dieu ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon surmounted by a crown and flanked by the English lion and Tudor rose on one side and the Scottish unicorn and thistle on the other  
❧ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation concerning the well-ordering the Trade of making and selling of soap.  
WHereas Wee haue declared by two former Proclamations Our Princely care for the aduancement of the native Commodities of Our kingdoms, the employment of many of Our poor people, and the reformation of diuers former abuses in making of soap: Wee now finding by experience, that many factious and refractory persons haue not onely disobeyed Our royal Commandements, but haue studied diuers new ways to hinder all Our good intentions to Our loving Subiects, some by using of Castile, Venice, Smyrna, and English hard soap from the western parts, and by dissolving of it to multiply or increase it, who formerly never used any of that kind in that maner, some by bringing in great quantity of Fishoyle soap, and other soap from Scotland, France and Holland, and diuers other places, some by procuring the increase of making of soap in places where small quantities of soap were formerly made, serving onely for the places near adjoining, and dispersing it over the realm, where was never use of that soap before, others by persuading of Our Subiects that they could instruct householders, and other private persons to make soap at easy rates for their uses, therein abusing and deceiving them with purpose to cause them for a while to forbear the use of the new made soap, hoping thereby to overthrow the use of making Soap of the native commodities of this kingdom. And besides all these inventions, they haue not onely raised the prices of the old soap to such excessive rates, that Our loving Subiects haue payed even here in Our city of London, six pence a pound for the same, and in many other parts of Our kingdom eight pence, ten pence, and twelve pence the pound, which was wont to be sold for three pence, or three pence half penny; But in like manner also to bring the new white soap into dislike, they haue purposely abused and falsified it, and haue maliciously presumed to sell it by retail for like inordinate prices. For the remedy of all which inconveniences, and for the better preventing of their malice in the like attempts, We haue resolved with the advice of Our privy council to settle and establish the Manufacture of soap, according to such powers and provisions, as in cases of like nature haue from time to time been ordered and put in execution.  
And therefore for the better finding out and discovery of all offenders against Our said two former Proclamations, and such as shall disobey Our further Commands in this Our present Edict, and the Decrees of Our Court of Star-Chamber, and Letters Patents made concerning the premises; Our will and pleasure is, and Wee do hereby require and Command, that the Keeper of Our Great seal, or Our Treasurer, Chancellor, and barons of Our Exchequer, or the Chancellor of Our duchy of Lancaster, for the time being respectively, shall and do award such and so many Commissions, to such persons, and of such tenor and effect as they shall think fit, for the rectifying of the prices of soap vpon any such complaint, as in that behalf shall bee made unto them, and for the examining and finding out of all offences and offenders against Our Proclamations, Decrees, and Letters Patents, to the end that as well the Importers, bringers in, carriers, and makers of all soap prohibited, and the sellers of soap at prices excessive, as the buyers, sellers, spenders, and receivers thereof, may receive condign punishment for their several offences.  
And because some complaints haue deene made to us, and to Our privy council, by some particular tradesman; As namely, Silke-Diers, Wooll-combers, weavers, Say-thickers, Fullers, and the like, that their Trades do require some other sorts of soap, then such as now is used and made by the said Corporation, and other then that which was formerly commonly made in Our city of London, according to the quality of their several Manufactures.  
Therfore Our further will and pleasure is, and Wee do hereby straitly charge and command the governor for the time being, and the Society of the Soape-makers, And do by these presents authorize them, and appoint that they shall and may from time to time make, and cause to be made such quantities, and such a proportion of any other sort of soft soap, as shall bee requisite for the necessary use of the said tradesman in their said several Trades onely, and not otherwise, nor for any other use whatsoever. provided always, that no soft soap be fold to the said tradesman by the said Corporation, at the place where it shall bee made, for above three pence the pound.  
And to the end that soap shall not bee sold at any such excessive prices and rates as now it is, by the fraud of the vndue-makers and retailers, but at such indifferent and moderate rates and prices as may bee convenient betwixt the Buyer and the Seller: It is Our will and pleasure, and Wee do hereby straitly charge and command, that the Maior, bailiff, or other chief Officer in every city and town corporate, with the assistance of two of the next Iustices of the Peace of that County, or the two next adjoining Iustices of the Peace where the said retailers dwell out of a city or town Corporate, vpon any complaint that shall bee made of any excessive rates or prices, do set such rates and prices vpon all soap that shall bee retailed, as they in their best judgements shall think fit and reasonable, consideration being by them had, as well of the settled price payed to the Corporation, as of the Charge of Carriage, Sea-aduenture, and other charges and casualties thereunto belonging, with fit and reasonable gains to the retailer.  
And if it shall happen, that in any of the places aforesaid, there shall be unfit prices set, whereby the Buyer, or Seller, may haue just cause of complaint, then in every such case vpon complaint thereof made, Our will and pleasure is, that all such pretended undue proceedings, shall bee examined and rectified, by such Commissioners as shall bee hereafter nominated and appointed by the Keeper of Our Great seal, or Our Treasurer, Chancellor, and Barons of Our Exchequer, or the Chancellor of Our duchy of Lancaster.  
