HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
¶ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation for reforming the abuses in making of Gold and Silver Thread within this Realm, and for the inhibiting the Importation thereof, from the parts beyond the Seas.  
JAMES by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, etc. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting. Where We have always held it one of the most necessary cares and considerations, incident to the State and office of Kings and Sovereign Princes, so to dispose of their people and government, as the knowledge and use of good and profitable Arts and Inventions, may become common and frequent among their people, the same being one of the greatest means to increase and preserve the wealth and strength of State and people; considering that labour and industry well employed, maketh kingdoms great and flourishing. And forasmuch as some of Our good and loving Subjects of Our Realm of England have of late, to their great charge, brought into this Our Kingdom, and have herein by their great industry erected and perfectly established the Art and Mystery of making Gold and Silver thread, a Feat or Manifacture, formerly used or made in foreign parts beyond the Seas, and by Strangers and others from thence transported and brought, as a commodity of great use, into this Our Kingdom of England, wherein they have so well and commendably proceeded, as that they are now able to make sufficient store of Gold and Silver thread, to serve for the use and expense of Our whole Kingdom. And whereas, a matter of so great consequence, and wherein so many of Our people should be interessed, both in the making and use thereof, may well be judged more fit for Us to take into Our hands, then to leave the same to the power and dispose of private men; and aswell to prevent the abuses which may be offered to Us and Our Subjects, by the counterfeiting of the said Gold and Silver thread, as likewise for the preservation of Bullion within this Our Kingdom, We have caused this Our whole work to be taken into Our possession, for the general good and benefit of Our people and loving Subjects, and have also provided and taken sufficient order that Our loving Subjects in all parts, shall not at any time want convenient quantity of the said Gold and Silver thread for their use, but shall also be served of it at reasonable prizes: And that such as are skilful in the working and spinning thereof, shall be employed therein, if they faithfully and honestly perform the same, and at such rates and wages, as they whom We specially shall licence thereunto shall think meet and convenient: which care and good intention of Us, hath of late been greatly interrupted and opposed, not only by the bringing into Our said Kingdoms and Dominious great quantities of Gold and Silver thread, from divers parts beyond the Seas, but also by the private working and making thereof in Corners, by divers strangers and others, contrary to Our Patent of privilege heretofore granted; the same being no known nor continued trade within these our Realms; howsoever divers of the Goldsmiths of London have lately presumed and attempted to make the same parcel of their Trade, by reason only of some few experiments heretofore by them and others made, and by fits only, and for very small quantities of Gold and Silver thread, whereby this so excellent an Invention thus brought into this Our Kingdom, is likely to be utterly overthrown, and Our Subjects much wronged by counterfeit and base Gold and Silver thread, made and sold by the underhand workers, if the same by Our care should not be provided for, and speedily prevented: And albeit that by means of the Gold and Silver thread, made and to be made within Our said Realms, We should receive great hindrance in Our Customs and other duties, formerly paid unto Us and Our Predecessors, Kings and Queens of this Realm of England, for and upon that commodity imported, for which nevertheless We have taken order as far as is convenient: Yet We that in all Our Actions and proceedings have Our eye of grace rather upon the flourishing estate of Our Kingdoms, and the comfort of Our people, then upon Our profit, have resolved to prefer the estate & good of Our Kingdom, before the precise consideration of Our own benefit, rather than to interrupt or overthrow so excellent a work, and effect of our care and princely policy for the welfafe of Our subjects. These are therefore to require and command all and singular person and persons whatsoever, as well Our natural borne subjects as Denizens, or strangers, that none of them, nor any other person or persons whatsoever, (other than such as We shall give special licence thereunto; and such as they shall set on work) do at any time or times hereafter attempt or presume to make any Gold or Silver thread, or Copper Gold and Silver thread within Our said Realms and Dominions, upon pain of forfeiture of all and every quantity and quantities, parcel or parcels of such Gold and Silver thread, and Copper Gold and Silver thread, so made in Our said Realms and Dominions contrary to this Our present commandment, and also upon pain of Our high indignation and displeasure, and such further pains, penalties, and punishments, as for the contempt of Our commandment Royal in this behalf, may any way be inflicted upon them or any of them so offending, contrary to the true intent and meaning herein signified.  
