❧ By the Queene. ❧ A Proclamation for the Clothiers of Suffolke, Norffolke, and Essex.

ELizabeth by the grace of God &c.
To our right trusty and right welbeloued Counsellour Sir Thomas Sackeuile of the most noble Order of the Garter Knight, Lord Buckhurst, Lord High Treasurer of England, To all our Iudges of all our Courts at Westminster, to the Barons of our Esche­quer, to all other Iudges in any Court of Record within our Realme of England, and to all Maiors, Shirifs, Customers, and Controllers of our Ports, Alnagers, Searchers, and all other our Officers and Mini­sters whatsoeuer, and to all others to whom it shall apperteine, greeting.

Whereas humble sute and petition hath of long time bene made vnto vs by our louing Subiects the Clothiers of Suffolke, Norfolke and Essex, for some reasonable mitigation and tolleration of the Statutes now standing in force, touching the making of Clothes within the same Counties; and namely one Statute made in the fifth and sixth yeeres of the reigne of King Edward the sixth, intituled, An Act for the true making of Woollen cloth: and one other Statute made in the fourth and fifth yeeres of the reignes of King Philip and Queene Mary, intituled, An Act touching the making of Woollen clothes, which as we are credibly informed, partly in respect of the more fine spinning of the Yarne, and better making of Clothes in those parts, then was vsed in times past; but specially for that those Clothes being well wrought, rowed, shorne, cleane scoured, and fully dried, doe thereby loose much of their weight, whereby the trade of Clothing in those parts is like to be ouerthrowen, the Clothiers be­ing continually and grieuously molested by Informers and Searchers: By reason whereof they haue forsaken and left their trade, to the great decay of Cloth making within the sayd Counties, and to the im­pouerishment and vtter vndoing of great numbers of poore people there, which heretofore haue bene re­lieued and set on worke by the same: A matter likely to grow to further inconuenience, if some speedy course be not taken for redresse thereof. Whereupon we, of our princely and godly disposition, hauing a most tender care and regard of our sayd good and louing Subiects, and desiring as much as in vs lieth to prouide conuenient and speedy reliefe for them, in that behalfe, Haue by the aduice of the Lords and o­thers of our Priuy Councell, who haue had the examination thereof, and with great deliberation haue caused certeine Orders to be deuised and set downe for mitigation of the extremities and strictnesse of the sayd Statutes, and for toleration to the sayd Clothiers for and concerning the same, so as they should not be vexed with any sutes by informations or actions, as long as they shal obserue the sayd Orders: which sayd Orders we haue caused to be heereunto annexed, straightly charging and commanding aswell the Clothiers aforesayd, as also all others to whom it shall or may in any wise apperteine, duely to obserue and performe the same in all things. And our expresse will and pleasure is, that none of the Clothiers within our sayd Counties of Suffolke, Norffolke, and Essex, which shall fully and truly in all things ob­serue, fulfill, and accomplish the sayd Orders according to the effect and true meaning of the same, shall in any wise be sued, impeached, troubled or molested by any Alnager, Searcher, or Informer, or any other person or persons whatsoeuer, for or by reason of the breach or not performing of the sayd Statutes or any of them, or for or concerning any forfeiture or penaltie therein conteined: which we require you all to see obserued in all Courts, where any person shall offer to implead them, contrary to the good intention of the sayd Orders: And these tolerations to endure during our pleasure, or vntill by Parliament the same may be further considered and established, as the like prouision hath beene made for Westerne Clothes in the xxvii. yeere of our reigne. We will also that at the request of the Clothiers of Suffolke, Norffolke, and Essex, or any of them, the Orders hereunto annexed shalbe published and fixed vp in our City of Lon­don in places conuenient: and likewise published in such Market and Port townes as shall be thought needfull in the sayd Counties. All which shall be done by order and direction of our Priuie Councell, as they shall thinke meet from time to time.

Giuen vnder our Signet at our Palace of Westminster the seuenth day of February, in the xliii. yeere of our reigne.

God saue the Queene.

¶ The Orders, as followeth, viz.

