dieu ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon surmounted by a crown and flanked by the English lion on one side and the Scottish unicorn on the other  
❧ By the King.  
❧ A Proclamation for the restraint of the consumption of the coin and Bullion of this realm, and the deceitful making of Gold and silver thread, and for the regulating thereof for the time to come.  
having taken into Our Princely consideration the great consumption of the coin, Plate, and Bullion of this kingdom, contrary to the laws and Statutes of this realm, and likewise the many inconveniences which do arise, and more are like to ensue, as well by the melting of Our coins, as by the false and deceitful making of Gold and silver thread, purls, Plates, Spangles, Oaes, and other such like Manufactures, to the great abuse of Our Subiects, and prejudice of us in Our customs, by the exceeding quantities thereof now made within this Our realm, which formerly were brought from foreign parts: And purposing for the time to come, that no coin or Bullion shall be spent in those Manufactures, but such only as shall be supplied from foreign parts, or otherwise arise from the works of that kind formerly made and molten: And being minded that the deceits and abuses now commonly practised by the workers of Gold and silver into such Manufactures should be reformed, and the same works hereafter made not less in fineness then the Standard of Our kingdom, and according to the Laws and Statutes thereof; We are resolved for regulating this business which so much concerneth us and Our people, to take care for the provision of Bullion for supply of the said Manufactures as aforesaid, and for reducing as well the workers thereof to a convenient number, as to restrain them to some meet proportion of Gold and silver to be employed therein: And for that purpose Wee haue assigned and appointed diuers of Our privy counsel, and others, to bee Our Commissioners, who are to see to the due execution of the laws and Statutes of the realm, against all offenders in the premises, and of this present Proclamation, and of all such Orders and Instructions as are, or shall from time to time bee given by us under Our sign manual, or otherwise by any six or more of Our privy counsel, for the better governing of the said Trade and Manufactures, and the persons that do or shall use the same.  
And Wee do therefore publish and declare Our royal will and pleasure to bee, and do hereby straitly charge and command, That no coin, Place, or Bullion shall bee hereafter used or spent in the making of Gold and silver thread, Copper guilt, or silvered, Gold and silver foliatt, purls, Oaes, Spangles, wire, and such other Manufactures, but what shall be imported or supplied from foreign parts by such as shall be thereunto by us appointed or which shall arise from the same works and Manufactures being molten again: And that none of the Currant Gold or silver coins of this realm be hereafter molten down by any Refiner, Goldsmith, or other person whatsoever, for any use whatsoever; And that all Gold and silver whatsoever which hereafter shall be employed, used, or spent, in or about any of the said Manufactures, shall be provided, refined, prepared, and disgrossed by such persons onely as Wee shall assign, and by none others; And shall be by them sold and delivered to all and every person or persons which shall work or use the same according to such Standards, and at such Rates and Prizes as We shall limit, at some such certain place or places within Our City of London, or the Liberties thereof, as by us, or Our said Commissioners for this business shall be assigned in that behalf; And that no person or persons whatsoever, other then such as shall be allowed by us, or Our said Commissioners for the time being, and which shall conform him and themselves to the Orders and Instructions of us and Our said Commissioners, shall bee permitted to buy, receive, or take from the persons to be assigned as aforesaid, at such place or places within the said City of London, or the Liberties there of as aforesaid, any Gold or silver whatsoever disgrossed or not disgrossed, to bee used and employed in the making of Gold and silver thread, Copper guilt, or silvered thread, Gold and silver foliatt, purls, Place, Oaes, Spangles and wire, or otherwise to be used in the making of Lace, purls, embroideries and such like works and Manufactures; And that no person or persons,( other then such as shall bee allowed as aforesaid) shall directly or indirectly, make, or cause to bee made, any Gold or silver thread, Copper guilt, or silvered thread, Gold or silver foliatt, purls Plate, Oaes, Spangles, or wire, for those or the like uses; Or shall make, erect, set up, keep, or use any Frame, bar, Engine, Instrument, Mill, or tool whatsoever, for the disgrossing, drawing, flatting, milling, spinning, or making of any the said works: And that no Worker of any Gold or silver thread, shall buy, or provide, or cause to be bought or provided, any silk to be thrown or Twisted, and made fitting, or shall throw or Twift, or cause to bee thrown or Twisted, any silk for any the uses or works aforesaid, vpon pain of forfeiture of the same, unless they shall bee thereunto first authorised and appointed by Our said Commissioners.  
