DIEV 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 surveying and marking of Iron, and survey of Woods to be used in the making thereof.  
WHereas Our most noble Progenitors, and Predecessors, Kings and Queens of this Realm, duly considering the necessary and important use of the Woods and Timber of this Kingdom, have taken into their constant care to preserve the same from waist and destruction; And to that end, divers good and wholesome Laws and Statutes have been made, and diverse other Provisions have been published in that behalf: Nevertheless, by a common neglect of the said Laws, and by an unlawful liberty, which many of Our Subjects have taken to themselves, there hath been, and yet continueth, such a spoil of Timber and Woods in this Our Kingdom, by converting the same into Coals for the making of Iron, as that it may be feared that within few years, (unless by a speedy course it be prevented) there will follow such want of Wood and Timber, as cannot be supplied by any future providence; Which, together with the frequent transportation of Iron and Iron metal, unlawfully without Licence in that behalf, hath already produced a great scarcity of Timber, Wood, and Iron, being two of the principal Commodities and Materials for the strength of this Our Kingdom: For remedy of which said mischiefs of so high a consequence, tending to the public damage of Our Kingdom and People, and for restraint of transportation of Iron, and the reformation of sundry secret deceits and abuses now used and practised in the making of Iron, and in the vent and sale thereof in Bars, by intermingling the worse sort with the better, and so selling them promiscuously and deceitfully together, whereby many times the brittle and worse sort of Iron comes to be employed for shipping, and other uses for which it is unserviceable; We by Our Letters Patents under Our great Seal of England, bearing date the foureteenth day of October last, Did erect an Office to be for ever continued, and did thereby appoint Our well-beloved John Copper, and Grimbald Pauncefoote gent. Surveyour or Surveyors of all Iron-workes, Furnaces, and Forges within Our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales, and of all Woods to be used or employed thereat, and for the surveying and marking of Iron with diverse Stamps or Marks, distinguishing the several kinds thereof, and for prevention of the transportation thereof without Licence, and to prosecute Offenders in the premises: For the doing whereof, and their labour, care, and charges to be taken and expended in the execution of the said Office, for the public good of Our Kingdom and People, We by the same Letters Patents have assigned unto them a moderate Fee, to be paid by the Owners of the said Iron, at the time of the surveying and marking thereof.  
And whereas since the granting of the said Office, upon Petition and Allegations made against it, upon a full and deliberate hearing thereof before Us and Our Privy Counsel, It appeared that the said Office, with the Provisions in the said Letters Patents mentioned, was necessary and fit to be put in execution; And for that also the reformation of the said abuses, in the well ordering of the Mine and Oar, and the making of Iron, and the surveying, marking, and distinguishing thereof, (besides the preservation of Woods and Timber) will be of much benefit to the Commonwealth; We being minded to establish the said Office and execution thereof, Do therefore hereby straight charge and Command, that no person or persons whatsoever, shall use, or employ any Woods to be converted into Coal for the making of Iron, or shall transport any Iron, or Iron-metall, contrary unto the Laws and Statutes of this Our Realm, and other Provisions heretofore made and published; And that no Iron-master, Maker of Iron, Owner, or farmer of Iron-workes, Furnaces, or Forges, their Clerks, Servants, or Agents whatsoever, shall from henceforth sell, or put to sale, any sorts of Iron; nor any Merchant, Trader, or dealer in Iron, nor any others, shall buy, or remove the same from the Iron-workes, Furnaces, or Forges, where the same is or shall be made and wrought, before the same Iron shall be first surveyed and marked by Our said Officer or Officers, their Deputies or Assigns, with the Stamps or Marks appointed in that behalf, according to Our will and pleasure in the said Letters Patents declared, (so as the said Officers, their Deputy or Deputies, or Assigns, upon payment of the said Fee or Fees, by the said Letters Patents allowed unto them for their pains, to be had and made at the time of the surveying and marking thereof, be ready once in every eight days at the said Iron-works, to survey and mark the same Iron) Upon pain, not only of the forfeiture of the said Iron, but also upon pain of Our high displeasure, and such punishment as may be inflicted upon them for their contempts in that behalf.  
