REASONS Humbly offered for Prohibiting all Lustrings and Alamodes Wrought in Foreign Parts.  
I. NOtwithstanding the various Laws which have been made against the Importation of all Goods of the Growth and Manufacture of France, yet it is notoriously known, as hereunder demonstrated, That very great Quantities of Alamodes, Lustrings, &c. have been Imported under the Name of Dutch or Italian wrought Silks, which were no other than French; whereby that Kingdom have made a great Profit, and this Nation a considerable Loss.  
II. It may be Judged of what concern to the Nation is the Consumption of Lustring, Alamodes, &c. by the use of Hoods, Scarffs, Tippets, petticoats, and other uses by the Women. For supposing that of 3 Missions of Females, as there are computed to be in England, That only 300 Thousand use any of the said Goods, and that their expense therein amounts one with another to Twenty Shillings per Annum,( which is the least that can be supposed) it Evidences an expense of 300 Thousand Pounds sterling yearly in those Silks. But by what is Paid, to Their Majesties 〈◇〉 the Duties, the value consumed should be but Two or Three Thousand pounds, and consequently the Persons consuming it in England but Two or Three Thousand: But it manifestly appears to be infinitely greater, for the very Clergy of this Kingdom consumes Six times more.  
III. This Clandestine Trade is of late Years most in the hands of French Papists, Jews, and Persons that steal the Duties of at least seven Eighths of what is Imported, and but seldom Enteer at the Custom-House some small quantity, and that as Fabricated in Holland, though its known that in Reality they are sent from Lions to Flanders and thence to Holland, and so into England.  
IV. Even that small quantity which doth pay any Duty is commonly kept on purpose to be sent for Ireland, or the English Plantations to draw back most of the said Duty.  
V. That to Evidence fully the greatness of the quantity of Alamodes and Lustrings that comes from France, a Seizure made in Kent the 12th. of October last, containing Two Packers of Ten Pieces each, marked ML, Number 295 and 296, shows that 2940 Pieces were Run before that Seizure, and those two Packers so seized were Condemned as French Goods, having the Names of the Fabricators upon each piece, and the Seals of the City of Lions, than which nothing can be more convincing, except the sight of the Goods, which is offered by them that bought the same the First of December last at the Custom-Horse, London.  
VI. Therefore if the Consumption of Alamode and Lustrings is granted to be no less than 300 Thousand Pounds yearly in England, and that according to the Book of Rates, Their Majesties Duties for the said Goods, being 17 per Cent. it Evidences that Their Majesties are deprived of Fifty Thousand Pounds yearly that the Custom of the said Goods amounts unto which is both True and Surprising, being proved literally by the Custom-House Books.  
VII. it appears that since the Month of March last there hath been Imported into England only 780 l. weight of the Goods aforesaid ranted at 40 s. per lb, and the Duties paid amounting only to 487 l. 10 s. whereof part is already drawn back, and probably before the year be out the whole shall be so too, and so little or no Duties remain to Their Majesties, to the great Loss of Their good Subjects.  
VIII. As those Goods are Fabricated in France, and are of small Bulk and great value, there is more Reason and need to Prohibit them to Ruin the Manufacture of the Common Enemy, and increase that of England, The Rather since a Total Prohibition of those Silks can give no Disatisfaction to our Allies, because it is evidently known that there are not any made in Italy( though they did once attempt it), neither doth Holland now make any quantity of Alamodes, &c. supplying themselves easily by Land from France. So that the prohibiting of all Foreign Alamodes, Lustrings, &c. is in effect no more than a Corroborating of the Act that prohibits Commerce with France, by taking from the Importers that Colour which they make use of that the said Goods are wrought in Holland, whereby they have often Evaded the Effects intended and designed by the said act; for the pretence of Dutch Alamodes can no longer subsist seeing that in this last Year there is hardly any Duties paid for any.  
IX. Therefore by a General Prohibition, Their Majesties Revenues will much increase in that the Royal Lustring Company of England, having a considerable Fund, have also by their Industry and Charge now brought their Work to such perfection that they make Alamodes and Lustrings as well as any made in France, and do now employ about 2000 poor Weavers, Windsters, Dyers and other tradesman, who otherways would have been Reduced to great streights, and if this Prohibition take effect, the said Company might employ five Times as many as now they do, and so work out in England such quantities of Raw Silks, that they will supply not only England, Scotland, Ireland, and our Plantations, but also our Neighbours with Lustrings and Alamodes Fabricated by Their Majesties Subjects. So that the Duties upon the Raw Silk would amount to great Sums of Money as may be guessed by what hath already been done by the said Company, since by one Ship only they paid for their Raw Silk near 460 l. Custom, though the Company is in its Infancy, and none of these Duties are to be drawn back. Contrariwise, when any of their Wrought Silks are Exported they must pay a further Duty. Besides by Prohibiting Foreign Lustrings, Alamodes, &c. great Sums of Money Remitted to France, will be kept in England, whereas the Raw Silk used by the said Company comes from the Duke of Savoy's Dominions, and are purchased with the Woollen Manufactures Wrought in England, by which means there is a Reciprocal help to both.  

Entries of all Foreign Alamodes and Lustrings in England, for which any Duties have been paid and Licences granted, since the first of March 1692/ 3. as appears by public Registers.  17 June 98 lb weight 7 August 110 14 August 104 9 September 62 18 September 167 lb weight 20 November 128 28 November 111   780  
18 December drawn back already 64 lb weight, and till the 28th. November next none knows what shall Remain.