royal blazon or coat of arms 
C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT  
¶ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation touching the Corporation of Bever-makers of London, and to restrain the Importing of foreign Hats, and the wearing of Demycasters within his Majesty's Dominions.  
WHereas, notwithstanding the Princely care of Our late dear and Royal Father King JAMES of blessed memory, for the necessary maintenance and preservation of the Manufacture of Hats and Caps within this Kingdom, in prohibiting by several Proclamations the Importation into the same from foreign parts, of any Hats or Caps whatsoever, either wrought or half wrought, upon pain of the forfeiture of the same; We now find that abundance of Hats and Caps, aswell of Bever-stuffe, or Bever-wooll, as of other Wool and materials made & wrought in foreign parts, are frequently imported into this our Kingdom, to the great impoverishment and depriving of multitudes of Our poor subjects of their livelihood and employment.  
We tendering the common good of our said subjects, and that for the time to come they may be enabled to live, and maintain themselves and families, by their honest labours in their said trades; And that the Art and Mystery of making or working of Hats and Caps of Bever-stuffe or Bever-wooll within Our said Kingdom, may be regulated in a just and orderly way, without the deceits and abuses now practised in the same, (the wearing of Bever-Hats being of late times become much in use, especially by those of sort and quality) Have thought fit to incorporate sundry persons Freemen of London, expert in the art of making or working Hats and Caps of Bever-stuffe or Bever-wooll, who accordingly are to govern the said trade, and may be answerable to Us for the same.  
And therefore We do straightly charge and command all person and persons whatsoever, aswell Our natural born subjects, as denizens or strangers, That they or any of them directly or indirectly, do not from henceforth at any time or times hereafter, import, convey, or bring, or cause to be imported, conveyed, or brought into Our Realm of England or Dominion of Wales, any Hats or Caps of Beaver, or other Hats or Caps, of what condition or sort soever, made, wrought or half wrought, or hereafter to be made, wrought or half wrought, in any parts beyond the Seas, to be sold or put to sale here. And that no person or persons whatsoever, after the twelfth day of August next coming, shall sell or put to sale, or shall have in their houses or shops, to sell or put to sale, any of the said foreign Hats, or Caps, already imported into this Our Realm of England, and Dominion of Wales, upon pain of the loss and forfeiture of the same, and such further punishment as shall be meet for such their contempt, the one half of which forfeitures to be to the use of Us, Our Heirs, and successors, and the other half of the said Bever-hats or Hats mixed with Bever so to be imported, to be to the use of the said Bever-makers and their successors; and the moiety of all other Felts so to be imported, to be to the use of the Company of Feltmakers of London, and their successors.  
And to the end that the said Corporation of Bever-makers, Our natural born Subjects, may be constantly employed in their said Trade, We do hereby straightly charge and command, that no person or persons whatsoever within Our said Realm of England, or Dominion of Wales, at any time or times hereafter, do presume to use or execise the Trade or Mystery of making or working of Hats or Caps of Bever-stuffe or Bever-wooll, to be sold or put to sale, unless such persons have commonly used the said Trade by the space of two years last passed, or have served an Apprenticeship to the same by the space of seven years: And that no person or persons whatsoever, for the time to come, shall use or practise the said Trade, unless he or they have been or shall be first bound and brought up as Apprentice or Apprentices in the same Trade by the space of seven years at the least, and are or shall be members of the said Corporation, upon pain of Our high displeasure, and such punishments as shall be meet for the offenders herein, for such their contempts of Our Royal commands, and the loss and forfeiture of all such Bever-hats and Caps as shall be so made, to be seized to Our use, the one moiety to be to Us, Our Heirs and Successors; and the other moiety to be to the Company of Bever-makers and their successors. And we do hereby declare, that there is no Intention by the said Charter made to the said Bever-makers, or any Grant therein concerning search to be made by them, that the power of search formerly granted to the Company of Haverdashers of London, or to the Company of Feltmakers of London, should in any sort be impeached.  
And for that diverse of Our Subjects have heretofore found inconvenience in the use of Bever-Hats intermixed with other hair or stuff then Beaver, We do therefore straightly charge and command, that no Bever-makers whatsoever from henceforth shall make any Hats or Caps but of pure Beaver, and that in the making or working thereof, they or any of them shall not intermix, use, or work, or cause to be intermixed, used, or wrought, any hair, wool, or stuff whatsoever, other then good and perfect Beaver, upon pain of the loss and forfeiture of the same, the one moiety to Us, Our Heirs, and Successors; and the other to such as shall seize the same. And Our Will and pleasure is, that if upon any search to be made by the said Company of Haberdashers of London, or by the said Company of Bever-makers, there shall be found in any of the houses, shops, Warehouses or Work-houses, of any of the said Bever-makers, or in any other place for their or any of their uses, any hair, wool, or stuff whatsoever used in making of Hats or Caps other then Bever-stuffe only, That then the same shall be seized by such of the said Companies of Haberdashers and Bever-makers as shall so find the same as forfeited, the one half thereof to be to Us, Our Heirs, or Successors, and the other half thereof to such of the said Companies as shall so find and seize the same. And Our further Will and pleasure is, That if the said Company of Haberdashers, or the said Company of Bever-makers, upon any search by them, or either of them to be made, shall find any deceitful Bever-Hats, or Caps, that then the same shall by them that shall so find the same, be seized and carried to the Guild-Hall of Our City of London, there to be tried by jury, and in case they shall be there condemned for such, than the same to be consumed by fire; The said Charter of Incorporation made to the said Company of Bever-makers, or any Grant, power or thing therein contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.  
