THat your Majesties Royal Father of blessed memory, upon complaint to him made by many Persons, Noblemen, Gentlemen, Goldsmiths, and others; and also to his Majesties Privy Councel, as appears by Or­ders of the Privy Council the 25. of January 1634. shewing,

That much course Gold & Silver Lace, Gold and Silver Thread, Spangles, Oaes and Wyre, was daily in great quantities sould for good Silver, to the great dammage and hinderance of the Mint, in the excessive quantities made for inferior persons. And that great quanti­ties of English heavy Silver money, was culled, and melted down daily, for the making of these Manufactures, to the great wast of the stock of currant Silver, and to the daily deceit of the wearers of Gold and Silver Lace.

And by Order of some of your Majesties Royal Fathers Privy Coun­cil, viz. Mr. Secretary Cook, your Petitioner, and some others, were imployed to buy up several parcels of Silver Lace, in several Silk-men, [Page 2] and Wyerdrawers Shops in London: and thereupon your Petitioner, and some others, brought the said Lace, Spangles, Wyer, Purles, Oaes, to Mr. Alexander Jackson Assay-Master of Goldsmiths-Hall, and he As­sayed about one hundred and twelve several parcels of Gold and Silver Lace, Spangles, Thread, Wyer, &c. as appears under his hand. All these Assaies being by him the sworne Officer appointed for that service, found, and reported to be all made of course and adultrate Silver, mixed with Copper, contrary to the Law, being vended, for good Silver; and the Gentleman is now living, a man of great experience, skill, and credit, that can attest this, to be true to your Majesties Privy Council.

And your Petitioner hath the names of the several mens Houses and Shops of the Silk-men, Wyerdrawers, and others, and the day, and the year, this course adultrate Silver was by them sould: These original Papers your Petitioner hath ready to produce to your Majestie, and your most honourable Council.

Thereupon his late Majesty, and his Privy Council, commanded Sir John Banks, your Majesties Father Attorney General, to put some of the eminent of the Offendors into the Star-Chamber; and thereupon both Refiners and Wyerdrawers petitioned his Majesty for a Corpora­tion, and that they would so order themselves, that these abuses being so many, and fully proved, should all be regulated and prevented for the future. But upon full examination at the Privy Council, his Majesty, and the Lords, being fully possessed what had formerly been acted by the Wyerdrawers for several years. When they had a Cor­poration, that the abuses continued so notoriously notwithstanding the Wyerdrawers Charter, that their Corporation was damned in Par­liament, about the latter end of King James's time, in a quiet time, this was done, and Sir Giles Monpersons had like to be undone for pro­curing the Wyerdrawers to have a Corporation, as will appear in the Parliament Records to which I humbly referre.

It was demonstrated in that Parliament, before your Majesties Royal Father, being then Prince, that the Wyerdrawers made Silver Wyer with a core of Copper, and sould the same for fine Silver; your Majesties Royal Father remembring this, was both shewed, and pro­ved in the Parliament House of Lords, he being then present, would not trust the Wyerdrawers with a Corporation, 1635. his Majestie saying, That would give the Gold Wyerdrawers an opportunitie to cozen the King­dome againe; they having cozened the Kingdome of above twenty thousand pounds a year, by deceitful making these Manufactures, and venting the same for good, for these last twenty years.

May it please your Majestie, your Royal Father upon debate, and advice of his Privy Council, taking special notice of your Petitioners activitie and abilitie to discover, and reforme these abuses, in consi­deration of these service, did by his Letters Pattents appoint your [Page 3] Petitioner for three lives, and the longer liver of them, to have, and take the charge and care to be the Surveyers, Tryers, Sealers, As­sayers of all Gold and Silver Wyer, Thread, Purles, Oaes, Spangles, and all other Manufactures of this sort, and to Mark, Register, Seal, or Assay the same, before any of these Manufactures should be ex­posed to saile; with power given to your Petitioner, to search for, and seaze on all course and adultrate Silver, made into any of the aforesaid Manufactures, and to burn, and deface the same, according to the Law, to suffer no Silver to be wrought into any of these Manufactures, or put to saile, but Sterling Silver at the least.