FIrst, forasmuch as Clothes commonly called Short clothes, made in the Counties of Suffolke and Essex▪ are for the most part caried into the parts beyond the Seas, and there vttered an [...] solde, and but very fewe thereof within this Realme: Her Maiesties will and pleasure therefore is, that the same shalbe allowed to passe as good and merchantable Clothes, being made as hereafter is declared, and viewed to be so by the Alneger of the Countie, and by him sealed accordingly.

2. Item, whereas by the statutes now being in force, the said Clothes called Short clothes, being well thicked, ought to conteine in length (be­ing through wet) betweene xxiii. and xxv. yards, yard and inch of the rule: and being well scoured and fully dried, ought to weigh lxiiii. pound the Cloth at the least: Forasmuch as the saide Clothes, by reason of rowing, dressing, and shearing, doe loose of their weight limitted by the saide Statute: Therefore her Maiesties pleasure is, That the said Clothiers shalbe tolerated for the weight of foure pounds in euery such Cloth, well wrought and shorne, and that euery of those Clothes being wel rowed, shorne, dressed, cleane scowred, drie, and ready to sale, which shall weigh threescore pounds the Cloth at the least shalbe allowed to be good and sufficient. And that in like maner for the long Clothes made in those Counties, allowance shalbe made of fiue pounds in euery long Cloth, being well wrought, rowed, shorne, dressed, cleane scowred, dry, and ready to sale.

3. Item, that none of the saide Clothes shalbe stretched or strained aboue two yards in length at the most: And that none of the said Clothes being dry, and ready to sale, shall conteine any more or longer mea­sure then xxvii. yards, yard and inch of the rule at the most: And none of the long Clothes being dry and ready to sale, shall conteine any more or longer measure then one and thirtie yards, yard and inch of the rule at the most.

4. Item, that the colours of all those Clothes, and all other Clothes whatsoeuer within the sayde Counties, being died, in wooll, yarne, or Cloth mingled or vnmingled, shall be good, sure and true in all respects.

5. Item, her Maiesties wil and pleasure is, That the sayd short Clothes weighing threescore pounds the Cloth at the least, and not exceeding in length xxvii. yards at the most, and being cleane scowred, fully wrought, dried, and well dressed, as is aforesaide: And the sayd long Clothes being of such weight at the least as is before allowed, not exceeding the length of xxxi. yards, yard and inch of the rule, and not being in breadth aboue that which the Lawes and Statutes doe allow, and being well dressed, as is aforesaid: And also all vnwrought short Clothes not exceeding xxvii. yards in length as aforesayd, hauing their full weight of threescore and foure pounds, shalbe allowed and permitted to passe without triall by water, by any Searcher or Searchers.

6. Item, That it shall be lawfull for all Searchers to make search of all the saide Clothes whereso­euer the same may be found, for the colours, weight, and length thereof, according to these Orders.

7. Item, That the list of any short Cloth shall not be in breadth aboue one naile at the most, and shall not weigh by common iudgement aboue fiue pounds at the vttermost: and no list of the long Cloth shalbe in weight aboue sixe pounds.

8. And for the auoyding of great deceits commonly practised by bad Clothiers, in caxxying of their false & insufficiently made Clothes to Cloth workers houses, and other priuate places in and neere about the Citie of London, and there vttering and selling the same, not bringing them to the open and common Market of Blackwelhall: Her Maiestie straightly chargeth and commandeth, that all Clothiers of the saide Counties, shall hereafter bring to the common Market of Blackwelhall aforesaid, or to such other open place as shalbe for that purpose assigned by the Lord Maior and court of Aldermen of London for the time being, All such Clothes, as they or any of them shall bring, or cause to be brought to the said Citie or to the Suburbs or places neere thereunto, and there shall vtter and shewe the same, whether they were solde before or not; And that no Clothier, or any other person within or neere the said Citie, shall keepe or suffer any priuate Markets or sales of any such Clothes to be vsed or suffred in their or any of their houses, shops, or warehouses, And that no Clothier shall hereafter take or enioy any benefite of these Orders and tollerations for any their Clothes vttered or brought in, or to the said Citie of London, or the Suburbs or places neere to the same: Sauing those onely which shall bring the same their Clothes to the saide com­mon Market of Blackwelhall (or such other open place, as shall be for that purpose assigned by the Lord Maior and court of Aldermen of London for the time being) And for their Clothes made, and wrought according to these Articles; And that all Searchers shall haue power and authoritie to make search for all defectiue and insufficient Clothes in all other priuate houses, shops and places within the saide Citie of London, and the Suburbs thereof, according to the Statutes in those cases prouided.

