A true declaration of the state of the Manufacture of gold and siluer Threed, from the beginning of the making thereof here in England, vntill this present.
AFter many trials for the making of gold and siluer Threed, time at last made discouery thereof according to the maner of Millain in Italy, where it is thought to be one of the most beneficiall mysteries in that Nation, consisting of so many parts, imploying by computation 40000 persons, wherewith they haue heretofore serued Christendome, and thereby enriched themselues.
Henry the 4. of France, a Prince as well prouident in peace as warre, had such a sence thereof, that besides his princely patronage, hee gaue 60000. French Crownes to helpe their proceedings, which by his vntimely death came not to perfection.
The laudable practise hereof, together with apparant hopes of benefit, both to the vndertakers and the State, (the commoditie not being worth in the Materialls the one moitie it was vsually sold for, leauing the rest behind where it was made) was a iust motiue to vndertake the same, whereby the profit might rather accrew to our selues, then to forreigne Nations, viz. that which vsually cost 5 s̄. 6. d. is not worth aboue 2 s̄. 8 d. or thereabouts the rest being gained by the Manufacture, and therfore was set on foote the 8. yeare of the King.
The labour was difficult, dangerous, and so chargeable to be effected, that the aduenture required a time of priuiledge, to recompence the Industry of those that vndertooke the same; wherefore it pleased his Maiestie at the suite of the late Lord Io. Harrington the elder, and the Countesse of Bedford, to grant a Pattent for the sole exercise thereof for a time.
In the passing of which Pattent, 3. especiall things presented themselues to the consideration of the State, which were referred to the examination of the Lord Treasurer Salisbury and others. First, whether it had been a former Trade here or no. Secondly, the consumption of Bullion. And lastly, his Maiesties Customes.
For the First, by report of Goldsmiths, Imbrotherers and Silkemen, it was not found to be any former Trade.
For the consumption of Bullion, it was supposed that the benefit of the Trade far oueruallued that consumption.
For the maintaining of his Maiesties Customes, the Pattentees gaue securety, and paid accordingly.
This Pattent continuing vnder these examinations and tryalls almost one whole yeare past the 9. yeare of the King, with approbation, and so continued vntill the 13. without opposition, by which time persons employed, who were many, and of seuerall quallities, comming to some reasonable perfection, by chargeable experience to the Pattentees, were for a greater recompence enticed, and imployed by strangers and others in corners, hauing by this time found out cauells against the Kings Grant, for want of words which being heard at a Councell Table, was ouer ruled, and a new Pattent granted with more ample words, the better to expresse his Maiesties pleasure, and a Proclamation published to this effect, which gaue a present shew of remedy, but fell out otherwise: for that this Trade comming to a further veiw of perfection, certaine Gold-wierdrawers for purls, plates, oes, spangles, &c. being free of the Goldsmiths Company, layd a title or claime thereto as a part of their Trade, and although before the Lord Chancellour Ellesmere, and others of his Maiesties Priuy Councell and Commissioners they were heard, and determined not to intermedle, they ceased not to continue either to make the commoditie, or to prepare the Materialls in drawne wyer, to sell to poore people of a desperate condition, who venting the same dayly to Silke-men and Lace-makers for present ready money, were forced to sell their labours so cheape, as vrged their necessities to seeke for new seuerall fraudulent deuises for benefit, which hath since dayly increased. So this mischiefe increasing, and the error in beleeuing in the valliditie of the Kings Grant, and not considering the great benefit of the meanest subiects liberty, inforced vs to seeke new wayes of remedy, by executing of warrants and Commissions, wherein they either exceeding, or not proceeding with that discretion and iudgment as was requisite, drew on many seuerall complaints to the last Parliament, who conceiuing them iust agrieuances both in matter and maner, the Pattent by his Maiestie [...] was condemned, but the Manifacture it selfe by reason of the Parliaments sudden dissolution left vnregulated, by which meanes the abuses no wayes diminishing, but rather increasing, and the inconueniences of the great wast of Bullion more plainely appearing: his Maiestie with the Lords and others of his Priuy Councell taking it into their consideration, vpon mature deliberation, thought the most present remedy was vtterly to suppresse the said Trades, and all vnlawfull melting and fining of gold and siluer, according to a Statute in the raigne of Henry the 7, and other Statutes both formerly and since to that effect. But this prohibition by his Maiestie and the Lords was so farre from taking any effect either in the Finers obedience, who are the maine offendors, or in the inferior workers, by reason of continuall buyers and receiuers of the commodity, as it grew vp to a far higher inconuenience then euer, and was impossible to reforme by suppression, the multitude being so great of inferior necessitated people: the consideration hereof moued his Maiestie and the Lords to compassionate the cause, and vpon the humble petition of diuerse conformable persons then in exercise of the said Manufacture, a Charter of Incorporation was granted vpon these ensuing propositions.
For the regulating of the gold and siluer thread businesse, and to giue a remedy to the inconueniences, (aswell by consumption of Bullion thereby, as by other vses of the like nature arising) besides the losse that may be of his Maiesties Customes by that to be made here, your Lordships humble petitioners vndertaking the said Manufacture, humbly desire consideration and allowance of the propositions following. viz.