And Our further will and pleasure is, and Wee do hereby require and command, That all Gold and silver thread, Copper gilded, or silvered thread, and wire, and other the said Manufactures shall bee well and truly wrought and made; And that all thread be made up in Skeynes and not on Quills; And that from henceforth no Copper silvered, or gilded, bee made or spun vpon any silk, and that the said Manufactures( being first duly surveyed and tried, and also marked with the Makers stamp) shall bee after sealed by a seal by us appointed in that behalf, to show the trial and allowance thereof, before the same bee sold or exposed to sale; And that no Silkeman, Mercer, Lacemaker, Imbroyderer, Buttonmaker, or other person or persons whatsoever, shall or may, at any time or times hereafter, buy, sell, vent, or utter off, from, or to any person or persons whatsoever, or work any Gold or silver thread, Copper gilded, and silvered thread, purls, Plate, Spangles, Oaes, Gold or silver foliatt, or wire, made or wrought within this Our realm, for any uses whatsoever, but such as shall be made or wrought by the persons thereunto allowed by Our said Commissioners, according to Our intention herein declared, whose Names, marks, and Places of abode are to bee certainly known at the place where Our said Commissioners shall appoint for this business,( within Our said City of London, or the Liberties thereof) for the uttering and venting of the disgrossed or other Bullion as aforesaid. And to the end no fraud or deceit be hereafter practised in the premises, by occasion of the quantities of Gold and silver thread, Copper gilded, and silvered thread, purls, Plate, Spangles, Oaes, or wire already made here, or imported from the parts beyond the Seas, and remaining in the hands of Silkemen, Mercers, Lacemakers and others, Wee do therefore declare Our royal will and pleasure to bee, and do hereby straitly charge and command, all and every Silkemen, Mercers, Lacemakers, Wyer-drawers, thread makers, and others now having any Gold or silver thread, Copper gilded, and silvered thread, or other the premises in their hands, to be sold or put to sale, that they and every of them, within the space of fourteen dayes after the publishing hereof, do sand or bring the same to such place or places within Our said City of London, or the Liberties thereof, as Our said Commissioners shall appoint, there to be tried, sealed, or marked with the seal, or mark hereafter name in that behalf, without paying any Fee or allowance for the sealing thereof; And that no person or persons whatsoever, shall provide, buy, utter, sell, or expose to sale any Gold or silver thread, or Copper gilded, or silvered thread, made, or brought in or from any the parts beyond the Seas, before the same be viewed, tried, and sealed by the persons, and at the place to be appointed as aforesaid; And that no person or persons, which at the time of the publishing of this Our Proclamation, shall haue any Bullion, or wire, prepared for such works and Manufactures as aforesaid, and not wrought into thread, shall hereafter presume to work the same into any the Manufactures before mentioned, unless such person or persons shall first bring the same to Our said Commissioners to the place aforesaid, to be there tried, essayed, marked and entred; And then, after such essay and entry made, the said person and persons comforming themselves to such Orders and Instructions as Wee shall make and set forth touching the premises, shall and may work out such Bullion and wire; And that after the said fourteen dayes before limited for the Sealing and Marking of such works and Manufactures as aforesaid, No person or persons whatsoever, presume to expose, utter, vent, buy, sell, employ, or use any Gold or silver thread, Copper guilt, and silvered thread, or other the works or Manufactures before mentioned whatsoever, not Sealed or Marked as aforesaid.  
And further, Wee will and require all person and persons whatsoever, from henceforth to conform themselves, in all due obedience, to Our royal will and pleasure herein declared touching the premises, which so much importeth us and Our people, vpon pain, not onely of the loss and forfeiture of the said several Manufactures and materials, but also to bee further proceeded against, as high Contemners of Our royal Commands.  
And We do hereby will and command, That no Finers, Goldsmiths, Merchants or others, shall hereafter sell any fine silver, or other silver, to any person or persons, to bee used or employed in any of the premises, other then such persons as shall be by us assigned and allowed as aforesaid.  
And We do hereby further will, require, and command, all Maiors, Sheriffes, Iustices of Peace, Constables, and other Our Officers, Ministers and loving Subiects whatsoever, to be aiding and assisting to Our said Commissioners, in the due execution of the premises, As they tender Our Pleasure, and will answer the contrary at their perils.  
given at Our Court at Whitehall, the eighteen day of january, in the eleventh year of Our reign.   

The several seals appointed by us, for the sealing of Gold and silver thread, and Copper gilded, and silvered thread, are, Viz.  

I. For the right Gold and silver thread already made, The Thistle crwoned.  
II. For the Copper gilded and silvered thread already made, A Lion without a crown.  
III. For the Gold and silver thread hereafter to be made, The Rose crwoned.  
IIII. For the Copper gilded and silvered thread hereafter to be made, The Lion crwoned.    
God save the King.  

❧ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent majesty: And by the assigns of John BILL. 1635.