royal blazon or coat of arms 
I R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE dieu ET MON DROIT  
¶ A copy of the principal parts of his majesty Commissions for granting of Pardons to such as use Trades, whereto they haue not been Apprentices, and for dispensing with them to continue the same for their lives, notwithstanding the Statute of Quinto Elizabeth.  
james by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to whom these presents shall come greeting.  
Whereas there is nothing more pleasing to God, and profitable to the Common-wealth of this Our realm, then the training up of youth in good and commendable Arts, Trades, Sciences, and Mysteries, whereby they may be, not onely kept from idleness and sloth,( the parent of all enormities) but also made apt and expert for the service of the Common-wealth, in the use and practise of those Arts and mysteries wherein they haue been educated and brought up: To which end and purpose, diuers good and wholesome laws haue been made within this Our realm of England; as namely, in the fift year of the reign of our late dear Sister of famous memory Elizabeth, late queen of England, Capite quarto, a certain Act or Statute was made, entitled, An Act touching diuers Orders for Artificers, labourers, seruants of husbandry, and Apprentices; Wherein it is( amongst diuers other things) enacted, that after the fift day of May then next coming, it should not be lawful to any person or persons( other then such as then did lawfully use or exercise any Art, mystery, or manual occupation) to set up, occupy, use, or exercise any Craft, mystery, or Occupation then used, or occupied within the realm of England or Wales, except he should haue been brought up therein seven yeeres at the least as an apprentice, in manner and form as in the said Statute is expressed; nor to set any person on work in such Mystery, Art, or Occupation, being not a workman at that day, except he should haue been apprentice, as is aforesaid, or else having served as an apprentice, as is aforesaid, should or would become a Iornyman, or hired by the year: Vpon pain that every such person, willingly offending or doing the contrary should forfeit and lose for every default, forty shillings for every month; As by the said Statute( amongst diuers other things) more at large appeareth. And whereas the said Statute is of great use and importance in this Our realm, as well for the training up of youth in the knowledge and practise of sundry good and commendable Arts Trades, mysteries, and manual Occupations, whereby they may live and be maintained, as otherwise for the benefit of our said realm. And whereas through the neglect of the due execution of the said Statute, diuers and sundry persons within this our said realm haue taken vpon them to occupy, use,& exercise sundry Arts, Mysteries Crafts, and manual Occupations, wherein they haue not been brought up as apprentices by the space of seven yeares, and haue also otherwise offended against the form and intent of the said Statute: In which said Arts, Trades, and Mysteries, the said persons having now by the space of many yeares together employed and bestowed themselves, their labours, stocks▪ and industries, haue now attained a good and perfect knowledge and understanding in the same, and are become settled in a constant Trade and condition of life, whereby they are enabled competently to maintain themselves and families, which otherwise were like to perish, and fall into some idle and inordinate course of living, in case they should be now restrained of and from the using and exercising of the same, or should be punished according to the true intent& meaning of the said Statute, as many of them heretofore h●ue been by informations and suits brought and prosecuted against them by common Informers and others, to whom they are still exposed, and lye open to be molested, sued▪ and inquieted by the like Informations and suits. unless we out of Our royal and Princely compassion shall provide some means to relieve them in th●s behalf. Know ye therefore, that we tendering the public good of our realms( which especially is procured by the due execution of good and profitable laws) do hereby for us, our Heires and Successors straightly charge, require, and command all and every our Iudges and Iustices of both our Benches, barons of the Exchequer, Iustices of the Peace, Maiors, Sheriffes, bailiffs, and all and every other Magistrates, and other Officers, for the time being, to whom it shall or may appertain, That they and every of them in their several places respectively, do take care, and from henceforth see to the due execution of the said Statute, as well touching the training up of apprentices in commendable Arts and mysteries,( whereby they may not be suffered to live idly and inordinately, but being therein well instituted in their apprenticeships may afterwards become profitable members and serviceable to the Common-wealth) as in the restraining of others,( not so trained and brought up) from the practise and exercise of any Art, Trade, or mystery, contrary to the said recited Statute, or any branch or clause therein contained: under the pains and penalties expressed in the same, which hereafter We will shalbe duly levied and executed vpon such as shal be found offenders therein. nevertheless, We being graciously pleased to extend our royal