WHereas We haue taken into Our Princely conſideration the manifold benefits that redound to this Kingdome, by the Manufacture of Woollen Clothes, and the Tranſportation, and Venting thereof in Forraine parts: And finding, how much good gouernment, and managing the ſaid Trade in an orderly way, will conduce to the increaſe and aduancement of the ſame: Wee, for the better ſetling of order therein for the time to come, haue thought fit, with the aduice of Our Priuie Councell, to declare Our Royall pleaſure herein: And doe therefore hereby ſtrictly will and command, that no perſon or perſons, Subiect or Subiects, of this Our Realme of England, ſhall at any time from, and after the Feaſt of the Purification of the bleſſed Virgin Mary now next comming, Shipp, Tranſport, Carry, or Conuey, or cauſe to bee Shipped, Tranſported, Carried, or Conueied, either from Our City and Port of London, or from any other City, Towne, Port, Hauen, or Creeke of this Our Realme of England, by way of Merchandiſe, any white Clothes, coloured Clothes, Clothes dreſſed, and died out of the Whites, Clothes called Spaniſh Clothes, Bayes, Kerſeys, Perpetuanoes, Stockings, or any other Engliſh Woollen commodities, vnto any the Cities, Townes, or places in Germany, or the ſeuenteene Prouinces of the Netherlands, ſaue onely, and except to the Mart, and Staple-Townes of the Fellowſhip of Merchant-aduentures in thoſe parts for the time being, or to one of them.

And further, to the end that the ſaid Trade may be hereafter reduced and continued in an orderly and well gouerned courſe; We doe hereby declare Our Royall pleaſure to be; That the Fellowſhip of Merchant-aduenturers, ſhall admit into the freedome of their ſaid Trade, all ſuch Our Subiects dwelling in Our City of London, and exerciſed in the profeſſion of Merchandiſe, and not Shop-keepers, except they giue ouer their Shops, as ſhall deſire the ſame, for the Fines of fifty pounds apeece, if they ſhall take their Freedome before the Feaſt of Saint Iohn the Baptiſt now next comming: And that the ſaid Fellowſhip ſhall likewiſe receiue, and admit into their Freedome, ſuch Our Subiects of the Out-ports of this Our Kingdome, as being exerciſed in the Trade of Merchandiſe, ſhall deſire the ſame, paying them fiue and twenty pounds apeece for their Fine or In-come; if they ſhall take their ſaid Freedome before Michaelmas next: And that the ſonnes, and ſeruants of ſuch as ſhall be ſo admitted, as aforeſaid, ſhall pay to the ſaid Fellowſhip at their ſeuerall admiſſions thereinto, the ſumme of twenty nobles apeece: And that all ſuch perſons, as ſhall not accept, and come into the ſaid Freedome before the dayes herein prefixed, ſhall pay the double of the Fines before limited reſpectiuely, in caſe they ſhall afterwards deſire to be admitted into the ſaid Fellowſhip.

And Our further will and pleaſure is, and We do hereby command and inhibit all, and euery Our Subiects, not being free of the ſaid Fellowſhip of Merchant-aduenturers, that they, or any of them, ſhall not preſume to Trade in any of the forenamed Commodities into any of the parts, or places of Germany, or the Low-countreys, from, or after the ſaid Feaſt of the Purification of the bleſſed Virgin Mary next enſuing, vpon paine of Our high diſpleaſure, and of ſuch puniſhments, as Our Court of Star-chamber, whom We eſpecially charge with the execution of Our Royall pleaſure herein, ſhall thinke fit to inflict for ſuch contempts.