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 well ordering the making of white Starch within the Realm, and for restraint of the Importation thereof from foreign parts.  
WHereas sundry great complaints have lately been made, and often renewed to us, and Our privy council of the great abuses, damage and inconveniences which have and daily arise to this Our kingdom, bythe great waste, consumption and conversion of Wheat and grain of the growth thereof, fit for the food of man, into Starch, and by the anno yances occasioned thereby to Our people by the making thereof in places unfit and inconvenient for the same; Wee therefore having duly weighed the quality of the said complaints, wherein the Commonwealth is concerned, and considering that those former provisions and Proclamations made by us and Our royal Father have not produced that good effect as was expected; Have incorporated sundry meet persons by Letters Patents under Our great Seal of England, bearing date the six and twentieth day of December last, by the name of Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty of the Society of Starch-makers of London, with power and privilege to them and their successors to make and cause to be made in one joint stock and not otherwise, all and all manner of white Starch to put to sale, and therewith to furnish this Our kingdom, Dominion of Wales, and town of Barwick at moderate and reasonable prices, and to search for and seize to Our use all such Starch as shall at any time or times be made for sale by any person or persons not being members of the said Company, except he or they have served to the said Trade as Apprentice by the space of seven yeers, or have seven yeers used the said Trade as a member of the late Corporation of Starch-makers of London, and shall be admitted& allowed under the common Seal of the present Society, and also to seize all such white Starch, as shall be imported into Our said Realm, Dominion of Wales, Port or Town of Barwick; And that no person or persons whatsoever should presume to make any Starch, other then for the wearing Linen of him, or them, and their families, as by the said Letters Patents of incorporation more at large appeareth.  
Now to the end that all Our loving Subjects may take knowledge of Our royal pleasure herein; Wee do hereby straitly charge& command, that no person or persons whatsoever, other then such as are or shall be members of the said Company of Starch-makers, or shall have served seven yeers to the said Trade as Apprentice, or as members of the late Corporation of Starch-makers have used that Trade seven yeers, and shall be admitted into the present Society( which they are freely to do upon request) shall make any white Starch for sale, or otherwise then for the wearing Linen of him, them, or their families, as is limited by the said Letters Patents; And that no person or persons whatsoever shall presume to make the same of any Wheat-flour, Meal, or other Grain of the growth of this Our kingdom, or of other materials then of Pollard and Bran onely, or of grain to be imported from foreign parts: And to the intent that this Our royal pleasure may be effectually performed, and the foresaid abuses discovered and reformed; Wee have appointed a Surveyour, who being Our sworn Officer is to take care hereof, and render us an account from time to time, as there shall be cause.  
And for that the former promiscuous making of Starch in divers parts of this kingdom, was a special reason that the said Trade could not be regulated in an orderly way, but that divers ill affencted persons, living in remote places did convert and consume great quantities of Wheat and Meal into Starch; Wee for the future prevention of all such abuses, do hereby straitly charge and command, that no person or persons being members of the said Society, shall make or work, or cause to be made or wrought any white Starch to put to sale in any other parts of Our kingdom, but onely in or near Our city of London, or in such other parts and places as are or shall be allowed, and approved of by us, or fix or more of Our privy council, nor in any other manner then by the said Letters Patents of Incorporation is directed and appointed.  
And Wee likewise do hereby straitly charge and command, that no person or persons, Our natural born Subjects, Denizens, or Strangers, or others whatsoever, do hereafter import or bring, or cause to be imported or brought into Our Realm of England, Dominion of Wales, Port or Town of Barwick, from any the parts beyond the Seas, any white Starch whatsoever, upon pain of the forfeiture to us of all such white Starch, as shall be so imported, and of such further penalties and punishments as shall be meet to be inflicted upon the contemners of Our royal Commands herein.  
