IT was the worke of one of Our noble Proge­nitors King Edward the third, to conuert the Woolls of this King­dome formerly vented raw, into Cloath, thereby to purchase vnto Our louing Subiects the profite, arising aswell vpon the Manufac­ture, as vpon the Materiall, and to set Our owne people on worke for their better sustentation and comfort; And it is likewise Our desire, That it should be the worke of Our times, to ordaine and prouide, that all Broad Cloathes may bee Died and Dressed within Our Kingdome before they bee Exported; whereby aswell the second gaine of Manufacture, as the first, with all the incidents there­of, may come wholly to the benefit of Our louing Subiects, in whose riches and good estate Wee shall alwayes thinke Ourselues rich and happy. Neither is the increase of profite vpon this great Staple commoditie onely in Our Princely eye and cogitation; But Wee foresee likewise, that when Our Cloathes shalbe Transported and dispersed by Our Sub­iects immediatly into all the Markets of the world, where they are worne and vsed, it must encrease exceedingly Our Nauigation and Nauie, so that not onely wealth, but honour, strength and industrie will euidently follow vpon that which We propound to Our selues; That as the Kings Our Progenitors, haue had the wisedome and Iudgement to see and discerne the good that might come thereof; So neuerthelesse, either through difficultie or misinformation, they haue not perfected, nor throughly pursued the worke intended, as may appeare by the good and politique Lawes that haue bene Enacted concerning the same on the one part, and the ancient and Inueterate Toleration and Dispensation with the saide Lawes, which haue bene from time to time put in vre on the other part: Wee therefore being[?] desirous to aduance and perfect so excellent a worke, haue resolued to leaue no meanes [Page] vnperformed, either by aduise of Parliament or otherwise of Our selues, which may con­duce thereunto, by those safe degrees which in so great a worke are requisite; Wherein though We finde no small difficulties, as it vseth to come to passe in the best workes, speci­ally in their beginnings, yet We doubt not but to ouercome the same without hazard or in­conuenience vnto the present, for hope or desire of the future.

And because opinion is sometime more harmefull then trueth, and that it may bee doub­ted by some, that there may ensue some stand of Cloathes, whereby so many families of Our louing Subiects are maintained, or at least, some fall of Prices, to the preiudice, both of the Cloathier, and owner of Woolles in the meane time, betweene the diuerting of the old course, and setling of the new: Wee doe therefore publish vnto all Our louing Subiects, by these presents, that they shall not need to feare any such consequence, either in such stand of Cloath, or abatement of Prices, as may be to their preiudice. And therefore, they may [...] on in the courses of their former Trading, leauing it to Our care and prouidence to in­t [...]uce this great and happy alteration to the better, without any interruption of Trade, or pulling downe of Price in the meane time. Furthermore although we are setled in Our resolution to effect this worke, yet would Wee not haue it construed that Wee haue any o­ther opinion of the Company of Merchants Aduenturers, which haue long managed the Trade of Cloathes vndressed, then as of those that haue wel deserued of Our state; nei­ther of any Our neighbours, who haue had correspondencie with them, and bought the Cloath from them to serue the Markets abroad, then as of men, that were affected vnto the good of their owne people, as it is naturall for men to be. Neither are Wee ignorant that the state of Cloathing is at this time as flourishing and valuable as hath beene knowen; but onely Wee are willing to aduance the Dowrie and Stocke of Our Kingdome: And where Wee see apparent meanes of doing Our people further good, not to tie Our selues to the simple and positiue degree of their welfare, but to proceed from good to better, and to make posteritie beholding to Our times, for going through with that, whereof Our Aun­cestours haue onely sowen the seedes, and not hitherto reaped the fruits.

Giuen at Our Palace of Westminster the fiue and twentieth day of May in the twelfth yeere of Our Reigne of Great Britaine, France, and Ireland.

God saue the King.