THE ANSWER OF THE GOLD-BEATERS OF LONDON, TO THE Grievances exhibited by the Cutlers, Painters, and Bookbinder's, against them and their Charter of Jncorporation.  
TO the first, for that by their Charter of incorporation, the importation of beaten Gold and Silver is restrained: They answer, That the importation of beaten gold and silver, wrought in papers is expressly prohibited by the statute of 1. R. 3. cap. 12. And the same being base stuff, and deceitful, was only used by Painters and bookbinder's: and such beaten gold and silver as Cutlers use in their trade, was never imported from foreign parts, but made by the Goldbeaters of London. If the Cutlers should use any of the imported gold or silver, the same were against the intention of the said statute of 1. R. the 3. Cap. 12. and also the statute of 5. Eliz. Cap. 7. made for the maintenance of handicrafts and manuel trades, amongst which the trade of gold-beating is to be numbered, for that the said foliate gold and silver is made only with the labour of the single hand, by continual beating of foreign bullion with a hammer of 18. pound weight.  
To the second, for that they being under the number of 30. persons, have obtained by the means of Mr. Doctor Eglisham, one of his Majesty's Physicians, a Charter of incorporation unto themselves, for the sole making of gold and silver foliate, and a proclamation prohibiting the importation of any such gold into this kingdom: and that they have entered into agreement to pay and allow unto Doctor Eglisham, and Sr Henry Bretton, sundry sums of money yearly for procuring the said Charter: For answer thereunto they say, That the mystery of gold-beating hath been an ancient and settled trade, within this kingdom many hundred years; as by ancient Records ready to be showed forth may appear. And the said trade is of such use, as the same is not to be abolished, and therefore it was lawful for them to procure a Charter of incorporation, for good order and government of their trade, and to prevent frauds and deceits, as it hath been done for other trades within the City of London. And for such rewards or gratuities as they have given for procuring thereof, the same hath been out of their own estates, and no more than other trades upon their incorporations have done. And deny all combination and confederacy or the procuring of any proclamation.  
To the third, wherein the Goldbeaters are charged to spend or consume of the proper coins or bullion of this kingdom, in making of the said foliate three or fourethousand pound per annü: For answer thereunto they say, That they spend only foreign bullion to the value of two thousand five hundred pound, and no more, wherewith, all England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, are served and furnished: And that it is expressly provided by the Charter, that no English coin or bullion shall be by them spent in making of the said foliate. And it is also provided by the said Charter, That no free man of the said trade shall beat any gold before he hath entered into bond of siue hundred pound, in the Exchequer, not to spend or consume any english coins or bullion in the said trade.  
To the fourth, that the complainants, since the incorporation of the Goldbeaters, are enforced to give higher rates & prices, then before they wre wont to pay for the said foliate gold and silver. For answer thereunto they say, That it is provided by the said Charter, that the same shall be sold at such reasonable prices as the same was sold for 20. years past, having regard to the raising of his Majesty's Standard, and the said complainants are served with the same under the said rate. For than they paid for a hundred of gold, 13. shillings 4. pence, and for a hundred of Silver, 3. shillings 4. pence: at which time the rate of the Standard, for gold was three pound the ounce, and silver, five shillings two pence the ounce. And the rate of the Standard being now for gold 3. pound 14. shillings 6. pence, and for Silver six shillings. The complainants pay to the goldbeaters for gold, not above the rate of 15. s. the hundred; and for silver not above 3. s. the hundred. And since the said Incorporation the gold & silver foliate is more substantial, larger, and in all points more sufficient, then is was in former times. And the said Goldbeaters never threatened the complainants to raise the prices.  
To the fift, for that the Goldbeaters confine the sale of the said gold and silver foliate to one place which they call their hall: For answer they say, That it is provided by the said charter of incorporation, for the avoiding of all base and deceitful stuff, that the same should be brought to the Hall of the Goldbeaters, to be viewed, and there sold by the Wardens of the company for the ease and benefit of his Majesty's subjects, that have occasion to use the same, And the said Wardens do make no private gain to themselves.  
