I R  DIEV ET MON DROIT.  royal English blazon or coat of arms  
JAMES by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, Fr●●ce and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. To all and singular 〈◊〉 Lord Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, justices of the P●●ce, Majors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, a●● all other the Officers and Ministers of Us, Our Heirs and Succe●●●●● within Our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales, 〈◊〉 all others whom it shall or may concern, Greeting.  
Wh●●●as Our well-beloved servant Edward Sheldon Esquire, one of 〈◊〉 Pages of Honour, hath by his humble petition sued unto V●●●● grant unto him power for the ordering and appointing of sufficient workmen for the varnishing, dressing, amending, and ●eeping in repair of all the Arms of the Common Charge within Our said Realm 〈◊〉 Dominion, according to the rates set down in an order made for the County of York● by Our right trusty and well-beloved Edmond Lord Sheffeild, late Precedent of Our Council i●●he North parts; It being found a thing beneficial to Our Subjects, who heretofore ha●●eceaued much loss and damage in their Arms, through the unskilfulness of workmen, ●ad likewise much availing to the furtherance of Our service when need shall require: 〈◊〉 whereas we, conceiving the said suit might be requisite for the good of the Realm, ●●re graciously pleased to refer the Consideration thereof to Our Commissioners for the 〈◊〉 of the Earl Martial, to take such order therein for satisfaction of Our said Servant, as 〈◊〉 in their wisdoms should think fit: And whereas Our said Commissioners upon ●●●ticular examination, and consideration had of the said suit, did find and certify ●s, that the said suit was fit to be granted with certain limitations in the said certificate mentioned:  
Know ye that We, aswell for and in Consideration of the good service here●●●ore done unto Us, by the said Edward Sheldon, and at the special nomination and request of ●he said Edward Sheldon, Have given and granted, and by this presents for Us, Our Heirs ●●d Successors do give, and grant unto Our well-beloved Subjects, Laurence Lisle, D●●●●ll Thorns, john Donington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming, and Francis Thompson, and th●●● assigns, full, free, sole, and absolute licence, liberty, power, privilege Immunity and authority, that they and every or any of them, and their and every of their Deputies, seru●●●●● and workmen being skilful in the trade of dressing of Arms, shall and may from tim● 〈◊〉 time, and at all times during the Term of years hereafter in and by these preserves granted, varnish, dress, amend, and keep in repair all, and all manner of Arms, ●nd Armour preserved, kept, or maintained, or which ought to be preserved, kept or maintain●● at the common charge of any County, City, Borough, Town, or other place or places, as●ell within Liberties as without, within this Our Realm of England, or Dominion of W●●●●; Taking for the varnishment of every white Corslet, five shillings, for dressing every b●●●●● Corslet, twelve pence, for dressing every Musket or Caliver, twelve pence; And for ●●●●ring and amending other defects in any of the said Arms and Armours, such sum, and s●●s of money, as between the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Donington, Robert Harw●od, Robert Leming, and Francis Thompson, and their assigns, workmen or servants, and the par●●●● whom the same shall concern shall be thought fit, concluded, and agreed upon to be paid ●nd answered for the same. And therefore, We do likewise hereby for Us, Our Heirs ●●d Successors, grant unto the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Donington, Robert Harw●●●, Robert Leming, and Francis Thompson, their Assigns and Servants, and every of them ●●●ring the said term, full power and authority, aswell to demand, ask, take and receive, 〈◊〉 ●he parties whom it shall concern, for the varnishing of every white Corslet, Five shillings 〈◊〉 dressing every black Corslet, Twelve pence, for dressing every Musket or Caliver, Twe●●● pence, and for repairing and amending of other defects in any of the said Arms or Armou●●, or any other Arms, such sum and sums of money as shall be agreed upon to be paid 〈◊〉 the same: as also at the will and pleasure of the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Doni●●ton, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming, and Francis Thompson, their assigns, servants, or wor●●men, to make compositions or agreements with any person or persons, bodies politic 〈◊〉 corporate, for their labour, travail, and attendance in and about the varnishing, dressing, ●mending, and keeping in repair from time to time, of any Arms or Armour preserved for 〈◊〉 service of Us, Our Heirs or Successors, at any such common charge as aforesaid. a●● for which no certain fee or duty is before limited, or appointed to be taken and demanded receive and take the sums of money, and compositions so to be agreed upon and paid to the●● own proper use and behoof. To have, hold, use, exercise and enjoy the said licences, po●●ers, privileges, liberties, immunities and authorities aforesaid, unto the said Laurence L●●●●, Daniel Thornes, john Donington Robert Harwood, Robert Leming, and Francis Thompson, their deputies and assigns, for and during the term of twenty one years, from the day of the da●● hereof next and immediately ensuing, and fully to be complete and ended: And to perceive receive, and take the sum and sums of money aforesaid, and all other sums of mo●●●● and compositions during the said term, to arise, grow, and to be made, by virtue of this O●● Grant, unto the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Donington, Robert Harwood, Rob●●● Leming, and Francis Thompson, and their assigns, freely and absolutely without any accomp●●● be made to Us Our Heirs or Successors for the same.  
