HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  depiction of the royal blazon, surmounted by a crown and flanked on either side by the Tudor rose and Scottish thistle  
¶ By the King.  
A Proclamation for the better settling of his majesties Manufacture of Gold and Silver thread within this his Realm.  
WHereas the Art or Mystery of making Gold and Silver thread (a commodity of continual use in this Our Kingdom of England) hath formerly been used, and made by Strangers in foreign parts only, and from thence transported into this Our Realm; but of late hath been practised by some of Our loving Subjects, who by their great charge and industry, have so well profited therein, and attained to such perfection in that Art, that they equal the Strangers, in the skilful making thereof, and are able by the labours of our own people to make such store, as shall be sufficient to furnish the expense of this whole Kingdom. And whereas We, esteeming it a principal part of Our Office, as a King and Sovereign Prince, to cherish and encourage the Knowledge and Invention of good and profitable Arts and Mysteries, and to make them frequent amongst Our own people, especially such, wherein Our people may employ their labours comfortably, and profitably, and many thereby may be kept from idleness, hereby to preserve and increase the Honour and wealth of Our State and people. And finding that the exercising of this Art or Mystery (considering the continual use of Bullion to be spent in the Manufacture thereof) is a matter of great importance, and therefore fit for Our own immediate care, then to be trusted into the hands of any private persons, for that the Consumption, or preservation of Bullion whereof Our Coins (the sinews and strength of Our State) are made, is a matter of so high onsequence, as it is only proper for Ourself to take care and account of; We have heretofore to the good liking of the Inventors thereof, taken the said Manufacture of Gold & Silver thread into Our own hands, and so purpose to retain, and continue it, to be exercised only by Agents for Ourselves, who shall from time to time be accountable to Us for the same. And whereas for the better perfecting of so Royal a Work, by Our Proclamation, Dated the two and twentieth day of March, in the fifteenth year of Our Reign of England, We did utterly prohibit the Importation of all foreign Gold and silver thread made in any the parts beyond the Seas, and the use of any other Gold or Silver thread, than such as should from time to time be Sealed with a Seal to be to that purpose appointed, thereby to discover all false, counterfeit and prohibited Stuffe, whereby either Our loving Subjects might be abused, or Ourselves deluded, as by the same Proclamation appeareth; which We will and Command, and Our express pleasure is, shall in all things be firmly observed and kept, according to the purport and true meaning thereof, and of Our Royal intent and pleasure therein expressed.  
Now forasmuch as We find, that notwithstanding Our Proclamation, many have adventured secretly and by stealth to import Gold and Silver thread from foreign parts, and many others to make the same within this Realm (not being thereunto allowed by Us, or Our Agents) and to utter the same to divers of Our loving Subjects, not being Sealed with the Seal to that purpose appointed, whereby We find that Our own Agents and workmen employed about the said Manufacture are discouraged, and much false and counterfeit Stuffe is vented, to the great deceit of Our Subjects, scandal of the work, and Our own proper loss, and yet the Offenders therein cannot easily be discovered, whereby they might be punished according to their demerits: for that the Silkemen and Silk weavers, and others, who buy and use the said Gould and Silver thread, are unwilling to discover such Offenders, and (as We have cause to fear) do rather encourage them in their offence, in contempt of Us and Our proceed. To the end therefore, that this Our work which We have appropriated to Ourself, may prosper in Our hands, and neither Our Agents be discouraged, nor the work discountenanced by the making, working, or uttering any false, counterfeit, or prohibited Stuffe, and that those whom We have trusted and employed therein, may also perform their duties justly and faithfully, without just grievance, or offence to any of Our loving Subjects; We do hereby straightly charge and Command, That all Silkemen, Silkeweavers, and all and every person and persons, who now use, or hereafter shall use the Art, Mystery, Trade, or Occupation of making, working, selling, or uttering of any Lace, Buttons, or any other thing or things whatsoever, in all, or in part wrought of or with Gold or Silver thread, or of or with Copper Gold, or Silver thread, shall from time to time take and keep a true, just, and exact account in writing, of all the names, professions, and habitations, of all and every person and persons, of whom they or any of them shall from time to time buy or receive any Gold or Silver Thread, or Copper Gold or Silver Thread, or any thing wrought or made in all or in part therewith, with the time and times and several quantities when and what they so bought or received the same: Which said Account, they and every of them shall once a month deliver unto a Register to be to that purpose appointed by some of Our Commissioners for the said Manufacture, that so the offenders against Our former, and this present Proclamation, may be the better discovered, and their offences severely punished, as being a high Contempt against Us and Our Prerogative Royal: For the due performance whereof, and to prevent the Inconveniences that may ensue, Our will and pleasure is, and We do hereby straightly charge and command, That all and every the persons aforesaid, shall enter into Bond of one hundred or two hundred pounds a piece and not above (as shallbe thought fit by Our Commissioners appointed for the said Manufacture now, or that hereafter shallbe, or any two of them) to Our Attorney General for the time being, in trust for Us, with condition to perform all and every the particulars in the former Clause expressed and commanded, upon the pains hereafter limited, which We will shall be severely inflicted on them.  
