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 reforming sundry abuses in Manufactures of Silks and Stuffs of foreign Materials made here, or imported from foreign parts.  
WHereas the Kings most Excellent majesty, for the better regulation and government of the Art of Weaving of Silks and Stuffs within the kingdom, and for reformation of the manifold abuses represented to His majesty by the Mercers of London, to be practised in that Trade by sundry persons, as well His Majesties natural born Subjects, as Denizens and Strangers, in the working of Tishews, Plushes, and other broad Silks, and Stuffs of foreign, or part foreign Materials, by intermixing of base Materials with fine Silk, and by mixture of Worsted and thread with Grogeran Yarn, and by making the said Silks and Stuffs slightly, and less in breadth, then formerly they were made, to the common deceit and damage of His Majesties Subjects; Hath been pleased by Letters Patents under the great Seal of England, bearing date the fourth day of july last past, to enlarge the ancient Guild of Weavers of London in their jurisdiction and Government, and hath extended the same over all persons, using the Art of Weaving of foreign, or part foreign Materials, throughout the whole Realm of England, and Dominion of Wales, wherein His majesty having made sundry good provisions against those common falsities, hath thought fit( by the advice of His privy council) to make public declaration thereof, to the end that all His Subjects, and others, having knowledge of the same, may comform themselves accordingl And therefore His majesty in pursuance of the said Letters Patents, doth hereby straight charge and command, That no person or persons whatsoever, from, and after the Feast of the Birth of Our Lord God next coming, shall Make or wove within His Majesties Realm of England, or Dominion of Wales, or import into the same from foreign parts to be sold, or put to sale, any Tishews, Gold or Silver Stuffs, Tustafaties, Plushes, Velvets, Damasks, wrought Grogerans, stitched commodities, Garters, ribbons, Laces, or other Silks or Stuffs whatsoever, made of Silk, intermixed with Cotton, thread, Worsted, Copper, Grogeran Yarn made of Hair, or other such like Materials,( except Silk Mohair, Barratine, Silk Rash, Silk Say, Loomwork, Fuguretta, a stuff called Black and White, and Statute Lace) Nor from and after the said Feast of the Birth of Our Lord God, shall Make or wove within His Majesties Realm or Dominion aforesaid, or import into the same from foreign parts to be vended or put to sale, any Tishews, Plushes, Tuftafaties, or other Silk Stuffs whatsoever intermixed with spun Silk, made of waste or knittings of Silk, or of heavy died Silk, nor shall sell or put to sale any Silk Stuffs whatsoever by weight, but by just and lawful measure onely: And that no person or persons whatsoever, from and after the eighteen day of May next coming, shall Make or wove, or import from foreign parts into His Majesties said Realm or Dominion, any Silks or Stuffs, made of Silk, or part Silk, or of other foreign, or part foreign Materials whatsoever, or any kind of Gold or Silver Stuffs to be vended or put to sale, of lesser breadth then half a yard nail and half nail within the two Lists, and the same to be made of one equal goodness( as near as may be) throughout the whole piece;( saving that Grogerans, Chamlets, and Mohairs made in turkey, and Tiffanies, Cipres, and Loomworks made here, or imported hither, may be still Made and Woven of such breadths as now or heretofore they have been usually made) Vpon pain of the forfeiture to His majesty of all such Silks or Stuffs as shall be so mixed, sold by weight, or made less in breadth, contrary to His Majesties royal will and pleasure herein declared.  
And for the more due and just execution of the premises, His majesty by His said Letters Patents, hath authorised the Bailiffs, Wardens, and Assistants of the Weavers of London, from time to time to appoint meet persons skilful in the said Art of Weaving, to view and search all Silks and Stuffs of what breadth soever made, of foreign, or part foreign Materials, by any person or persons in England or Wales; and upon due trial had of the said Manufactures( they being found of just breadths, and made of right and unfalsified Materials, and being truly Wrought and Woven, to Seal with the several Stamps or Seals hereafter name, appointed for that purpose,( which His majesty commands that none presume to counterfeit:) all such Stuffs( above a quarter of a yard broad) as they shall find good and Merchantable, and to reject and forbear to Seal the contrary, but to seize and take them into their custody to be defaced or destroyed, and the Makers thereof to be further punished according to their offences.  
Wherefore His majesty doth hereby further straitly charge and command, that all Tishews, Gold or Silver Stuffs, and all other Silks and Stuffs( above one quarter of a yard broad) to be made of foreign, or part foreign Materials, within the Cities of London and Westminster, or within five miles of either of them, after the Feast day of All Saints next ensuing, shall be brought to the common Hall of the said Company of Weavers within the City of London, to be there Viewed, preached, and Sealed by the sworn Officer or Officers appointed, and to be appointed in that behalf, without any Fee to be taken for the same; And that all such other of the said Stuffs as shall be Made, or Wrought in any other parts or places of the Realm of England or Dominion of Wales, above the distance of five miles from the said Cities, or either of them, shall be in like manner after the said Feast day of All Saints next ensuing, Viewed, preached, and Sealed, in such meet places, and by such persons, as for that end and purpose by the said Company of Weavers shall be appointed, without any Fee to be taken for the same.  