Your Petitioner hath two lives yet in being, his own life, and a­nothers, under the great Seal, for the grant and allowance of one half penny the ounce Troy for all Silver Wyer, Spangles, Purles, Oaes, and four pence the pound Venice, which is one half peny the ounce Troy for sealing or surveying all Gold and Silver Thread, &c.

For the consideration of these Fees, your Petitioner did keep, and is bound to keep at his own charge several persons to give their at­tendance to Survey or Assay all Gold or Silver Wyer, Thread, Spang­les, &c. to pay House-rent, books, wax, fire, coles, &c. and to warrant to all persons whomsoever, that all Gold and Silver Wyer drawn at the Office appointed by your Majesties Royal Fathers Proclamation, should all be made of good Silver, none under Ster­ling, or the Standard.

And if it should chance any person or persons to be wronged in the premises, and buy Gold and Silver Wyer, Thread, or Lace, made and drawn, and sealed in the said Office, by your Petitioner, or his Servants, that then your Petitioner should pay full damages to any Person that could find out, or discover the same.

And your Majesties Royal Father set forth his Proclamation, and appointed by his Commissioners under the great Seal, some of His most honourable Privy Council, his Attorney and Solicitor General, and Masters of Request, and Clarks of the Council, His Officers of the Mint, and some eminent Aldermen to be His Commissioners, giving them instructions under his Majesties sign Manual, this being done 1635. by the advice of His Privy Council, after many daies hearing at the Council Table.

These Gentlemen sate every week one day, and five made a Com­mittee, and sometimes more, to regulate and restrain the abuses, and they caused some of the Offenders to be set in the Pillory, being indi­cted at Newgate; and in the compasse of six years, brought the work­men, and all people trading in this Manufacture, into that good order and decorum, that all Gold and Silver Lace, Thread, Wyer, &c. was [Page 4] as exactly made as the Plate or moneys of the Kingdom, the numbers of Workmen regulated, a due Proportion of Silver to Silk, whereby this Ma­nufacture was made the best in London of any place in Christendom, and your Petitioner seeing all orders and rules setled and made by the Commis­sioners, or any five of them to be duly executed, was the principal cause of that Reformation that followed. This Regulation was complained of in Parliament, 1640. but upon Examination all Parties put to take their Re­medy by the Law, and I have in all times justified the Regulation. Your Petitioner being 1641. first sent by the Par­liament a Prison­er to Peter house then a ship board to the Kings Bench: & in the year 1643. sent close Prisoner to the Tower for near four years, being kept in a dungeon 928 daies of that time, and had my estate plundred, to the valew of eleven thousand pounds, and my damage at this day above twen­ty thousand pounds, and threatned to be sent for a slave to Argier, for bringing from your Majesties Royal Father from Oxford 1643 a Letter for peace to the Ci­ty of London. In all I was a­bout eight years a Prisoner.

But upon the persecution of the long Parliament, your Petition­er went to your Royal Father to York, and the honourable Commission­ers appointed for the regulating this Manufacture, being Privy Counsel­lors, and other eminent Officers of the Kingdom. These Gentlemen, al­most all of them, according to their duties, followed your Majesties Royal Father in all his Troubles, but since, length of Time, fortune of the Warres, and other casualties, almost all of these Honourable Councel­lors are dead, by whose wisdom and care these abuses were regulated, and this Regulation afterwards neglected, the heavy coines melted, Silver slightly and adulterately made, to the damage of the Kingdom many hun­dred thousand pounds within this twenty years.

In your Petitioners Patent under the Great Seal of England, there is this Provisoe, that if hereafter the Government or Regulation of this Ma­nufacture by Commissioners, be altered or changed into any other form, or any other Proclamation for the regulating this Manufacture, yet your Petitioners Grant, with his Fees and Powers, should be, and continue firme, good and effectual in the Law, as appears by your Petitioners Pa­tent, dated 7 Sept. 14. Car. which Patent taken out of the Rolls, your Petitioner hath left with the Honourable Mr. Attorney General, with a Petition to your Majestie, formerly referred to the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of your Majesties Treasury, touching the Regula­tion of this businesse, 15. Sept. 1661.