And forasmuch as a sort of Hats called Demycasters', wherein some Beaver is intermixed, are now found not to be useful in Our Dominions, Our Will and pleasure therefore is, and We do straightly charge and command, That from henceforth no Haberdashers, nor makers of Demycasters', nor other Hat-makers or persons whatsoever, after Midsummer day next, shall utter, or sell any Hat or Hats called Demycasters', or other Hats wherein Beaver shall be mixed or wrought, with other materials by retail, or have any such Hats in their houses or Shops to utter or sell by retail to any of Our Subjects, or others, to be worn within any Our Dominions: And that none of Our Subjects after one year next ensuing, shall wear any Demycasters', or other Hat wherein any Beaver wool, or Bever stuff is mixed, or wrought with other materials within Our said Dominions, upon pain of the loss and forfeiture of the same to be seized and taken to Our use, the one half thereof to be to Us, Our Heirs and Successors, and the other half to such as shall seize the same, and upon such further penalties as shall be meet for such their contempts.  
Nevertheless, being informed that the said Demycasters', wherein Beaver is mixed with other materials, are useful and desired in foreign parts: We are pleased that the said Makers thereof, and other Hat-makers (other than the said Bever-makers) may still make the said Demycasters'; And that they, or any Haberdashers may sell the same to Merchants in gross, and not otherwise, to be by them transported from the Port of London only, into parts beyond the seas, & to be there vented. And that Our Royal intention herein may be duly observed, We do hereby straightly charge & command, That no Demycaster-makers, or other Hat-makers, that shall hereafter make any Demycasters' or Hats wherein any Bever-wooll or Bever-stuffe is intermixed with other materials, shall directly or indirectly sell, or put to sale any Demycasters' or Hats wherein Bever-wooll is mixed with other materials to any person or persons whatsoever, before he or they first bring the same to the common Hall or meeting place of the said Bever-makers in Our said City of London, there from time to time (as they shall be so brought) to be immediately marked (without fee or duty) upon the banding place of the same Hats with the letter D, that so they may thereby be known to be Demycasters', or Hats wherein Beaver is mixed with other materials; And that no person or persons whatsoever, do hereafter buy, or cause to be bought any such Demycasters' or mixed Hats before they have been so marked with the said letter D, upon pain of the loss and forfeiture of the same Hats, and such further penalties and punishments as shall be meet for contempt of Our Royal commands herein. And We do hereby further charge and command, that from henceforth no Merchants or others shall import or bring into this Our Realm any Bever-wooll, or Bever-stuffe mixed with sand, or any other stuff whatsoever, to make it weigh heavy, or whereby the said Bever-wooll or Bever-stuffe shall be corrupted or impaired, under the penalty of the loss and forfeiture thereof, to be seized to Our use, by such person or persons as shall discover the same, and to be further punished as shall be thought meet, the one moiety whereof to be to Us, Our Heirs, and Successors, and the other moiety to be to the said Corporation of Bever-makers, and their successors, and also upon pain of Our high displeasure, and such penalties and punishments, as by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, or otherwise may be inflicted on the offenders in the premises for their contempt and neglect of Our Royal Will and Commandment herein. And for the accomplishment of this Our pleasure, We do hereby straightly charge and command all Customers, Comptrollers, and other Officers of Our Ports to whom it shall appertain, and all Farmours of Our Customs now, and for the time being, their Clarks and substitutes, that they, and every of them do forbear to take any Entries of any Bever-Hats, Felt-Hats or Caps, or any other Hats or Caps of what nature, quality, or condition soever made, wrought, or half wrought beyond the Seas, that shall be brought into this Realm, or Dominion of Wales, by any person or persons whatsoever. And likewise all justices of Peace, Mayor, Sheriffs, Customers, Comptrollers, Searchers, and other Officers and Ministers whatsoever, to whom it shall appertain, that they and every of them, in their several Offices and places respectively, be careful to their and every of their powers, that Our Intention herein before mentioned be fully executed by all lawful means whatsoever; And that they, and every of them be aiding, favouring, and assisting to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty of Bever-makers of London, or their Deputies, Agents, or Officers for the time being in the premises according to Our pleasure herein declared, as they will answer for the contrary at their perils.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, this six and twentieth day of May, in the fourteenth year of Our Reign.  
God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty: And by the Assigns of John Bill. 1638.