And His majesty doth also straitly charge and command, that no person or persons whatsoever, from and after the said Feast day of All Saints next coming, shall Buy, Sell, or expose to sale any piece or parcel of Tishews, Gold and Silver stuffs, or other Silks or Stuffs( above a quarter of a yard broad) made of foreign, or part foreign Materials, before the same shall be Sealed, as aforesaid, upon pain of the loss and forfeiture of the same Silks or Stuffs so sold or put to sale, before they shall be so Sealed. And for reforming a great abuse now used in the making of ribbons and Laces, by the help of an Engine called a great Loom, wherein one person alone will make as much work( though in a false and deceitful manner) as ten persons can do in single Looms in the like time, to the hindrance and undoing of many of His Majesties people of the said Trade; His majesty therefore doth charge and command, That no person or persons whatsoever, from and after the Feast of the Birth of Our Lord God next coming, shall work in, use, or exercise any such Frame or Engine, called A great Loom, or any other Frame or Engine, wherein there shall be made or wrought any more Laces or ribbons of any sort then only one at one and the same time, upon pain of His Majesties heavy displeasure, and such punishments as shall be meet to be inflicted upon the Offenders for their contempts herein: And that no person or persons, shall privately, or by way of Hawking, carry any Silks, or Stuffs, Garters, ribbons, Laces, or other Manufactures made of foreign, or part foreign Materials, broad or narrow, to private mens houses, or inns, within the Cities of London& Westminster, or the Suburbs or Liberties of the same, to vend or put to sale, nor shall proffer the same to sale to people as they pass in the Streets, upon pain of the loss and forfeiture of all such Manufactures as shall be so offered to sale, by the way of Hawking, as aforesaid.  
And for the better effecting of His Majesties royal intentions in the premises, His majesty doth expressly will, require, and command, That all such persons as now do, or hereafter shall use the Trade of Weaving within London and Southwark, and the Liberties thereof, being, or which shall be free of other Companies of London, and not of the Guild of Weavers, shall according to several Orders of the Court of Lord Maior and Aldermen of the City of London, which by Acts of State were after confirmed, be forthwith and from time to time translated to the said Company of Weavers, and be and continue subject to their lawful Ordinances. And as concerning the present tradesman and Artificers in the Art of Weaving, of foreign, or part foreign Materials, His majesty hath by His said Letters Patents ordained and declared, That the said Bailiffs, Wardens, and Assistants shall and may receive and admit into the said Corporation to exercise the said Trade, such competent number of fit persons, as to them in their discretions shall seem meet and convenient, being natural born Subjects, Denizens, or Strangers, who have exercised the said Trade here one whole year at the least, before the date of the said Letters Patents, and are conformable to the Laws of the Realm, and Constitutions of the Church of England: And that from and after two yeers next following, they shall not admit into the said Corporation, any persons to exercise the said Trade of Weaving of foreign, or part foreign Materials, unless he or they have served seven yeers to the said Trade, within the said Corporation. And to this His Majesties declaration of His royal will and pleasure the premises( tending to the common good of His Subjects) His majesty requireth all due conformity of all such whom it shall concern, upon pain of His Majesties high displeasure, and as they will answer for their neglects or contempts herein. And to the end that it may be certainly known what Silks or Stuffs made in foreign parts, shall from time to time be imported into the Kingdom, And whether the same shall be made and wrought of their true breadths, and right Materials, according to His Majesties directions for those that shall be made here, His Majesties pleasure is to appoint a special Officer for Searching and Sealing of all such Silks and Stuffs, as from the said Feast of All Saints next shall be imported into the Realm of England and Dominion of Wales from foreign parts.  
And His majesty doth therefore straitly charge and command, That every Merchant and other person and persons whatsoever, which shall after the said Feast of All Saints next, import, or bring, or cause to be imported, or brought into this His Majesties Realm, or Dominion of Wales, any Tishews, Gold or Silver Stuffs, Velvets, satins, Plushes, Damasks, or other Stuffs whatsoever, do cause the same to be viewed and Sealed by the said Officer or His Deputy, before such time as the said Stuffs, or any of them, shall be put to sale, upon pain of the seizure and forfeiture of the same, and such other penalties and punishments as shall be meet to be inflicted for their contempts herein. And His majesty being informed of a great deceit now used in the mixing of Worsted with Grogeran Yarn in Tamets, Parragons, and other like Stuffs, doth therefore hereby further charge and command, That from and after the Feast of the Birth of Our Lord God next coming, no person or persons whatsoever, shall Make or wove within the Realm of England, or Dominion of Wales, nor shall import into the same from foreign parts, any Tamets, Parragons, or other Stuffs made of Grogeran Yarn, wherein there shall be Woven or mixed any Worsted whatsoever, upon pain of the seizure and forfeiture of the same, and such other penalties and punishments as shall be meet to be inflicted for their contempts herein. And His majesty doth likewise will and require all Iustices of Peace, Maiors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, Tithingmen, and other His Officers and Ministers to whom it shall appertain, That they and every of them from time to time hereafter, without excuse or delay, be favouring, aiding, and assisting to the said Company of Weavers of London, their Deputies and Searchers, in the due execution of all or any the premises when they shall be thereunto required, as they will answer the contrary at their perils.  
Given at the Court at Bagshot the fifth day of September, in the fourteenth year of His Majesties Reign. God save the King.  
❧ The several Seals appointed by His majesty, for the Sealing of Silks and Stuffs made of foreign, or part foreign Materials, within this Realm, or Dominion of Wales, are, viz. 

FOr Stuffs made of Gold or Silver mixed with Silk, or Stuffs made wholly of Silk, A Lion Passant-guardant upon an imperial Crown, with C.R.  
For Stuffs made of Silk, mixed with Grogeran Yarn, or other Materials, The Purcullis with an imperial Crown, with C.R.  
For Stuffs made wholly of Hair, or Grogeran Yarn, The Princes Badge, with C.P.     

¶ Imprinted at London by ROBERT BARKER, Printer to the Kings most excellent majesty: And by the assigns of JOHN BILL. 1638.