Your Petitioners humble prayer to your Majestie is, that your Majesty would speedily prevent the great abuses and disorders daily practised, in the undue making of Gold and Silver Thread, Wire, Lace, Spangles, and the unlawful melting of the heavy current silver Coines, there being above twenty thousand pounds a year wasted and bruised away, by thin and slight making of Silver Lace, for the private profit of the Wiredrawers, which if it were duly made, would all be returned to the melting Pot, and avoid that waste of Treasure, that by order of your Majestie and your Privy Councel, all persons as formerly, from 1635. to 1641. be enjoyned to the due essaying of all Silver Wire at the Bar, and the Thread sealed, and true Registers kept of all Gold and Silver employed in this Manufacture, and all Bars and Engines brought into one place, according to the Pro­clamation [Page 5] of your Majesties Royal Father, in the 11th. year of his Reign, that so your Majestie may have a true Accompt what Silver is spent in this Manufacture, and so regulate the Excess, which is to the prejudice of your Mint, that base and inferior persons may not weare the same.I humbly be­seech your Ma­jesty to read the Reasons of the Committee for Trade, fol. 11. 10. Head▪ never to trust the wire­drawers with a Corporation, or with the rule & government of this Manufa­cture. And then if your Majesty be pleased to compare what your royal Fa­ther of blessed memory observ­ed of these wire­drawers in the Parliament, when he was Prince, that they had deceived their trust, and he would not trust them again. they have coz­ened the King­dome within these twenty years of above twenty thousand pounds a year, in slight, course, and deceitful silver lace, and now are endea­voring to get a Corporation, to work in iniquity by a Law, if your Majesty prevent it not.

And that your Petitioner may be required to continue his Searches so often as he shall finde just occasion, to seize all course Silver, under ster­ling, made or making into any of these Manufactures, and to deface the same, returning the material to the Owner as soon as they are defaced, according to his Patent, that no Gold or Silver Lace be hereafter mixed in any part with Copper, or made under sterling.

For the better enabling your Petitioner to do this service, your Peti­tioner humbly prayes your Majestie to renew your Royal Fathers former Commission 1635. with such alterations and additions, as your Majestie and your Privy Councel, with the Attorney General shall judge fit, for the persons and the powers to be your Majesties Commissioners for this business.

Or else if your Majestie and your Privy Councel shall think it meet for your service, and the fuller discovery of these abuses, (never suffer the Gold Wiredrawers to have a Corporation.) But if your Majestie, by advice of your Privy Councel, command the Corporation of Goldsmiths, by reason the regulating of Gold and Silver is a particular branch of their Trade, that they be required by your Majestie to take and view the for­mer regulation of this Manufacture, as it was setled by Commissioners, from the year 1635. to 1641. and to consider of such alterations and ad­ditions for the due Regulation of this Manufacture, that all abuses now practised in the Workmasters, Workmen, Traders and Venders of this Commodity, may for the future be prevented; your Majestie, Nobility, and Gentry duly served with good Silver Lace, which maintaines by Ma­nufacture many thousand people in the City of London.

All Gold and Silver Wire drawn at the Office for any of these aforesaid Manufactures, of Lace, Thread, Embroidery, to be effayed and warrant­ed to be good Sllver by your Petitioner, as he hath put in Security into the Exchecquer, or to pay the damage.