1. To haue a Corporation, and allowance of power conuenient to examine, find out, and punish the abuses aswell in others, as those of the same Companie, practising the vnlawfull melting and fining of gold or siluer, for the making of gold or siluer thread, and drawing of wier for that or any other vse whatsoeuer, as for purles, plates, oes, spangles, for damasking and inlaying wyer, for wyer for cloth of gold and siluer, and such like: and to haue power to make lawes and orders amongst themselues as in that case is vsuall, and to suppresse all others that are not allowed to be of the same Company.
2. That one place onely be appointed and authorized, and that within the Tower of London, or in the Hall of the said Company, whether all such siluer ought to be brought, to be prepared or made fit to be sold for the making of gold or siluer wyer for all the aforesaid vses, that the quantety may appeare what is yearely expended.
3. That a Standard be appointed of the finesse of Sterling money, with the remedy of two penny waight.
4. That his Maiesties sworne Officer or Officers keepe a true accompt of all such siluer or gold brought in, and deliuered out for any of these vses, and to make and keepe an Assay of the true finesse and goodnesse.
5. That in case of discouering any person making base or counterfet siluer for thread, or any of the other vses, to the abuse of his Maiesties subiects, and in contempt of his Maiesties Proclamation: they humbly desire punishment of the offendors in the Starchamber for example to others.
And the better to effect this.
6. That his Maiestie may be pleased to grant Proclamation against all other Finers then in the Tower or Hall of the said Company, and to prohibite all the making, venting, buying or selling of gold and siluer thread made here vnsealed, and all such wyer made here, for any of the aforesaid vses: and to prohibit the preparing of all or any maner of materialls, and things for the making of gold and siluer thread, other then such as is to serue to the end of this Corporation.
Which propositions on his Maiesties behalfe being performed, they shall be enabled, and doe on their behalfes promise the performance of these ensuing Articles.
1. To giue security to his Maiestie, to be taken by the Lord Treasurer and Chancellor, for the time being to make appeare by substantiall proofe, the good effect in the performance, that after one sixe moneths first allowed them for prouision and store, they will yearely bring in before hand so much Bullion from forreigne parts to the Tower of London, and conuert the same into the Currant coyne of the kingdome, as shall be expended on those vses, for which a true and exact accompt is to be kept.
2. That each person of the Corporation will giue bond to his Maiesties vse, and at his admittance into the Company shall take oath not to vse or buy any siluer at all for any of the vses aforesaid, but that which he shall buy in the Tower of London.
3. They doe further offer to pay his Maiestie, in consideration of the losse of custome that may arise by the said Manufactures and otherwise, sixe pence vpon euery ounce of gold and siluer wyer they shall haue occsion to vse for any of the aforesaid vses, and to pay foure pence for the Seale vpon euery Marke or pound of thread.
4. They doe not desire to prohibit any forreigne commoditie of that nature, being brought in by way of trade, except it shall proue base or counterfit, then the same to be forfeited.
5. And they farther humbly desire, that vpon performance of the premises at the expiration of the time limited, and giuing new bonds, their old bonds may be deliuered vnto them againe.
These Letters Pattents of Incorporation had beginning in Iune last, with power to make orders according to the vsuall course of that kind, wherein were incorporated neere to the number of 100. persons, as principalls to imploy others, who were thereby prescribed to enter bond of 100 l. a peece to his Maiestie, and besides to take oath.
All which whole number, (except one deceitfull old woman, and one that was her Seruant) tooke the same oath accordingly, and three other by their example refused to enter into bond, rather iesting with an oath, then aduenturing to be bound to that they had already sworne to: these being obstinate in their owne wayes, entending fraud from the beginning, and neither expecting dutie to his Maiestie or the Lawes, or conueniences of the weale publique, practising by sinister wayes and secret vndiscernable courses by all possible meanes to bring all backe into confusion, that they might againe returne to the course of vnlawfull melting and fining of gold and siluer, to be conuerted to any of the forbidden vses, by whose former and latter example all other irreguler persons are incouraged presumptuously and confidently to follow their wayes, inconsiderately presuming of that liberty that neither the lawes of the Kingdome, nor conueniencie of State can any wayes tollerate.
The effect of this, presents to consideration 4. principall points.
First, the vnorderly consumption and waste of Bullion without account, to the hinderance and preuention of the encrease of the coine of this Kingdome: and this comes first from vnlawfull finers, who melting downe great quantities of coine and bullion, to enrich themselues thereby, disperse and dispose it to all persons, which may be aswell transported as vsed here on these prohibited vses, and these examples enuite and incourage all these disorderly persons.
And these secret finers, are ordinary receiuers of stolne plate from any person whatsoeuer.
2. The falsification of the commodity by these disordered persons, either by imbasing the quallity thereof in seuerall kindes, or in not giuing the due proportion of quantity thereunto, in the ouerflight working of the commodity.
3. Preiudice to his Maiestie in those duties that are to him acknowledged by way of recompence, for the losse of customes of that was vsually brought from forreigne parts.
4. The inequallity of iustice to such as haue duly serued in a lawfull way of trade, when aswell forraigners and strangers expelled their own Countrey, appropriate to themselues both the benefit of naturall borne subiects, and of free men, to the nursery of lewde idle and dishonest seruants, who vntimely make themselues free men from their Masters seruice without consent. Whereas on the contrary, true account being kept of the Bullion, it will be a great meanes for the dayly imployment of his Maiesties Mint, preuent all falsities: gaue Caesar his due, and distribute equall Iustice to such as either serue or purchase their trades by redemption: and the Commodities better, and better cheape then euer.