royal blazon or coat of arms ❧ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation for the restraining of the Importation of Iron Wire into this Kingdom, and for the support of that Manufacture.  
WHereas Iron Wire is a manufacture long practised within this Realm, and by that Trade and Mystery many thousands of Our loving Subjects have been for a long time well and honestly employed and set on work; And by means thereof, great numbers of expert and skilful men in that Art and Science have been trained up, who are now destitute of any other profession or means whereby to get their livings.  
And whereas English Wyer, being made of the toughest and best Osmond Iron, (a native Commodity of this Kingdom) is of much better use, than that Iron Wyer which cometh from foreign parts, especially for the making of good Wooll-Cards, without which no good Cloth can be made: And this hath appeared unto Us by the Certificates of diverse Clothiers, Card-makers, Card-Wyer-drawers, and the Farmers of Our Customs, to whom the examination thereof hath been referred.  
And whereas by the Wyer-drawers of diverse parts of this Our Kingdom, sundry complaints have been made unto Us, that by reason of the great quantities of foreign Iron Wyer lately imported into this Our Realm of England, (whereof also a great part is falsely and deceitfully made and wrought) Our said poor Subjects who make Iron Wyer cannot be set on work in their Vocations of Wyer-making and Wyer-drawing, nor are able to continue in the exercise of their said Trades, whereby so commendable and profitable an Art is like wholly to be lost in this our Kingdom, and the makers of Wooll-Cards are much deceived by that foreign Wire; and they who use those Cards much more: whereby great prejudice will arise to Us and Our people, and to the whole Trade of Clothing within this Realm, except some speedy course be taken for redress of so great an inconvenience.  
We well weighing the danger and prejudice that may happen to this Our Kingdom, by being served only from foreign parts, with a Commodity of so great necessity, and continual use as Wyer is, either in time of war, when little or none can be imported, or else when foreign parts shall find other Markets or Vents for that Commodity, or when at their own pleasures they may raise their prizes upon Us, or serve Us, with false and unserviceable Wire, which would tend much to the dishonour of this Our Nation, and disadvantage of Us and Our loving Subjects.  
And finding that sundry good Laws and Statutes have formerly been made, prohibiting the Importation of foreign Wool-cards, and of the said foreign Iron Wyer, and diverse other Manufactures made of Wyer, for the better cherishing & encouraging of so profitable and necessary a Manufacture within this Kingdom, but that the execution of those good Laws hath of late been much neglected; We taking these things into Our Princely consideration, by the advice of Our Privy Council, have thought fit as well to prohibit the Importation of foreign Iron Wyer, and Cards made of foreign Wire, and of Hooks and Eyes, and other Manufactures made of Iron Wyer only, as to provide that all Cards made within these Our Kingdoms and Dominions, be well and substantially made, without any fraud or deceit: Do therefore hereby straight Charge and Command all and singular person and persons whatsoever, aswell Our own natural borne Subjects, as Denizens and Strangers, that none of them, nor any other person or persons whatsoever, do at any time or times hereafter attempt or presume to bring, or cause to be brought into these Our Realms of England or Ireland, or any other Our Dominions, or into any the Ports, Havens, Creeks or Places of any of them, any foreign Iron Wyer, or Cards made of foreign Iron Wyer, or other Manufactures aforesaid, in greater or lesser quantities, made or to be made in any foreign Part or Place whatsoever, or any Wool Cards made within this Kingdom, and which have once been exported from hence, upon pain of forfeiture of all and every quantity and quantities of the said foreign Iron Wyer, and Cards made of foreign Wire, and of other the Manufactures made only of Wire as aforesaid, so brought or caused to be brought in to Our said Realms and Dominions, contrary to this Our Royal Commandment.  