To the Sixth, that since the obtaining of the said incorporation, the said foliate gold and silver is made more thin and deceitful than the same was before. For answer they say. That the gold and silver foliate made since the said incorporation, is as large and thick and as pure substantial and workmanlike as the same was at any time before, and for the pureness and goodness thereof is without all exception.  
To the seventh: Touching a supposed wrong done unto one Spencer, a Goldbeater, for troubling and arresting him, and for exhibiting a bill into the Star-Chamber against him, and some of the Complainants, for vexation sake. For answer they say; That the said Spencer was the first, that drew the whole Company to prosecute the obtaining of the said Charter, and was named one of the Wardens in the said Charter, and took the Oath apppointed by the said Charter, and agreed to bear his ratable part of the charge of passing the same, and afterwards to bring in his ratable part for a general stock for the whole Company, and also to attend at the Hall, with the rest of the Wardens, to view such work as should be brought in by the Company, and to serve such as came to buy gold and silver leaf: And according to his said agreement, he became bound in several obligations, of five hundred pound a piece, to the other five Wardens; and likewise the five Wardens, in the like bonds to him, to perform the like agreements. Howbeit, when the Charter was passed, the said Spencer, by the practice of the Complainants, denied to pay his ratable part of the charge, of passing the Charter; or to bring in his rate for stock, according to his bonds; or to give his attendance at the Hall, as the rest did, and privately wrought base and deceitful stuff, mixed with copper, and would have delivered the same into the Hall, for pure gold, which the rest of the Wardens refusing, he thereupon (contrary to his said oath) broke from his Company, vowing (as he had been the principal means to procure the Charter) he would do his best to overthrew it. And the said Spencer, through the abetment and encouragement of some of the said Complainants, did daily endeavour, to draw diverse others of the Gold-beaters from their Company to join with him: For which wrongs the Gold-beaters did, in a legal course, arrest the said Spencer upon his bonds: And did likewise prosecute the said Bill in the Star-Chamber, against the said Spencer, and two of the said Cutlers and their wives, for unlawful maintenance, practice, and confederacy, to destroy their said trade: Whereunto the Defendants did put in a Demurrer, which depends in reference.  
To the eighth: That the said Charter, for incorporating the Gold-Beaters, is in the nature of a Monopoly. For answer they say. That it cannot be denied, but that the trade of the Gold-Beaters is very ancient, and of great use, and therefore to incorporate the same, is very lawful and convenient. For the general form of the Charter, the same is agreeable with the ordinary form of Incorporations of other Trades in London, and every one of them may aswell be charged, with savouring of a Monopoly, as this. If any clause in this Charter be against the Law, or to the prejudice of the Subject, the same is void, and doth not bind. And the same (if any such be) may be reform, by renewing of the said Charter, and omitting such clause. But to dissolve the Incorporation, and to leave the Trade without order and government, were utterly to destroy the same.  
Whereof the said Gold-Beaters do most humbly pray, that due consideration may be had.  
The ground of the Complainants grief is, by reason the Gold-Beaters are incorporated, and not upon any other cause. For before their Incorporation, the said rates and prices of Foliate Gold and silver, were unknown to his Majesty's subjects. And the Gold-Beaters being but few in number, and their dwelling uncertain, the Complainants buying the said Foliate gold and silver of the Gold-Beaters, at base and low rates, did vent and sell the same in their works, at double and triple the prices they paid, and thereby enriched themselves, and impoverished the said Gold-Beaters. But since the Incorporation, the prices of the said gold and silver Foliate, and the place of the sale thereof being certain and known, the said Complainants do fear (as there is just cause) that the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdom, and such others, as shall use Foliate gold and silver, will make their own provision, and see the same wrought. And thereby the excessive gains of the Complainants be abated and brought down. All which shall be averred upon oath unto this honourable Assembly: For whose prosperity and honour the said Company of Gold-beaters daily pray.