HONI SOIT·QVI·MAL·Y·PENSE  
IR   royal blazon or coat of arms  
An abstract of some branches of his majesties late Charter, granted to the Tobacco-Pipe makers of Westminster; declaring his majesties pleasure touching. that Manufacture, and also all persons whom it may concern.  
JAMES by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Jreland, etc. Whereas We have been informed by the complaint of divers of Our poor Subjects, the ancient Makers of Tobacco-Pipes within this Our Realm▪ That for want of power and privilege to retain their Apprentices and Servants during their Apprenticeship (who commonly depart from them before they have served their terms, or attained to the knowledge of their Art) they are much prejudiced both in their Trades and means of living, by their excessive making and uttering of ill Ware, And Our Subjects who have use of that Manufacture, are thereby greatly abused and deceived: And not only so, but to their Masters farther impoverishment, these loose and idle persons do instruct and teach others of as bad quality as themselves, to make and sell like ill & deceitful Ware. Besides, for that the said Art of making Tobacco Pipes is easily learned, sundry of our Subjects trained up in other Trades more useful for the Realm, do forsake the same and take up this of making Tobacco-Pipes: And others who have other good Trades to live upon, intrude themselves into this also, and use both, to the hindrance and overthrow of those who anciently practised the same. And whereas for the better reforming of all those disorders, to cut off the superfluous stragglers and late intruders, to reduce them to a competent number, and to settle good government amongst them (this Trade being a new Trade, never yet ordered by any Law or Policy, and which concerneth not any Commodity of necessity for our Commonweal, but a superfluous pleasure, necessary to be regulated by Our Royal power & authority) We have therefore thought fit by Letters Patents under Our Great Seal, to Incorporate a certain number of choice and selected persons, who have either served as Apprentices, or have otherwise practised that Art by the space of seven years, to whom and whose Servants, Apprentices, and such others as shall be by them admitted into that Society for their skill and honest conversation, We intent to appropriate the said Art, and to restrain all others from taking that benefit which in no right belongeth unto them.  
And to the end that all our loving Subjects may take knowledge of Our pleasure expressed in our Charter, that it may be duly observed without pretext of ignorance, We do hereby declare Our express will and pleasure to be, and do straightly charge and command, That no person or persons whatsoever, other than such as are members of the said Society of Tobacco-pipe makers of Westminster, or which have by the space of seven years at the least been bound to (or exercised) that Art, or such others as shall be chosen into the Society by the said Society, shall not presume (from the date of these presents) directly nor indirectly to make any manner of Tobacco-pipes within this Our Realm of England or Dominion of Wa●es, nor shall bring in or import any manner of Tobacco-pipes from beyond the Seas, or from Our Realm of Scotland; Nor shall utter, sell, or put to sale any Tobacco-pipes so made or brought into this Our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales, contrary to Our pleasure herein declared Upon pain not only of forfeiture of all such Manufacture, but of incurring such penalties, imprisonments and punishments, as by the Laws and Statutes of this Our Realm, or by Our prerogative Royal may be inflicted upon the offenders in this kind for their contempt or neglect of Our Royal Will and Commandment. And further, for the better discovering and suppressing of all secret and underhand making or uttering of the said Manufacture by such as are not members of this Society or otherwise enabled as aforesaid, We do require, charge, and straightly command all Our loving Subjects (especially such retailers as shall buy Tobacco-pipes to sell again) that they, nor any of them directly, nor indirectly, shall buy, acquire, get or obtain any Tobacco-pipes whatsoever of or from the hands of any person or persons, not being known members of the said Society, And to that end it is provided, that all Tobacco-pipes made by the said Company, shall be brought to the Common Hall of the said Society there to be proved whether the same be good and merchantable ware, before they shall be uttered or put to sale; (where they may be bought of all Our loving Subjects) Upon pain of undergoing of Our displeasure, and such pains and penalties as shall or may ensue thereupon for such contempt against Our will and Our prerogative Royal. And for the full effectuating of Our pleasure herein, These are to command and straightly charge, That all the said Tobacco-pipe Makers aforesaid, shall forthwith take knowledge of our Charter by these presents, and by resorting to the said Society in London, where they shall receive such Orders and Ordinances as shall be constituted and made by the Master, Wardens, and Assistances of the said Society for the benefit of the said Society. And lastly, We will and do hereby require all Majors, Sheriffs, justices of Peace, bailiffs, Constables, and all other Officers and Ministers whatsoever, That they and every of them in their several Offices and Places be from time to time aiding and assisting to the said Master, Wardens, and Society in the due execution and accomplishment of this Our Royal Will and Commandment, as they tender Our pleasure, and will avoid the contrary▪  
Witness Ourself at Westminster the sixth day of October, in the seventeenth year of Our Reign of England, France, and Ireland▪ and of Scotland, the three and Fiftieth.