister Queen Elizabeth of famous memory, to keep the Staple of Wools at Middelburgh, Bridges, and Bergen-op Zoom, which is nevertheless to be removed and settled elsewhere within Our Land or without, at the pleasure of Us, our Heirs or Successors, upon nine months warning given unto the said Staplers under Our great Seal; And being resolved that it most tendeth to the general good, that the Wools of this Our Kingdom shall be wrought within Our Realm, To which end We minding to continue and establish a due and orderly means, aswell to furnish the Wool-growers with several sorts of Chapmen for their Wools, and also for the fit and timely dispersing and disposing thereof into all parts of this Our Realm, where it may be best used; And for that of ancient time the whole Trade and use of Wools within this Realm hath been under the government of the Mayor and Society of the Staple for the time being, (other then that which the Clothiers and Converters have heretofore, and may still lawfully buy to convert,) And that the said Staplers have a government established, both by the Laws of this Kingdom, and by divers Charters of Our famous Progenitors, with sworn Officers, as Wooll-winders, Porters, Packers, Searchers, Woolshuters, Correctors and the like, fit for the well using and ordering of their Trade, and for the preventing of all frauds and deceits therein; By Our letters Patents lately made unto them, We have signified Our will and pleasure, That they the said Mayor, Constables and Society of Merchants of the Staple, and every of them shall within nine months next after the date thereof, remove themselves, their goods and servants, and by virtue of Our said letters Patents, We have declared for Us our Heirs and Successors, That the Staple of wools shallbe and is removed from the foresaid Towns of Middelburgh, Bridges, and Bergen op Zoom; And that from thenceforth they and every of them shall forbear to carry any Wools out of this Realm, to the said places, or to any other place whatsoever beyond the Seas; And by Our said letters Patents aforesaid, We have assigned and appointed, That the Staples shall hereafter be kept within this Our Realm, at the several Cities, Towns and places hereafter mentioned, Viz. At the City of London and the Suburbs thereof, at the cities of Canterbury, Exeter, Norwich, Worcester, Winchester, & Lincoln, And at the Towns of Shrewsbury, and Oswestrie in the County of Salop, Northampton, and Brackly in the County of Northhampton, Cirencester in the County of Gloucester; Reading in the County of Berks; Kendal in the County of Westmoreland, Sherborne in the County of Dorcet; Richmond, Hallifax, and Wakefield in the County of York; Ratesdale in the County of Lancaster, Tanton Deane in the County of Somerset. Devizes in the County of Wilts, Coggeshall in the County of Essex, And Woodstock in the County of Oxon. And We have likewise thereby granted and confirmed unto the Mayor, Constables and Society of the Merchants of the Staple of England, and to their Successors, and to all and singular Merchants and others, which are or shall be of, and under the Freedom and government of the Society of the Staple of England, full and free power, liberty and Authority to buy, bargain and contract all manner of Wools in all parts of this Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales, of all person and persons whatsoever, and the same to utter and put to Sale in any of the said Staple-markets, cities or Towns without any impeachment, restraint or condition in that behalf.  
Notwithstanding the Statute made in the fifth year of the late King Edward the sixth, or any other Law, Statute, Restraint, Provision, or Proclamation to be contrary in any wise; As by our said Letters Patents under our great Seal of England more at large appeareth. We do for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, straightly charge, command and prohibit all and every our loving Subjects, that none of them do Sue, Implead, or vex in any Court of Record whatsoever, the said Merchants of the Staple, or any of them, their Wives, Apprentices, or Household servants, or any of them, for or concerning buying of wools in any place whatsoever, to sell again by Retail or otherwise, within the Staple Towns aforesaid. And if any Suit hereafter shallbe brought or prosecuted in any of Our Courts against the said Merchants of the Staple, or any of them, their wives, Apprentices, or Household servants, for the buying of any Wools, which shall be bought to the intent to sell again at any of the said Staple Towns, upon any Statute or Ordinance whatsoever, made against Engrossing and buying of wools, to the intent to sell them again: Then and so often We do by these presents, for Us, our Heirs and Successors, will, charge and require all and every the judges and justices of Us, our Heirs and Successors, of all and every our Courts, where any such Suit shallbe brought and prosecuted, and the Barons of the Exchequer of Us, our Heirs and Successors, so soon as they, or any of them shallbe truly certified, that the party sued is a Merchant of the Staple, or wife, Apprentice, or Household servant to a Merchant of the Staple; They, and every of them the said judges, justices and Barons of Us, our Heirs or Successors, shall use and employ the uttermost of their power and authority, and take all courses, and do all things which may stand with Law and justice, for the speedy stopping and repressing of all such Suits and troubles against the said Merchants of the Staple, or any of them, their wives, apprentices, or household servants of them, or any of them, for buying and selling of Wool as foresaid. And We do also hereby revoke, and disannul all Licences, Powers, and Authorities which have been given, or may be pretended to be given for the buying of Wool within this Land, either for to Ship to any of His majesties islands, or to sell again unconverted, Except such as have been given to the Merchants of the Staple: And do hereby straightly charge and command, that the several Statutes in that behalf made against all others shallbe put in execution: And do inhibit all others upon pain of Our displeasure, to buy or contract for any Wool to sell again unwrought: And further, to prevent and reform all frauds and abuses heretofore practised by glovers and fellmongers in the uttering of their Felwools, We will and ordain, and straightly charge and command all fellmongers, and every of them, which do, or shall inhabit within twelve miles of any of the said Staple Markets, Cities, or Towns before limited and assigned, That they and every of them shall from time to time put to sale all sorts of their Fellwools, at some, or one of the said Staple Markets or Towns, and not elsewhere, there to be viewed, proved, weighed, and registered by some of the Officers and Ministers of the Staple. And to that end and purpose, that a due and orderly government may be established and continued at the Staple Towns aforesaid, both for weighing, proving, searching, and disposing of all sorts of the wools of this Our Realm, as may tend most to the welfare of all Our Subjects; Our will and pleasure is, That the Mayor of the Staple for the time being, shall appoint some one of the Society to attend the Lords of Our Privy Counsel for their Direction from time to time, whensoever they shallbe commanded for that purpose.  
Provided nevertheless, that the Clothiers and Dealers in New Draperies, or any other natural borne Subjects, that shall buy to convert into Manufactures, shall not be barred from buying immediately at the hands of the Wooll-grower, Wool fit for their use; And also that the Dealers in New Draperies and Stuffs, who do not use the whole Fleece of the wools they buy, and have used to sell the rest to the Clothiers, shall and may continue the same usage, as formerly they have done, so as they sell the same at the Staple Markets, there to be viewed, weighed, and registered by the Officers and Ministers of the Staple.  
Given at Burley on the Hill the four and twentieth day of March, in the fifteenth year of Our Reign of Great Britain, France and Ireland. 1616. God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. ANNO M.DC.XVI.