And further We will and Command that no Fynor or Fynors of Gold or Silver, shall at any time or times hereafter melt, disgrosse, or sell, or cause to be melted, disgrossed or sold any refined Gold or Silver, to any person or persons whatsoever (other then to Our Agent and undertakers for our said manufacture) until he or they shall have first entered into Bond to us of one hundred pounds, or more before our said Commissioners, or any two of them to our use, to melt none of Our Coins for the making of refined Gold or Silver, and from time to time, to give a true account in writing of all the Names, Professions, and habitations of every such person and persons, as shall from time to time, buy or have any refined Gold or Silver of him or them, and of the true quantity and quantities of all & every such parcel & parcels, as he or they shall from time to time utter, sell, or deliver: For all which said Bonds so to be entered into respectively, We are nevertheless pleased, That no fee or allowance shallbe required or taken, nor that the same Bond shallbe sent or delivered into Our Exchequer, nor otherwise put in Suit, but upon apparent breach thereof, first appearing to Our Commissioners aforesaid, or any two of them, or to Our Attorney general for the time being; and that at the end of every six months the same Bond respectively shallbe delivered up to the party bound, to be Canceled, if in the mean time no breach thereof shall appear to have been made as aforesaid, and then a new Bond to be entered into by him or her respectively to the same effect, to continue likewise for other six Months, and so for every six Months, as long as this or Our former Proclamation shall remain in force, or that Our pleasure shallbe further signified to the contrary. Likewise Our pleasure is that if any of Our said loving Subjects shall casually or unawares, without any wilful or obstinate Contempt, fall into the breach of any such bond; that Our Chancellor of England, or Keeper of Our Great Seal, for the time being, shall upon a Petition to him exhibited, & in a summary Course, have power to order and Moderate the same, as he in his wisdom shall think fit. And also We will & Command, That no Gold-Drawer or other person or persons, whatsoever, shall at any time hereafter, during this or Our said former Proclamation, draw, flat, or use any refined Gold or Silver, for the making of Cloth of Gold, or Cloth of Silver, without the special Licence of two of Our said Commissioners, under their hands in writing, first had & obtained; upon pain of forfeiture of all such Gold or Silver as shallbe wrought, contrary to this Our Royal will and Commandment; and upon pain of Our high indignation and displeasure, and such other pains and punishments as in like Cases are usual.  
And Our further will and pleasure is, and hereby We do give full power and authority unto Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of them, and to all and every such person and persons, as Our said Commissioners or any two or more of them, shall by warrant or writing under their hands nominate or appoint, from time to time and at all times convenient, at their pleasure, in peaceable manner (taking with them a Constable or other fit officer, and giving notice to the owner or possessor, or his or their servant or servants, or their purpose in that behalf, to the end they may if they will accompany them) to enter into all, and all manner of Shops, Cellars, work-houses, warehouses, Storehouses or other Rooms or places whatsoever, by them suspected, within Our said Realm of England or the Dominions thereof, as well in Cities, Tsownes corporate, and places privileged, as elsewhere: And likewise to enter into any ship, boat, or other vessel whatsoever, riding at Ancre, or otherwise abiding in any Port, Haven or creak of Our said Realm, and Dominions thereof, for the searching and finding out of all such offences, of what nature soever, as shall be Committed contrary unto this, or Our said former Proclamation: And likewise to seize and take into their hands unto Our use, all such Gold and silver thread, and Copper Gold and Silver thread, and Gold and Silver wire imported, or that shall be imported into this Our Realm wrought or made, or that shall be wrought, made, drawn, or flatted within this Realm, other then by Our Agent and Undertakers, their Deputies and Assigns, touching the said Manufacture. And further Our pleasure is, that whatsoever thread wrought, or unwrought, as aforesaid, or wire, shall be so seized to Our use as aforesaid, shall forthwith, upon the seizure thereof be inventoried in writing, subscribed by all such persons, as shall be present at any such seizure, and shall with all convenient speed, be brought unto Our said Commissioners, now, and for the time being, or any two of them, to be disposed of, as we shall think fit, and direct from time to time. And for the better accomplishment of Our service herein, We do hereby straightly charge and Command all Majors, Sheriffs, justices of the Peace, Constables, controllers, Searchers, Waiters, and all and every other Our Officers, or Ministers and Subjects whatsoever, That they and every of them be from time to time assisting, aiding and helping unto Our said Commissioners, and such as they, or any two of them shall authorize in that behalf, in and by all things in the due Execution and performance of the premises, according to Our true meaning herein declared, as they tender Our pleasure, and will answer the contrary at their utmost perils. And further, We will and declare Our Royal pleasure and Commandment to be, that if any person or persons shall withstand, or refuse to obey this Our Proclamation, in all or any part thereof, upon complaint and proof thereof had and made in that behalf, before Our Commissioners or any two, or more of them, that now be, or hereafter shall be for the said Manufacture, or before Our Attorney General for the time being, that they take order to punish any such person so offending, as a contemner of Our Royal will and Commandment, by imprisonment or otherwise, as shall and may stand with the justice of this Our Realm. And We further hereby declare Our intent and pleasure to be, That if any Agent, workman, or other person or persons whatsoever, employed by Us, or Our said Commissioners, now or at any time hereafter, in, or about the said Manufacture, or any thing thereunto belonging, or in, or about any search to be made as aforesaid, shall in any thing falsify the trust by Us, or Our said Commissioners committed to him, or them, to the just offence, or grievance of any of Our loving Subjects, that Our ears shall be ever open to any just complaint to be made thereof: And that every person who shall wilfully or corruptly offend by colour of any authority, or employment given, or derived from Us, any way touching or concerning the said Work, shall be severely punished for the same, according to the quality of his or their offence.  
Given at Roystone the tenth day of October, in the seventeenth year of Our Reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the three and fiftieth. 
 God save the King.   

❧ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton, and john Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. ANNO DOM. M.DC.XIX.