And We do also appoint and authorise Our said Officer or Officers, their Deputies or Assigns, as occasion shall require, to use some other Marks to be cast or stamped upon the said several Sows or Pigs and Bars of Iron, whereby the several Iron works and Owners thereof, and the Counties where the same was made and wrought, may be certainly known: All, or any of which said Stamps or Marks, We require and Command, that no other person or persons do presume to counterfeit or falsify, nor to stamp or mark any Iron therewith.  
And We do straight charge and Command all and singular Iron-Masters, Owners, and Farmours of Iron-works, Furnaces, and Forges whatsoever, within Our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales, now, and for the time being, and their and every of their Clerks, Servants, and Agents, that they and every of them respectively, do permit and suffer the said Officer or Officers, their Deputies or Assigns, at meet and convenient times, to enter into all and every the said Iron-works, Furnaces, and Forges, and all Warehouses, Storehouses, Edifices, and Buildings thereunto belonging, there to survey, view, and mark, as well all the Iron from time to time made and wrought, as to survey, view, and try the Mine Oar and Metal, and the working thereof into Sows, or Pigs, and Bars of Iron, as aforesaid, and to peruse, see, and take Notes, of all and every the Books and Scores, by them or any of them made and kept, of, and concerning such quantities of Iron, as from time to time shall be by them made or sold: And that the said Iron-Masters, Owners, and Farmours of Iron-works, Furnaces, and Forges, and their Clerks, Agents, Servants, or Workmen, be from henceforth aiding and assisting unto the said Officer or Officers, their Deputy or Deputies, or Assigns, from time to time, in the due execution of the premises, and of every matter and thing thereunto belonging, as they tender Our Royal Will and Commandment herein declared, and will answer for their contempt or neglect thereof, at their uttermost perils.  
And We do hereby declare Our Royal pleasure to be, that the said Officer or Officers, their Deputy, or Deputies, or Assigns, shall, or may, with the assistance of some Constable, or other lawful and known Officer, enter into any House, Cellar, Vault, Warehouse, Shop, Ship, or Vessel, or other place whatsoever, as well within Liberties as without; And there to view, search, and find out all such Iron, as hath been, or shall be bought, sold, or removed from the Works or places where the same was made and wrought, before the same be first surveyed, viewed, and marked, as aforesaid: And what Iron, or Iron-Metall shall be shipped, or attempted to be Transported without Our Licence in that behalf: And in case they shall find or discover any Iron (except as in the said Letters Patents is excepted) so bought, sold, or removed, before the same shall be Marked, or any Iron or Iron-Metall so shipped, to be Transported without Our Licence; Then Our pleasure and express Commandment is, That the said Officer or Officers, and every of them, or his, or their Deputies, or Assigns, do seize, detain, and take the same, as forfeited to Us, Our Heirs, and Successors.  
And We do further hereby declare Our Royal Will and pleasure to be, That the said Officers, their Deputies, or Assigns, may lawfully and at convenient times, enter into any Woods or Wood-grounds of any Our Subjects, wherein any Woods are or shall be Felled, Cut, or Coarded, to be converted into Coals for the making of Iron, or Iron-Metall, and there to survey and view the same, whereby it may appear of what nature and condition the Woods are that shall be converted or employed that way, and that the Transgressors therein may be proceeded against, and duly punished according to Our Laws: And to these Our Royal Commands We shall expect and require a due conformity and obedience of all Our Subjects whom it shall concern, under the pain of Our high displeasure, and such punishments as by the Laws and Statutes of the Realm, or otherwise, may be inflicted on them for their contempts or neglects herein.  
And lastly, We do hereby Will and require all justices of Peace, Mayor, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, and all other Our Officers and Ministers whatsoever whom it shall concern, to be aiding and assisting to Our said Officers, their Deputies or Assigns, in the due execution of the premises, as they tender Our service, and will answer for the contrary at their perils.  
Given at Our Court at oatland's, the nine and twentieth day of July, in the thirteenth year of Our Reign. 
 ❧ God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty: And by the Assigns of JOHN BILL. 1637.