And for the better discovery of the said offences and offenders herein, Wee do hereby likewise authorize the said Master, Wardens, Assistants, and commonalty of the said Society, and such as shall be in that behalf deputed by them under their common Seal( for whom they will answer) with the assistance of a Constable, or other lawful Officer to enter into any Houses, Shops, Cellars, or other places whatsoever, and also into any Ships, Barks, or other Vessels, and there to search for, seize and deposit in the hands of a lawful Officer all such white Starch as shall be found to have been unduly made or imported by any person or persons, and likewise to deface, destroy and make spoil of all stuff, Pollard, Bran, Meal, and other materials prepared for the making of Starch contrary to Our said Letters Patents, and Our royal pleasure herein declared; And thereof to give notice to Our Treasurer, or Vndertreasurer for the time being, within ten dayes next after every such seizure made.  
And Wee do further straitly charge and command, That all Fats, Tubs, Stoves, Pans, cisterns, and other Vessels or Vtensels whatsoever, which shall hereafter be used or employed for the steeping, drying, or making of any Starch contrary to Our said Letters Patents, and Our royal pleasure herein declared, shall by the said Society of Starchmakers of London, or their Deputies( whom Wee do hereby in that behalf authorize, by, and with the assistance of a Constable or other lawful Officer) be pulled up, defaced and made unserviceable, and that the persons offending therein be further proceeded against and punished as shall be meet for such their contempts.  
And Wee do likewise further straitly charge and command, That no person or persons whatsoever, do at any time hereafter presume to withstand or oppose the said Company, their Searchers or Deputies in searching for white Starch unduly made or imported, or the Materials prepared for the making thereof contrary to the tenor hereof, or seizing of the same Starch or Materials prepared, or in the defacing, demolishing, or destroying of all such Fats, Tubs, Pans, Stoves, or other Vtensels whatsoever, as shall be erected or used contrary to Our said Letters Patents.  
And Our further will and pleasure is, and Wee do hereby charge and command all and singular the Officers of Our Customs within all and every the Ports and Havens of Our said kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales, and Town of Barwick, and the Creeks and members thereof; and 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 of any foreign white Starch, prohibited to be imported contrary to Our royal pleasure herein declared, either by the name of Starch, or by or under any other name or title whatsoever; But do also cause stay, and seizure to be made thereof to Our use, and within ten dayes after such seizure or stay so made, to give notice of the same to the Master, Wardens and Assistants of the said Society for the time being, or their Deputies, upon pain of Our displeasure, and such other punishments as their contempts or neglects herein shall be found to deserve.  
And Wee do further straitly charge and command, That no Grocer, Chapman, or other person who useth to buy Starch to sell again, shall buy, utter, sell, or otherwise barter, or vent any Starch which they shall know to have been made by any person or persons who is not a known member of the said Company of Starch-makers; So as always the said Company and the members thereof be ready to sell the same, at and for such reasonable prices, as by their Indenture under their common Seal, bearing date the six and twentieth day of December last past, they have undertaken, and covenanted with us to sell the same.  
And that no person presume to sell any white Starch as a huckster or hauker from door to door, in private or in secret, or otherwise then in their own proper and open Shops, or Warehouses.  
And whereas divers persons of mean and needy condition are and may happen to be employed in the making of Starch, and preparing Materials for the making thereof by persons of better ability and estate, not under the Rule and government of the said society; Wee do hereby therefore declare, that the Owners, Lessees, and Inhabitants of all and every the House and Houses wherein any such Starch for sale shall be made, or Materials prepared for that use, by any person or persons whatsoever not by and under the rule and government of the said Society, as well as the owners of such Starch or Materials; and such as by, or with their Moneys, Stock, Materials, or otherwise employ or set them to work, shall be proceeded against, as contemners of Our royal Commands.  
And We do likewise straitly charge and command all Iustices of Peace, Mayors, Sheriffes, bailiffs, Constables, Headboroughs, tithingmen, and all other Our Officers and Ministers; and also the Officers and Ministers of Our Court of Admiralty and Cinque Ports, and all others to whom it shall appertain, that they and every of them at all times hereafter, and from time to time without excuse or delay, be aiding and assisting to the said Society of Starch-makers of London, their Searchers, and Deputies, and to all Our Customers, Waiters, and all other person and persons in the due execution of all, or any the premises, when they shall be thereunto required, as they will answer to the contrary at their perils.  
Given at Our Court at Whitehall the ninth day of February, in the fourteenth 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. 1638.