That the Company of Goldsmiths, as often as occasion shall require, shall from time to time propound such Rules and Orders, for the due making, vending, and uttering the same Manufactures, as they in their experience shall finde most necessary for the ends expressed, and being required by your Majestie, for their daily assisting, advising, and coun­selling your Petitioner to discharge the Trust and Duty of his Place, ac­cording to his Grant under the Great Seal, that so all the former abuses for the future may be prevented, and the credit of this manufacture restored, and your Petitioner encouraged to do his duty, to discover these abuses, and for to incourage the Goldsmiths Company to look carefully after this [Page 6] businesse, that after the Expiration of your Petitioners Grant, by your Majesties grace and goodnesse, the Powers, Fees and Salaries granted to your Petitioner, to enable him to do this service, may for ever be fixed and annexed to the Company of Goldsmiths and their Successors, they then putting in Security in fifteen hundred pounds into the Exchecquer, as your Petitioner hath done already, for the warranting all Gold and Silver Wire drawn as aforesaid, for making any the aforesaid Manufa­ctures to be good Silver, and that the Company of Goldsmiths by your Majesties Gracious Reference, be commanded to certifie your Majesties Privy Councel, and your Attorney General, of such wayes and Rules they shall find best to prevent these abuses, your Majestie being graci­ously pleased to recommend the same to your Parliament, to have this Re­gulation setled on the Goldsmiths by Parliament. This will perfect the Reformation, and prevent the daily abuses put on the Wearers of Gold and Silver Lace, when the Company of Goldsmiths that are Artists, but no Traders in this Manufacture, shall be bound to warrant the same to all persons, and to survey and see the Gold Wiredrawers do their duty. May it please your Majesty, I have spoken with he Company of Gold­smiths about a month since, who have declared to me, that if your Majesty, or your Privy Council send them your com­mands to set down the waies and rules, to the best of their skil for this Regula­tion, they will withal rediness humbly do it; and if these rules be approved on with such alter­ations as your Majesty, & your Privy Council shall judge fit, and by your Ma­jesty recomend­ed to the Parlia­ment, and by them approved; they tell me this is the only cer­tain and safe way for them to act, to reforme this abuse, which the Goldsmiths have confessed, they know is a great shame to the Kingdome, that the Nobility and Gentry should be so dai­ly deceived as they are, in course slight, a­dulterate silver lace, wyer, spang­les, thread, &c. which the Assay­ing of, and Surveying of these Manufactures by your Petitioner, will for the future prevent, and the advice and assistance of the Company of Goldsmiths, will strengthen your Petitioner in this service.

THat your Petitioner represented the 1. April 1650. unto the Parlament then sitting, that daily great quantities of heavy currant Silver Coines of this Nation, were melted down for the making Gold and Silver Wyer, Lace, Thread, Ribbons, Spangles, &c. to the great wast of the stock of the Nation; by which evil practises many mischiefs, cheats, and damages are intruded upon this Common-wealth, which ought strictly to be prevented, and most especially in this conjuncture of time, having war [...] with Spain, and the springs of Silver which used to flow in to us by Trade, now stopped.

That great quantities of Gold and Silver Thread, and Lace, is slightly, and unduely wrought, to the great deceit of those that weare the same, as your Petitioner hath proved in many particulars to the late Committee of Parliament for Trade, to whom that businesse was referred.

And they upon many daies Examination, and full hearing of all parties, as by their Certificate of the Committee of Trade hereunto annexed, may more fully appear; have certified the daily great abuses by the false, and deceitful making Gold and Silver Thread and Wyer, the wearers being daily cozened, both in putting into their Silver Thread a slight proportion of Silver to silk, whereas they should make good silver Thread to containe six ounces fine silver, and two ounces of silk to one pound Venice of Silver Thread, and five ounces fine silver, and three ounces of silk to the slightest Silver Thread, that ought to be made.

Now great quantities of Gold and Silver Thread and Lace, is dayly sould, which containes five ounces Silk, to three ounces Silver, and four ounces Silver to four ounces silk; and many times this Silver Lace is not onely slightly and deceitfully made with a lesse propor­tion of silver to silk, then it ought to be, but also is made under sterling silver, being mixed with Copper, and the silk false and de­ceitfully dyed, which makes the Lace turne black and tarnish, and spoiles the Garment of all persons that weare the same, assoon as any wet or aire comes to the Lace.

Your Petitioner (the last Parliament in June, anno 1657. produced Mr. Alexander Jackson, the sworne Assay-Master of Goldsmiths Hall, before the Committee for Trade, who being examined, confessed that at one time, in the compasse of a few weeks, he made Assay of above one hundred several parcels of Gold and Silver Lace, Thread, Spangles, Wyer, which was bought up in several Shops in London, and brought to him by your Petitioner and others; all which silver Manufactures was sould for good Silver, and upon the Assaies every several par­sel was found course and adultrate, under the Standard, as is attested under the hand of Mr. Alexander Jackson sworne Assay-Master for the Company of Goldsmiths, which Certificate your Petitioner hath rea­dy to be produced for your Honours view.