favour towards such of our Subiects, as having heretofore taken upon them, and are now become settled and expert in the use and practise of Trades, Artes, Mysteries, and manual Occupations, whereunto they haue not been brought up as apprentices, as aforesaid, according to the form of the said Statute, as well by pardoning their offences in that behalf past, as also by licencing and dispensing with them for continuing the same Arts and Trades for the time to come, for and during their lives, And minding to free and acquit them for ever from those molestations, suits and troubles which they haue been heretofore and might hereafter be put unto by Informers, and others, by means of the premises, in case they shall not embrace our Princely grace in this behalf. And willing that the rigor of the said Statute shall not be exacted or inflicted vpon such of our loving Subiects, as haue transgressed the said Statute, and lye open and exposed to the penalties thereof, as are yet willing and desirous to take hold of and embrace this our grace and bounty so favourably and benignly proffered them. Know ye therefore, that We of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, haue ordained, authorised, name,& appoynted▪ and by these presents for us, our Heires, and Successors, do ordain, authorize, name, and appoint Our trusty and wel-beloued Sir james Spens Knight, Archibald Primrose Esquire, Henry Goldsmith Esquire, and Robert More Esquire, to be Our Commissioners for and during the term of seven yeeres from the date of these presents, And We do give unto them the said Sir james Spens, Archibald Primrose, Henry Goldsmith, and Robert More, or to any two or more of them, ( whereof the said Sir james Spens, or Archibald Primrose to be one) full power and authority by all lawful ways or means, to inquire and inform themselves of all such person and persons being tradesman and Artificers, which before the date of these presents haue used, exercised, erected, or set up any Art, Trade, Mystery, or manual Occupation, whereunto they haue not been bound or served as Apprentices, according to the form of the said recited Statute, and thereupon to treat, contract, compound, and agree with all and every such person and persons, as hath or haue before the date hereof used, erected or set up, any Trade, Art, mystery, or manual Occupation, contrary to the form and effect of the said recited Statute, for such reasonable rates, sums of money, fine and fines, yearly payments, or annuities, as they shall think fit, for pardons, licenses, and dispensation● to be made and granted from us, Our Heires, and Successors, under the great seal of England, in manner hereafter expressed, to all and every such person or persons offenders against the said Statute, as shall desire the same, as well for pardoning his or their offences past, as for licencing and dispensing with him and them to use and exercise such Arts, Trades, Mysteries, or manual Occupations which he or they respectively now do, or any time before the date hereof haue used, set up, or exercised, for and during the time and space of his and their natural life and lives, without suit, Information, trouble▪ or molestation to be had or prosecuted against him or them, for or concerning the same by any Informers or others, or for or concerning any pain, penalty, or forfeiture, mentioned or contained in the said Statute, by reason of any offence committed, perpetrated, or done contrary to the form and effect of the same, or any other Statute in that behalf made to the contrary: And that it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Sir james Spens, Archibald Primrose, Henry Goldsmith, and Robert More, or any two or more of them( whereof the said Sir james Spens, or Archibald Primrose to be one) to contract, compound, and agree with the said offenders, and every of them, as wel● before Informations, as after Informations against them exhibited in any Court whatsoever, for so much thereof as shall concern Our part, and that before or after plea, or by or without any leave, licence, or warrant of the Court, where any such Informations shall be exhibited, any Law, Statute, Constitution, or Ordinance made to the contrary thereof notwithstanding. And furthermore, of Our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, We do for us, Our Heires and Successors, by these presents give and grant full power and authority to Our attorney general for the time being, to prepare and draw up in due form of law, so many bills or books of pardons, licences, and dispensations for and in the name of us▪ Our Heires, and Successors, during the time aforesaid, to be engrossed and passed under Our Great seal of England, as shal be desired by the said Sir james Spens, Archibald Primrose, Henry Goldsmith, and Robert More, or any two or more of them,( whereof the said Sir james Spens, or Archibald Primrose to be one) for all such person or persons, as they Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of them,( whereof the said Sir james Spens, or Archibald Primrose to be one) shall compound and agr●e with, for and concerning any the pains, penalties, offences, matters, causes, and premises aforesaid. provided always that in every such several pardon, licence, or dispensation to be prepared, and passed under Our great seal as aforesaid, there shall not be contained or inserted above the