9. And to the ende the said Clothiers shall not pretend any ignorance, or lacke of knowledge of her highnesse pleasure in this behalfe; Her Maiestie willeth and commandeth, that the Maior of London be­fore the twentieth day of this moneth of March shall cause the same to be openly published and declared in the common Market of Blackwelhall aforesaide.

10. And forasmuch as there is great fraud and inconuenience in the ouer straining of Clothes, and for that, that in those parts there are two sorts of Clothes made, the one called A long Cloth, which is to con­teine in length betweene xxviii. and xxx. yards, yard and inche of the Rule: and the other called A short Cloth, which is to conteine in length betweene xxiii. and xxv. yards of like measure: Her Maiesty char­geth and commandeth, that in the sayd Counties, all long Tentours shall be cut to xxxi. yards, yard and inch of the Rule: And all short Tentours and Racks to xxvii. yards, yard and inche of the Rule, and that one Tentour shall not be permitted to stand neere to another by two yards at the least: And that all Ten­tours that are not agreeable to the lengths aforesayd, shall be cut and reformed before the feast of Easter now next comming: And that no short Cloth shalbe tentoured vpon any long Tentour, vpon such paines as the Law doth appoint.

11. Item, That the chiefe officer or officers of euery City, Towne corporate, or Port towne, where any the sayd kinde of Clothes are made, solde, or shipped, shall appoint an open and conuenient place, where­vnto we straightly charge and command, that euery Clothier, or Selier of Cloth, shall bring euery the sayd Clothes to be searched and viewed, not being brought to London or the Suburbs thereof as afore­sayd.

12. And that euery such officer or officers, shall search, view, and seale with some Seale for that pur­pose to be ordeined, or cause to be searched, viewed, and sealed, euery such Cloth before the same be shipped, or set to sale, vpon such paines and penalties, as may be inflicted vpon Contemners of her Highnesse princely and royall commandement.

13. Prouided alwayes, that by colour heereof nothing be exacted or taken of the Clothier or Seller of Cloth, more or otherwise then is allowed by the Statutes in that behalfe made, And that search, view and sealing be made as is aforesayd, with all expedition that conueniently may be.

14. And that no Clothier shall hereafter take or enioy any benefite of these Orders and tollerations for any their saide Clothes brought, vttered or solde, in any part of this Realme, or the dominions thereof, sa­uing those onely which shall bring their Clothes to such places as herein before is ordeined, and there af­ter the said Clothes are viewed, searched and sealed, doe in the same Market or open place sell or vtter the same, and for such of the same only, as shalbe made and wrought according to the true intent and meaning of these Orders.

15. And finally, her Maiestie willeth and commandeth, that no person which shall infringe and breake these Orders, or any of them, sauing for the matter of weight, shal in any wise enioy or claime any benefit thereby, but shalbe subiect to all the penalties and forfeitures limitted and appointed in and by the sayde Statutes, And that all Searchers, Informers, and all other persons, to whom it shall or may apperteine, shal and may hereupon haue and vse like remedy, benefit and aduantage against euery one so offending, as though these Orders had neuer bene made.

16. And concerning the reformation of the weight aboue mentioned, considering the penalty for want of weight, for euery pound not exceeding foure pounds, is ii. s. and for euery pound being aboue foure pounds is v.s. by the Statute: It is ordered that the Statute shalbe executed vpon all Clothes made contrary to the forme of these Articles, as is aforesaid. The aforesaid Orders to continue onely during her Maiesties pleasure.

❧ Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printed to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie.

ANNO 1600.

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