It is certified by the Committee of Trade 16. June 1657. that they find it affirmed to them by several Artists, that by the slight making of Gold and Silver Thread and Lace, there is above thirty thousand pounds a year wasted and spent in this Nation, which by a due re­gulation of enjoyning all persons to put at least five ounces fine sil­ver to the pound Venice, this Treasure would all be saved in the stock [Page 15] of this Nation, and the Lace will last four times as long, as it now doth, and not turne black, and the silver return all to the melting Pot; for great quantities of Silver Lace that is now sould, the buyers are cozened both in the finenesse of the silver, being mixed with Cop­per under Sterling, or paying for silver when they buy silk heavy dyed, having many times a third part silk, more then ought to be put into the silver Thread, were it duely made, according to the former Rules 1635. to 1641. The late Sub-Committee for Trade, made so large a progresse into this businesse, finding it to be of great con­cernment, spent many daies to finish their Report, and have certifi­ed the several frauds practised in the making all these Manufactures of Gold and Silver Wyer, Thread, &c. And have set down Waies and Rules for the preventing the like abuses for the future.

Your Petitioners most humble prayer is, that this High Court would be pleased to finish so good a work; and perfect the Regu­lation of this Manufacture for the future, and that a Law be made, that none of the currant silver Coines be hereafter melted for the making any of these Manufactures: that no Gold or Silver in Wyer or Lace, be put to saile under Sterling: that no Gold or Silver Thread, hold or containe lesse silver then five ounces silver to be at the least Sterling, upon severe penalties, besides the defaceing of the Materials.

And that your Petitioner be commanded by the Parliament, to see to the due Execution, and to receive such fees and allowances, as he is authorized to take by his Patent under the great Seale of Eng­land.

And your Petitioner shall pray, &c.

This pretended Parliament referred this Petition to a Committee, and shortly after were forced, and dissolved by the Army. The Rump Parliament succeeded them, and promised to reforme these a­buses, but did nothing but promise and delay. His MAJESTY returning for England, upon whose blessed arival, your Petiti­oner made this following Petition, and had this gracious Refer­ence to the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury: The original Petition is in the custody of Sir Philip Warwick, and followes, viz.

THat your Petitioner being commanded by your Majesties Royal Father, in 1643. to bring up his gracious letter to his City of London, directed to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and all other his well affected Subjects of that City, which letter your Petitioner did bring up to London, and was for so doing, committed to the Tower, by order of Parliament, where he re­mained four yeares, and for 928 dayes of that time, kept close prisoner in a dismal place, little better than a Dungeon: in which time of confine­ment, your Petitioner expended above 700l. and the Parliament seque­stred your Petitioner of all his estate they could finger, to the value of 11000l. and being taken out of all his imployment, to his damage of a­bove 20000l. and could never obtain any part of his estate, to his total ruine, without your Majesty in your mercy relieve him. Your Petitioner prostrate at your Majesties feet, presents to your Majestie, the great seve­rity of your Petitioners sufferings, there never being the like sad president in the Nation, during all these distracted times, that a man for bringing up a letter of peace from his late Majesty of glorious memory, should be rui­ned for obeying his Majesties commands; the only cause of your Petitio­ners sequestration and ruine being for so doing.

That upon complaint made by several persons, that great quantities of the currant heavy silver coynes and plate in this Nation is daily melted, and wasted, for the making of the manufacture of gold and silver thread, wyer, and lace, to the great waste and destruction of the stock of heavy English money, and great quantities of gold and silver transported with­out licence.

To prevent these abuses, your Majesties Royal Father, by the advice of his Privy Counsel, did grant unto your Petitioner for three lives, and the longest liver of them, the 7th. day of September, in the 14th. year of his late Majesties reign, a Patent under the great Seal of England, for the re­gulating the aforesaid abuses; and granted to them, and the longer liver [Page 17] of them, a Seal, being the Rose and Crown, with a prohibition to all per­sons, not to presume to counterfeit the same: Which Seal was for the fealing of all gold and silver thread, which they found upon Assay, Survey or Tryal, to be made of good silver, with a due proportion of silver to silk. And your Petitioners had by Patent for two lives, four pence the pound weight Venice, for warranting all the aforesaid gold and silver thread to be good silver, at least Sterling, according to the Standard of this Nation. And thereupon being made up in skeynes, we were to put the aforesaid seal upon it: and by their aforesaid grant, we were upon the drawing and disgrossing of all gold and silver wyer, for the making of spangles, oaes, purse, or gold and silver thread; upon the assaying of the said wyer at the bar, we were to register the weight and finenesse: and thereupon your Petitioner to receive one half penny an Ounce for all wyer employed in any the aforesaid Manufactures; and your Petitioner was impowered to receive all duties imposed, laid, or to be laid upon any the said manufactures. Upon consideration of the said Fees, your Petitioner is bound in the Exchequer with good security in 1500l. that all silver as­sayed, sealed, marked, or surveyed, as aforesaid, was to be fine silver, at the least as good as sterling: Whereas many yeares your Petitioner regula­ted this manufacture, and caused the same to be as exactly made, as the coyne, or plate of this Nation, till these sad troubles, when the Parliament sequestred your Petitioner.