number of thirty persons at the most. And Our further Will and pleasure is, And We do hereby for us, Our Heires, and Successors, grant, will, and ordain that all and every such pardon, licence, or dispensation, as shall be so made or granted as aforesaid, shalbe good sufficient, and effectual in law to all and every such person or persons to whom the same shall be made and granted, to authorize, enable, and warrant him and them to the free use and exercise of all such Trades, Arts, Mysteries, and manual Occupations which he or they at the date of these Our Letters Patents, or at any time before did use or exercise, whereunto he or they never served, or were bound as Apprentices, according to the form of the said Statute, without being sued, molested, questioned, or any way troubled, or enquieted by us, Our Heires, or Successors, or by any the Iudges, Iustices of either of Our Benches, Barons of Our Exchequer, or Our attorney general for the time being, or by any other the Officers, Ministers, and Subiects of us, Our Heires, or Successors, for, touching, or concerning the practising, using,& exercising of his or their said Arts, Trades, Mysteries, or manual Occupations as aforesaid, contrary to the purport of the said recited Statute, or any other Statute in that behalf made; The said Statute of Quinto Elizabeth, or any clause there●n contained to the contrary notwithstanding. In which said Letters Patents, or discharge, pardons, and licences of dispensations to be so drawn, or made to any person or persons compounded with as aforesaid, We will shall be contained therein a clause of express charge and command in the name of us, our Heires and Successors, to the Iudges and Iustices of both our Benches, Barons of Our Exchequer, attorney general, Iustices of Peace, Maiors, bailiffs, Aldermen, Sheriffes, Escheators, and all other Officers and Ministers to whom it may or shall appertain, in their several offices and places respectively, that they and every of them respectively, in their several offices and places vpon the sight or showing forth of any such pardon, licence, or dispensation, or the enrolment, constat, or exemplification thereof, or a true copy of the same signed with the hands of the said Sir james Spens, Archibald Primrose, Henry Goldsmith, and Robert More, or any two or more of them( whereof the said Sir james Spens, or Archibald Primrose to be one) testifying the same, shall forthwith disallow and discharge all Informations, suits, bills, plaints, judgements, and actions whatsoever, which are or shall be moved, stirred, commenced, sued, or prosecuted against all or any of the said persons so compounded with, pardonned, licenced, and dispensed with as aforesaid, for or touching any offence or offences, committed, perpetrated, or done contrary to the form of the said Statute, or any branch or clause therein contained. And to give order that no further proscesse or proceedings shall be had or awarded against them or any of them in that behalf: And these presents shalbe to our said Iudges, Iustices, Barons of Our Exchequer, attorney general, and all other Our said Officers, a sufficient warrant and discharge for the doing and performing of the premises, according to the tenor and true meaning of these presents. And Our further Will and pleasure is, and We do hereby require and charge, that from time to time, and at all times hereafter, Our Iudges and Iustices of either of Our Benches, Barons of Our Exchequer,& Our attorney general, and all Iustices of Peace, as well within liberties as without, Maiors, bailiffs, Aldermen, and chief Magistrates of cities, boroughs, and towns Corporate, Sheriffes, Escheators, and all others, to whom it shall or may appertain, That they and every of them respectively in their several offices and places, shall at all and every time and times hereafter, accept, approve, and allow in all and every Our Court and Courts of Record, and other place and places, as well of all and every such Letters Patents of pardon, licenses,& dispensations, under the Great seal of England, so to be made and granted as aforesaid, as of the enrolment, Constat, or exemplification thereof, or of a true copy of the same, under the hands of the said Sir james Spens, Archibald Primrose, Henry Goldsmith, and Robert More, or any two or more of them( whereof the said Sir james Spens, or Archibald Primrose to be one) testifying that the said person or persons haue compounded and received his majesties pardon, licence, or dispensation as aforesaid, as a good, full, and sufficient bar, release, dispensation, and discharge against us, Our Heires, and Successors, without pleading the said pardon, licence, or dispensation at large, of, for, or concerning any penalties, or forfeitures accrued, or hereafter to be accrued unto us Our Heires, or Successors, by or from any person or persons, name in the said Letters patents of Pardon, licence, and dispensation for any of the offences and breaches of them or any of them respectively committed against the said Statute above recited, or any clause or article therein contained.  
In witness whereof We haue caused these Our Letters to be made Patents, witness ourself at Westminster the fourth day of February, in the sixteenth year of Our reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the two and fiftieth.   

❧ Printed at London by John Beale. 1619.