And Our will and pleasure is, that all such foreign Iron Wyer, and Cards made of Wyer, and Manufactures of Wyer aforesaid, which shall be imported contrary to these presents, shall by such person and persons who shall seize the same be forthwith carried and conveyed into Our Customhouse within Our Port of London, and other Custome-houses of that Port where the same shall be seized, without selling, uttering, compounding, or delivering any part thereof, before the same be thither brought and delivered as aforesaid, upon pain of our high Indignation & displeasure, and of such further pains, penalties and punishments as by the Laws & Statutes of this Our Realm, or Our Prerogative Royal for the contempt of Our commandment in this behalf, can or may any way be inflicted upon them, or any of them so offending, contrary to the true intent & meaning of these presents: And to that end and purpose, We do hereby require and command all and singular the Officers of Our Customs, or attending the same, within all and every the Ports & Havens of these Our Realms and Dominions, and the Creeks and Members of the same Ports, that they and every of them do from and after the date hereof at all times forbear to take any entry, or entries, or to take or make any composition or compositions for any Custom, Subsidy, or other Duty, for, or upon any foreign Wire, or Cards made of foreign Wire, or other the Manufactures made only of Iron Wyer as aforesaid, brought, or to be brought into these Our Realms or Dominions from any foreign parts. And also that they, and all, and every other Our Officers and Ministers do stay and seize the same, as forfeited and confiscated, to the use and uses hereafter specified, upon pain of forfeiture of their Offices, and of undergoing Our high indignation and displeasure for their neglect herein, with such further pains and punishments as by the Laws and Statutes of this Our Realm, or by Our Prerogative Royal, for the same their contempts and defaults, may any way be inflicted upon them.  
And whereas an use or custom hath lately crept into this Kingdom by some ill disposed persons, more regarding their own private gain and lucre, than the good of the Commonwealth, to buy up old cast Cards within this Kingdom, and do scour, translate, and trim up the same, and sell them again to unskilful country people for new Cards; by means whereof the Cloth made of Wool carded with such Cards, is falsified to the great loss and hindrance of the Clothier, the deceit and prejudice of Our Subjects, who do buy and wear the same, and to the discredit of the trade of Clothing, being the chiefest and richest Commodity of this Our Kingdom.  
These are therefore further to require and command, that no person or persons do at any time or times hereafter attempt or presume to Buy, Sell, Barter, Vent, or put to Sale within any of Our said Kingdoms, or Dominions, or to export into any foreign parts any old cast Wool-Cards whatsoever, upon pain of forfeiture and confiscation thereof, and such other pains, penalties and punishments, as by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, or by Our Prerogative Royal can or may be inflicted upon them. But that the same old Cast Wool-Cards being offered to sale be seized to Our use, by any Our Officers or Subjects, and to be brought into Our Custome-houses within Our Port of London, or other Ports aforesaid.  
And to the end Our intention herein may take the better effect; Our will and command is, and We do hereby declare Our pleasure to be, that such person and persons as shall make seizure of any of the said foreign Iron Wyer, or of any Cards made of foreign Wire, or manufactures made of Iron Wyer only, or of any old cast Wool-Cards, translated or trimmed up, and put to sale as aforesaid, contrary to Our Royal commandment herein signified, shall have and receive to his or their own use and uses, one moiety or half part of the said Iron Wyer, or Cards made of foreign Wire, or old cast Wool-Cards, or other manufactures made of Wyer only as aforesaid, so by him or them seized or to be seized, as aforesaid, the other moiety thereof to be reserved to Our use.  
And for the better execution of this Our present will and Commandment, We do straight charge and command all justices of Peace, Mayor, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, Tithingmen, & all other Our Officers, Ministers, & loving Subjects, to whom it shall or may appertain, that they and every of them, at all time and times hereafter, & from time to time be aiding and assisting to Our said Customers, Collectors, Searchers, Waiters, and to all other person and persons employed for the searching in any Ship, House, Warehouse or Cellar, and for seizing, taking, and carrying away of all and every such Iron Wyer, and Cards made of foreign Wire, and other manufacture made of Wyer imported, or hereafter to be imported contrary to this Our Royal prohibition and commandment. And if any shall offend herein, or be found remiss or negligent in the execution of the premises, and notice thereof be given to Our Attorney general for the time being, that he do proceed against all and every person and persons so offending, in Our high Court of Star-chamber, or in any other Our Courts of justice, or otherwise, by such ways and means as are by the Laws, or Statutes of this Realm provided against such as shall offend herein, contrary to the Law, and contrary to Our Royal Commandment.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall, the seventh day of May, in the sixth year of Our Reign. God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by ROBERT BARKER, Printer to the Kings most Excellent MAJESTY. M.DC.XXX.