And because the said governor, Assistants, and Fellowship of Soape-makers, are forced to bee at excessive charges, by employment of several men in searching, seizing, and other discovery of soap, made or put to sale, contrary to the tenor of the said Proclamations, Decrees, and Letters Patents, which being falsely, or corruptly made, or being put to fall vnmarked, contrary to the said Decrees, Proclamations, and Letters Patents is to bee destroyed, as hath been used by the Law, and common custom of the realm, whereby the said Fellowship receive no recompense for their charge and expense; Wee are therefore well pleased, that vpon complaint made in Our Court of Star-Chamber, or Exchequer, of such falsities, corruptions, or abuses, that competent allowance for their charge and expense bee made unto them, by that Court where they shall complain, out of the fines that shall be set vpon the Delinquents: And this Our Proclamation shall bee a sufficient warrant for making and giuing such allowance.  
And for discovery of such falsities, corruptions, and abuses, their Officers, and Ministers, may enter in to search, and seize the same in any Houses, cellars, Shops, Ware-houses, and other places whatsoever, as well within Liberties, as without; Requiring, and hereby straitly Charging and Commanding, all Maiors, Sheriffes, bailiffs, Constables, and other Our Officers, and loving Subiects, to bee aiding and assisting unto them in the doing and executing thereof without excuse or delay.  
And because Wee haue provided by this and Our former Proclamations, Letters Patents and Decrees, that a sufficient quantity of good and useful soap to be sold at reasonable prices, shall at all times be in readiness for the use of our people, and Wee are resolved so to continue Our care, that every man may bee served thereof at every Market-Towne, without being put to any unnecessary travail iovius, so as none shall bee occasioned to use any the shifts or inventions aforesaid. Therefore Wee will and command, that no person or persons, other then such as by the Decree in Our Court of starchamber heretofore made, are, or shall bee permitted or allowed, do at any time hereafter presume to make any kind of soap in their private houses or elsewhere, either for their own use or otherwise, vpon pain of incurring Our heavy displeasure, and such punishment as their contempt in that behalf shall demerit.  
And Wee do hereby also straitly charge and command, that no person or persons whatsoever, either Our own natural born Subiects, Denizens or Strangers, Merchants, Mariners, Artificers, or any other do hereafter import or bring in, or attempt to import or bring into this Our kingdom of England, or Dominion of Wales, any soap from Our kingdoms of Scotland or Ireland, or any manner or kind of soap, hard or soft whatsoever from any foreign parts, or to transport, Load, or carry any manner of soft soap not marked with the mark in that behalf ordained, and hereby prohibited, from or into any parts or places of this Our said kingdom of England, or Dominion of Wales, vpon pain of Our heavy displeasure, and to undergo such further penalties and punishments as in cases of like nature are usually inflicted vpon the contemners of Our royal command and authority.  
And for the better performance and execution, of all and every the premises, Wee do further Charge and Command, all and singular the Officers of Our customs, within all and every the Ports, and havens of Our said kingdom, and Dominions, and the creeks and members thereof, as also within Our Cinque Ports, and the members thereof: That they and every of them do not onely forbear to take any entry, or entries, or give any Bill, or Warrant, for unlading, or landing of any soap prohibited as aforesaid, but do also cause seizure and stay to bee made thereof to Our use, vpon pain of forfeiture of his or their Offices respectively, and undergoing Our heavy displeasure, and such other punishments as their neglects and contempts herein shall be found to deserve.  
And wee do also straitly Charge and Command all Maiors, Sheriffes, Iustices of Peace, Constables, Headboroughes, tithingmen, and all other Our Officers, and Ministers, as well of Our Admiralty, as also Our Officers of the Cinque Ports, and all other Our loving Subiects to whom it shall or may appertain, that they and every of them at all times hereafter, and from time to time, be aiding and assisting to the said Searchers, and their Deputies, and to such Our Commissioners, as shall bee from time to time appointed for or about this service: And also to bee from time to time likewise aiding and assisting to all Our Customers, Searchers, waiters, and all other person, or persons, thereunto Deputed by the said Searchers, or their Deputies, in and for the Seizing, Searching for, or carrying away of all such prohibited soap, imported, brought in, or Landed, or hereafter to be imported, brought in, Landed, made, bought, sold, vented, or disposed, contrary to this Our royal Command.  
And Wee do hereby require Our attorney general for the time being, that from time to time he carefully proceed in Our Court of starchamber, or our Court of Exchequer against all such person and persons that shall presume to offend or not yield obedience to Our command in the premises.  
given at Our Court at Theobalds the thirteenth day of july, in the tenth year of Our reign of England, Scotland, France and Ireland. 
 God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer, to the Kings most Excellent majesty: and by the assigns of John Bill. 1634.