And as in duty bound, your Petitioner shall pray for your Majesties long health and happinesse.

Your Petitioners humble prayer is, That your Majesty would be pleased to recommond to the Parliament, or to your Majesties Commissioners of your Treasury, the restraining of the melting of the currant silver coynes of this Nation, for the making of any the aforesaid manufactures, and against transporting gold and silver, and for the due paying of the duties and fees, according to the afoaesaid Letters Patents: Which will prevent the abuses daily practised and committed: and these manufactures shall by your Petitioner for the future, be warranted to be good to the wearers, or to pay all dammages to the parties grieved, according as your Petitioner cove­nanted in the said Letters Patents. And in regard of your Peti­tioners great sufferings and losses, for doing your Royal Majesties Fathers service, as aforesaid; That your Majesty would be gra­tiously pleased, by patent, to make your Petitioner one of your Ma­jesties Auditors for the impresse, with the same fees as Au­ditor Beale and Auditor Bingly formerly received: or one of the Tellers of your Majesties Exchequer, with the usual fees: or that your Majesty would be gratiously pleased to appoint your [Page 18] Petitioner some Office in the Custome-house, or Excise; your Petitioner (by the blessing of God) and his own industry and ex­perience, will improve your Majesties revenue in the said Offices.

WHen I first left this aforesaid Petition with Sir Philip Warwick, I was commanded by some of your Lord­ships, to bring into the Lords of the Council a draught of a Proclamation against transporting of Gold and Silver, which I did, which begat a di­spute at the Council of Trade, and a Certificate from them, for the Merchants to have free liberty to Export Gold and Silver without Licence, to have a free Market.

Whereupon I thought my self bound by my Allegiance, consider­ing how much it did import the honour, safety, and welfare of his Ma­jesty, and the Lords of His Privy Council, who by the Law can only grant to the Merchants upon their Petition and just Reasons shown, leave to transport Gold and Silver out of the Kingdome; and I know the mischiefs which might come to the Kingdome, if this great trust were left to the Merchants.

I did humbly (according to my best abilities) state the Kings right, and His Privy Councils by the Law, to have the only liberty to di­spence with the Statutes against transporting Gold and Silver; which Reasons was opposed by some Honourable Gentlemen of the Council of Trade, before his Majesty and His Privy Council.

Sir George Downing and others, humbly pressing Arguments for to have that Royal Flower of the Crown, and to leave it free to the Merchants and others, to transport Gold and Silver.

Your Petitioner being commanded by his Majesty to give Sir George [Page 20] Downing an answer, I was necessitated to make a further Reply; and his Majesty was graciously pleased not to part with so great a power and trust to any other, then as the Law had invested it, his Majesty and His Privy Council being soly the Judges to restrain, or licence the trans­porting Gold and Silver, according as they in their wisdoms thought fit.

And since in the persuance of removing some obstructions in the Mint, his Majesty hath set forth three Proclamations, one against transporting Gold or Silver without leave from his Majesty; the o­ther setling the Rule of the currant Gold Coine of this Kingdome; and the third decrying down after a certain Day, all Gold and Silver Coines that have been made in England since 1640. by any authori­ty whomsoever, without his Majesties, and His Royal Fathers War­rant and Proclamation to make them currant. I ever held it my duty to do the Kings Majesties business first, and when that was done, humbly to present that which hath rela­tion to my par­ticular interest; & having obey­ed some of your Lordships com­mand; to give the Merchants a reason, why His Majesty could not trust them with the power to transport mo­ny, but with the inconvenience of the whole Kingdom in ge­neral. Having done the Kings business, I now humbly come to your Honours to have the Execu­tion of this a­foresaid office, to Regulate Gold and Silver thread which I have granted unto me under the great Seal of England for two lives.

