Reasons for Renewing the Office for finding out and punishing the Abuses in Silk-Dying.  
THe Abuse in Silk-Dying consists in the addition of weight in the Dying thereof above what it is of itself being discharged of the gum.  
And this is performed either by Dying it upon the gum, which is near four ounces in the pound, and ought to be boiled off before the Silk be Dyed, or by using ponderous and unlawful ingredients in the die; which besides the unreasonable addition of weight, both spoils the lustre and destroys the strength and substance of the Silk.  
Whereby His Majesty and his good Subjects are cheated, His Majesties Government and the Nation dishonoured, our Manufactures of Silk in foreign parts disesteemed, the trade of the Kingdom in that particular destroyed, and divers families both Silk-men and Dyers in their professions exceedingly injured.  
These abuses were first brought into this Kingdom by strangers in King James's reign, witness the several Proclamations made both by King James and His late Majesty for the suppression thereof, and the zeal of His late Majesty therein.  
Who in the third of His reign caused several Informations to be exhibited against divers Silk-men and Dyers, offenders in this kind, upon whom great Fines were laid to deter others.  
Afterwards upon the Petition of the Silk-men, praying to be pardonned of what was past; and to be incorporated for the time to come with power to regulate and reform the said abuses, His Majesty granted a pardon accordingly, and a Charter of Corporation to them with the powers desired. 7o. Car.  
But upon complaint afterwards made, that this Charter and power was employed to the upholding of the said abuses( they being the persons themselves among, and by whom the Frauds were practised) His Majesty resumed the said Charter.  
The Company of Dyers likewise pretend unto a power by their Charter to Regulate and Reform the said abuses, by searching and seizing all heavy Dyed Silk, which serves onely for them to demand search-money quarterly, they tolerating and coniveing at those abuses which they pretend to search for, and should cause to be punished.  
It having been therefore observed, that it was impossible by a bare view( without knowing the weight of the Silk both before and after the Dying) to discover the abuses, and that a search, though duly and sincerely executed was a very insufficient expedient to reform the same; His Majesty after all other means used, and after serious consultation had with the Lords of his Council and others, in the 14. year of his Reign, erected an Office for trying and weighing of Silk which was gladly embraced by all sorts of Silk-men, Dyers and Weavers, who acknowledged that it was the onely way for a remidy.  
Unto which Office all persons dying Silk in the City of London were obliged to bring their Silk to be viewed, weighed and registered, both before and after Dying; and in case of suspicion to be tried by discharging the colour of some part of any parcel, whereby to judge of the whole.  
whilst this Office was exercised it wrought a good Reformation, till the general distractions of the Nation set all loose, and gave new encouragement for the return of old abuses.  
It is therefore proposed that an Act be passed to enable His Majesty to erect the like Office again, with a competent fee for the maintenance thereof, with such Regulations and Orders, as either the Parliament, or such as they shall authorize, shall be pleased to constitute.