And whereas by a Statute made in the fourth year of the late King Henry the seventh, it was ordained and enacted, that no Finer of Gold and Silver, nor parter of the same by fire or water, from thenceforth should allay no fine Silver nor Gold, nor none sell in any otherwise, nor to any person or persons, but only to officers of Mints, changes, & Goldsmiths within this Realm, for the augmentation and amendment of Coin and Plate; nor sell to no person any manner of Silver, molten and allayed, upon pain of forfeiture of the same, or the value of the Gold or Silver so allayed or sold. And that no Goldsmith within this Realm should melt or allay any fine Silver, to, or for any works of other intent, but only for making of amels, or for amending of Plate, nor that they should sell no fine Silver, nor other Silver allayed, molten into mass to any person or persons whatsoever they be, nor one Goldsmith to another, upon pain of forfeiture of the same Silver, or value thereof. We therefore for the better execution of Our said will and pleasure, and preservation of Our Bullion within this Our Kingdom, do further straightly charge & command, that no Goldsmith or Goldsmiths, Finer or Finers, Parter or Parters of Gold and Silver within Our said Dominions, shall for their use or benefit, uses or benefits, fine, part, or cause to be fined or parted any Gold or Silver, or provide or cause to be provided any Gold or Silver, and the same utter and sell or otherwise dispose to any person or persons whatsoever, whereby to make or cause to be made the said Gold and Silver thread, except to such person and persons, as We shall licence to make the same to Our use; And that the said Goldsmith or Goldsmiths, Finer or Finers, Parter or Parters or any of them, or any for them or to their use or uses, shall not provide, utter, sell, or deliver any Gold or Silver at all to any person or persons whatsoever, without taking special notice of the names and habitations of such person and persons, as shall buy, receive, or have any such Gold or Silver of them, to the end it may appear to Us, to what use and uses the same Gold and Silver shall be employed, upon pain of forfeiture of all such Gold and Silver, and of undergoing Our high indignation and displeasure, with such further pains and punishments, as for the same their defaults, may any ways be inflicted upon them and every of them, in this behalf offending.  
And We do further straightly charge and Command all and singular person and persons whatsoever, within Our said Realms and Dominions, that they nor any of them do, or shall at any time or times hereafter make, erect, set up, mend, or use any Frame, Engine, Instrument, Mill or Toole whatsoever, for the Drawing, flatting, milling and spinning of Gold and Silver thread, or of Copper Gold and Silver thread, or for the Drawing or Flatting, of wire to the end to make the same, without the licence of Us, or such as We in that behalf shall specially appoint, upon the pains & penalties before expressed: nor that any person or persons whatsoever shall provid or sell, or cause to be provided, or sold any Silk to be thrown or made fitting for the making or spinning of Gold or Silver Thread, or of Copper Gold and Silver Thread, except to such person and persons as We shall licence to make the same to Our use, upon the like pains and penalties before mentioned. And that no person or persons whatsoever after the twentieth day of April next coming, shall attempt or presume to bring in, or cause to be brought into Our said Realms, and Dominions thereof, or to any of the Ports, Havens, Creeks, or places of any of them, any Gold or Silver Thread, or any Copper Gold and Silver Thread, made or to be made in any Foreign place or places whatsoever, upon pain of Forfeiture of all such Gold and Silver Thread, and of all such Copper Gold and Silver Thread, so brought in, or caused to be brought into any of our said Dominions, contrary to Our said commandment. All which said Gold and Silver Thread, and Copper Gold and Silver Thread, brought in and forfeited as aforesaid, Our will and pleasure is that such person or persons as shall make seizure of the same, shall forthwith bring and convey the same to the Storehouse, within Our Customhouse, in Our City of London. And after such person and persons shall have made such Seizure, of such forfeited Gold and Silver Thread, and Copper Gold and Silver Thread, and brought the same to our Customhouse as aforesaid, than Our will and pleasure is that he or they after due appraisement thereof, by the sworn praisers for such purposes, shall receive the moiety of the value of such Gold and Silver Thread, and Copper Gold and Silver Thread, so seized and brought in, as aforesaid, upon pain of imprisonment, and such other punishment as shall be fit to be inflicted for the breach of this Our Royal Commandment. And Our further will and pleasure is that no person or persons whatsoever, after the twentieth day of April next coming, shall buy, receive, utter or sell any Gold or Silver Thread, or Copper Gold or Silver Thread, made in the parts beyond the Seas, or made or to be made within any of Our said Dominions, but only such Gold and Silver Thread, and Copper Gold and Silver Thread, as shallbe first Sealed with Our Seal, already appointed for that use, by such person or persons as shallbe by Us in that behalf, especially nominated or appointed. And We do hereby further charge and command all Customers and Collectors of Our Customs, comptrollers, Farmers and their Deputies, that after the twentieth day of April next, they take no entry, nor receive any Custom or Subsidy of any Gold and Silver Thread, or for Copper Gold or Silver Thread, to be imported from the parts beyond the Seas into this Our Realm of England, or the Dominions thereof: And for the better Execution of this Our present Will and Commandment, We do straightly charge and command all justices of peace, Majors, Bailiffs, Sheriffs, Constables, Headboroughs, Tithingmen, and all other Our Officers, Ministers and loving Subjects, to whom it shall or may appertain, from time to time, to be aiding and assisting to all such person and persons as We shall lawfully, from time to time authorize, for the searching, seizing, taking, or carrying away of all such Gold or Silver Thread, and Copper Gold and Silver Thread, imported, wrought, or made, within this Our Realm and Dominions, contrary to Our pleasure herein expressed.  
Given at Whitehall the two and twentieth day of March, in the fifteenth year of Our Reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the one and fiftieth. s ❧ God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton and john Bill, Deputies and Assigns of Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. ANNO M. DC. XVII.