May it please your Lordships, your Petitioner being intrusted with the Officers of his Majesties Mint, and commanded by some of your Lordships to draw the draft of the Proclamation the 10. of June in the thirtenth year of his Majesties Reign: He intreated the Officers of the Mint to speak with Mr. Attorney General, concerning the great a­buses committed by the Corporation of Wiredrawers, in the adultrate, false, and slight making of Gold and Silver Lace. And so insert it into the Proclamation, that the Kings Majesty, with the advice of his Privy Council, would take speady Order therein. The words are, Viz.

That whereas there is daily a great consumption of the heavy currant Silver Coines of the Kingdome and Bullion, in the unlawful making Gold and Silver Wyer, Thread, Spangles, Ooes, Purles, and Lace of course Silver under Sterling; His Majesty doth intend in due time, to take such strict course, as shall reduce the makers of these Manufactures into such Order, that all the a­buses formerly put on the Subjects, shall for the future be prevented, and these Manufactures of Gold and Silver duly regulated and assayed, according to the Lawes of the Kingdome.

May it please your Lordships, This Clause in his Majesties Procla­mation, gave the Alaram to some persons that are Wiredrawers, to in­gage some worthy Gentlemen to be instrumental to procure the Wire­drawers a Corporation from his sacred Majesty: and a draught of the Corporation being presented to the Wiredrawers by some persons, who do undertake to use their endeavours for to obtain a Corporation for them, the model presented was not liked by the Gold Wiredrawers: Therefore the Gentleman desires the Gold Wiredrawers, that they would alter the model of their Charter of Corporation as they pleased; and he would endeavour to get from his Majesty the Corporation according as the Wiredrawers would have it; for which the Gentleman covenants [Page 21] with the Wiredrawers to have from them one half penny the ounce for all Silver Wire imployed to make Lace or Thread, &c,

May it please your Lordships, this Gentleman that would be tamper­ing to get a Corporation for the Gold Wiredrawers of London, doth not know the former passages and proceedings in Parliament touching this very Trade, and the Workers, being Gold Wiredrawers.

About the year 1618. one Sir John Michael, and Sir Giles Monpersons together with the then Attorney General, which I take it to be Attorney General Elverton, combined together, and for a some of money, procu­red the Gold Wiredrawers a Corporation by sinester information to King James, which Corporation was complained of the next Parliament as a great abuse, and cozenage of these Wiredrawers of the Kingdome, openly shown to the Prince, and Lords, in the House of Lords, and by Act of Parliament their Corporation was damned, Sir Giles Monpersons, Sir John Michael being sentenced by Parliament for this Corporation, the Attorney General hardly escaped: I humbly referre my self to the Records of Parliament; which may be a warning for any, to have a care what they do, in going about to get these Wiredrawers a Corporation, let them remember Sir Giles Monpersons.

May it please your Lordships, your humble Petitioner hath his Maje­sties Royal Fathers Grant under the great Seal of England, Dated the 7. of Sept. in the fourtenth year of his Majesties Royal Father Reign, for two lives yet in being, his own life, and another, and the longer liver to warrant all these Manufactures to the wearers, and to receive one half penny the ounce upon all Wire Assayed or Sealed; and four pence the pound Venice for Gold or Silver Thread for sealing it, and warrant­ing it to the wearers to be good, with a due proportion of Silver to Silk; which his Majesties Royal Father gave to your Petitioner for two thous­and pounds his Majesty owed your Petitioner, for all his service and charges in spending above two thousand pounds to cause the transporters of Gold and Silver to be fined in the Star Chamber, and sentenced by the Lords, such Persons and such Fines set upon them as followeth, 13. Caroli. in the Star-Chamber. viz,

The totall of the said Fines amount to the summe of 24100^l.

At this day there wants a high Court of Star Chamber, to punish the transporters of Gold and Silver, and some Goldsmiths that furnish them with gold. This sentence did this good in the City of London, that for seven years after, from 1635, to 1642. that the Merchants were affraid to transport Gold or Silver; and the Mint constantly was kept on work, till these late troubles that overturned all things. I shall humbly de­sire that your Lord­ship would be pleased to take no­tice, that though his Majesty by his Proclamation hath called upon Gold, a twenty shilling piece to go for 21 shillings 4 pence, and so ra­tably: yet some goldsmiths do take the houldness to give 21 shillings 8 pence, 21 shill. 9 pence, and 21 shillings 10 pence. And this Gold is bought up by the Sectaries, either to transport, or else to hoard up for some bad design: His Majestie and your Lordships had need to he vigilent over these Fanaticks, they are daily working & hatch­ing, God grant this Ceckatrise be watched.