And to the end this Our Grant may take the better effect, We do hereby aswell str●●ly charge, command and prohibit all and every the Subjects of Us, Our heirs and successors, and all other person and persons (other than the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, Io●● Donington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming and Francis Thompson, their deputies, assigns a●● servants, That they or any of them do not at any time or times, during the said term 〈◊〉 one and twenty years, attempt, presume, go about or take in hand directly, or indirectly 〈◊〉 varnish, dress, amend or keep in repair any Arms whatsoever preserved for the s●●uice of Us, Our Heirs and successors, at any such common charge as aforesaid, within th●● Our Realm of England, and Dominion of Wales; As also all & singular bodies politic a●● corporate, Lord Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, justices of Peace, Mayor, Shiriff●● Constables and other Officers and Ministers of Us, our Heirs and Successors whats●●uer, within Our said Realm and Dominion, whom it shall or may concern, That th●● or any of them do not at any time or times during the term aforesaid, employ or use any ●ther Armourers or other person or persons (other than the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, Io●● Donington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming and Francis Thompson, their deputies, workmen 〈◊〉 servants in the varnishing, dressing, amending or keeping in repair of any the said Arm●● kept or maintained upon common charge, as they tender Our pleasure, and upon such pai●●● and penalties as may be inflicted upon the Offenders for contempt of this Our Royal Co●mandement. And because it may fall out that such Arms of many of the Counties, Citie●, Townes, or places within this Our Realm and Dominion, shall remain in places one dista●● fare from another, or upon occasion to be dispersed abroad from the usual places, where t●● same have been and aught to be kept, whereby the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john D●nington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming, and Francis Thompson, and their assigns, servants, a●● workmen shall be constrained to make many journeys, or else be enforced to stay for the 〈◊〉 Arms to their great charges and loss of their time, Our will and pleasure is, and We d●● hereby for Us, our Heirs and Successors, ordain, command and appoint, that all and singular such common Arms of every several Liberty and Place, shallbe conveyed and brou●●● unto such place and places, being not too far distant or remote, once every year to be viewe● amended and, repaired in manner aforesaid, and at such convenient time and times as the 〈◊〉 Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Donington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming and Francis Thompson, their deputies, assigns, servants, or workmen with the consent of the chief Constable 〈◊〉 every hundred or liberty within which the said Arms shallbe or remain respectively, sh●●● think fit, set down, limit and appoint.  
And in case any person or persons, having the custody of such common Arms, as aforesaid shall refuse to bring the same to be viewed and repaired, then upon certificate to the Commissioners for the Office of Earl Marshal, or to the Earl Martial of England for the time h●●ing, the party delinquent shall receive such punishment as to the said Commissioners or a●● three of them, or to the Earl Martial, for the time being, shall seem meet. And for th● better effecting thereof, that the said chief Constables do from time to time give warni●● and notice unto the petty Constables within their several limits, liberties and precincts, to cause the said Arms belonging to their liberties respectively to be conveyed and brought unto such convenient place and places, and at such convenient time and times once every year, as ●●●●re mentioned or intended, according to the true meaning of these pr●●●●●s t●●hereof We 〈◊〉 ●●kewise hereby for Us, our Heirs and Successors, charge and com●●nd, that they nor any of them do fail in any manner of wise.  
And Our will and pleasure is, That if the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Donington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming and Francis Thompson, their Deputies or Assigns shall find the Arms, used to be maintained at the common charge, to be diminished, lost or imbes●led, that they do signify Our will and pleasure that the same shall be supplied and renewed by such as aught of right to supply the same.  
Provided always that if at any time or times hereafter any Six or more of the Lords or others of the privy Counsel of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, upon just cause to them appearing, shall by writing under their hands, set down any order in any wise touching this Grant, either in point of moderation of any thing contained in it, or in the execution thereof: That then the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Donington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming and Francis Thompson, their Assigns and Workmen shall observe and keep such order as shall be so decreed and set down; any thing herein contained to the contrary not withstanding.  
And lastly Our will and pleasure is, and We do hereby, for Us, Our Heirs and Successors charge and command all Captains, Muster-masters and Clerks of Musters, to give true Copies out of their books unto the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Donington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming and Francis Thompson, their Deputies or Assigns of all the common Arms and Armour within their several charge, and likewise all Deputy Lieutenants, justices of peace, Majors, Sheriffs, Muster-masters and Clerks of Musters, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, and all other the Officers and Ministers of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, for the time being, from time to time during the term aforesaid to be aiding, helping and assisting, to the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Donington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming and Francis Thompson, their Assigns, Servants and Workmen in all things, tending to the execution of these our Letters Patents, according to the purport, and true meaning of the same, as they tender the pleasure of Us, Our Heirs and Successors, and will answer the contrary at their perils.  
Although express mention of the true yearly value or certainty of the premises or any of them, or of any other Gifts or Grants by Us, or any of Our progenitors or Predecessors to the said Laurence Lisle, Daniel Thornes, john Donington, Robert Harwood, Robert Leming and Francis Thompson, or any of them heretofore made in these presents is not made, or any Statute, Act, Ordinance, Provision, Proclamation or Restraint to the contrary thereof heretofore had, made, ordained or provided, or any other thing, cause or matter whatsoever in any-wise not withstanding.  
In witness whereof we have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents: Witness Ourself at Westminster the Eleveneth Day of julie, in the Eighteenth Year of Our Reign of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the Three and Fiftieth.  
God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, and john Bill, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. ANNO DOM. M.DC.XX.