royal coat of arms of England 
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  
dieu ET MON DROIT   
By the King, A PROCLAMATION Prohibiting the Importation of Foreign NEEDLES.  
JAMES R.  
FOrasmuch as Our late Royal Brother, being Informed by the Master, Wardens and Commonalty of the Art or Mystery of Neédle-makers of the City of London, that great quantities of Foreign Neédles were daily Imported into this Kingdom from beyond the Seas, being deceitfully made of Iron Wire altogether unfit for Service, and here new Marked, Papered, and Packed up as if they were made in England, and vended and sold in London, and other parts of Our Dominions, to the great abuse of the said Art, and to the prejudice and impoverishment of the said Company, they being by their Charter obliged to make their Neédles of Steél, which costs them more without the Workmanship than the Imported Neédles are sold for: For which Reason he was Graciously pleased to Issue forth His Royal Proclamation bearing Date the Fifth day of April, in the One and twentieth Year of His Reign, to Prohibit the Importation thereof; And forasmuch as We are also credibly informed that the Importing Neédles( wrought as aforesaid) into this Our Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales, is still used to this day, by which means the said Company, with their Wives and Families lye under great Detriment in their said Trade, upon the humble Petition therefore and Complaint of the Master, Wardens and Commonalty of the said Company, and for the preservation of so useful an Art and Native Manufacture, and better detecting the Enormities aforesaid, We by the Advice of Our Privy Council, have thought fit to Charge, Prohibit and Command, and by this Our Royal Proclamation do strictly Charge, Prohibit and Command, That no Person or Persons, Natives, Aliens, or others, do or shall from henceforth Import, Bring, or Convey, or cause to be Imported, Brought or Conveyed into this Our Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, or Port or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, from or out of any part or place beyond the Seas, any Neédles of what sort or kind soever, by way of merchandise, or to be Sold, Bartered, or Exchanged; and that no Person or Persons that now useth or use, or that hereafter shall use the Trade or Occupation of Retailing, Selling or uttering of Neédles, shall at any time hereafter directly or indirectly Buy, Bargain or Contract for or concerning the Importation of any Neédles of what sort or kind soever, made or to be made in any place beyond the Seas, or utter or Sell the same upon pain of such Punishment as by the Law of Our Prerogative Royal may be Inflicted upon the Contemners of Our Royal Authority. And We do further Charge and Command as well the Commissioners of Our Customs, controllers, Searchers, Waiters, and other Officers of all Our Ports in Our said Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales, or Port or Town of Berwick upon Tweed, as also the said Master, Wardens and Commonalty by themselves or their Deputies, and all other Officers and Persons whatsoever, to Seize and Destroy all such Neédles that shall be Imported or Bartered, Sold or Exchanged contrary to Our Pleasure herein Declared, in whose hands soever they shall be found, and to be in all other respects diligent and careful in and about the preventing the Importation of Foreign Neédles, and Discovery of the same, and to cause the Offenders to be duly Punished as to Iustice shall appertain, under pain of Forfeiting their respective Places and Employments, in case they shall be found negligent or remiss in the Execution of these Our Commands. And We do further straightly Charge and Command all Iustices of the Peace, Mayors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, and other Officers whatsoever, to be from time to time Aiding and Assisting in all things requisite for and touching the Observation and Execution of these Our Commands, and that they do from time to time certify unto the Lords of Our Privy Council, the Names of all such persons whom they shall find to be Offenders against this Our Proclamation, to the end that there may be such further Proceédings against them as shall be agreéable to the utmost Severity of the Law in such Cases.  
Given at Our Court at Windsor, the Fourteenth Day of August 1687. In the Third Year of Our Reign. GOD SAVE THE KING.   

LONDON, Printed by Charles Bill, Henry Hills and Thomas Newcomb, Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1687.