Your Petitioners humble prayer is, that by your Lordships Justice for his Majesties service, this Manufacture be put under some strict Rule and Order, and that nothing may passe under your Lordships hands that may prejudice your Petitioners Grant which he hath under the great Seal of England, for the regulateing the said Manufacture.

1. I have humbly to recommend to your Honours great wisdom, the due consideration of these several following Heads, and humbly leave them at your Honours feet; and though they may not please the Wire­drawers, yet I am sure they be for his Majesties service. It is true, there is twenty thousand souls in London, live, and have dependance on this Manufacture, and that made King James and King Charles suffer this Manufacture to be made here.

2. My good Lords, it is worthy of consideration, the great damage his Majesty sustains in the losse of his Customes, the losse and preju­dice of his Majesties Mint, by suffering the Silver after it is imported into this Kingdome, to be made into Silver Lace, &c. to be diverted from Coyn, which would pay a duty of coynage, and augment the stock of the Kingdome, which is now converted into this Manufacture: the valew imployed in Gold and Silver yearly, is about one hundred thou­sand pounds a year in Gold and Silver Lace, Wire, &c. which was it con­verted into Coine every year, and so passed between men, would drive a million for commodities a year in Trade, to the great improvement of the Kingdome by Commerce and Trade.

3. That upon calculation it will be found, the King in point of Customes and other Profits, loses above ten thousand pounds a year, by suffering this Manufacture to be made in England, as will appear upon calculation of his Majesties Book of Rates of his Customes.

4. That at this day there is no Excise laid on this Commodity, which un­der favour, humbly submitting to your great wisdomes, is a Commodity may bear an Excise as well, and better, than almost any thing in the Kingdome: gold and silver Lace is a superfluity, and it is the wearers payes the Excise, not the Silkmen, Wiredrawers, or other Tradesmen: this Trade his Majesty doth allow in favour of the poor women Spinners, and other poor people, that are above twenty thousand souls, who only have their livelyhood from this Manufacture, or else for the reasons aforesaid, it would not be allowed to be wrought in England.

5. Therefore my humble Petition to your Lordships is, in regard your Lordships are of the Committee for the removing the obstructions of the Mint, that your Lordships settle such an Excise on this Manufacture, at the least two pence the Ounce, being so much as his Majesty loseth in the coynage of the same, to be approved and confirmed by the Parliament, for and towards his Majesties losse in His Customes, and in his Coynage, by suffering this Manufacture to be wrought in England.

6. That your Lordship would Order for the future, that no inferiour persons, as Servants, Maids, and other mechanick People, shall weare gold or silver Lace, it being an abuse to persons of honour, men and women, to have mechanick People and Servants to weare Gold and Silver Lace.

7. That your Lordships would be pleased, for the service of his Maje­sty, and good of all the wearers of gold and silver Lace, which are the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdome, to require the Company of Gold­smiths to consider of such waies and means as they can adde, or alter, either out of the former Regulation setled by his Majesty 1635. or out of their own knowledg and experience by any other Way or Rules, and to use all speed they can therein.

8. The Company of Goldsmiths have declared to me before a Court of Assistants, that they know there is many abuses in this Trade, and if they be required from his Majesty, or your Lordships of the Privy Council, they would be very ready and willing, humbly to consider of such Waies for the prevention of these abuses for the future: and upon your Lord­ships approbation ot alteration of what they shall propound, that those Orders and Rules agreed upon by your Honours for the Regulating of this Trade, may be recommended by his Maiesty to be confirmed by Parlia­ment, and this will be a certain way to prevent these abuses for the future, when the restraints and punishments shall be setled by Act of Parliament.

And so as in duty bound, your Petitioner shall daily pray.

THat after ages, and all true Englishmen may see the cruel op­pression I sufferd under, for being faithful to his sacred Majesty King Charles the first, for bringing up to London from Oxford to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, by his Majesties especial command to me, 1643. this his Majesties letter: which was, as followeth,