WHereas Iron VVyer is a manufacture long practised vvithin this Realme, and by that Trade and Mystery many thousands of Our louing Subiects haue been for a long time well and honestly employed and set on worke; And by meanes thereof, great num­bers of expert and skilfull men in that Arte and Science haue been trained vp, who are now destitute of any other profession or meanes whereby to get their liuings.

And whereas English Wyer, being made of the toughest and best Osmond Iron, (a natiue Commoditie of this Kingdome) is of much better vse, then that Iron Wyer which commeth from forreigne parts, especially for the making of good Wooll-Cards, without which no good Cloth can be made: And this hath appeared vnto Vs by the Certificates of diuers Clothiers, Card-makers, Card-Wyer-drawers, and the Farmors of Our Customes, to whom the examination thereof hath been referred.

And whereas by the Wyer-drawers of diuers parts of this Our Kingdome, sundry com­plaints haue beene made vnto Vs, that by reason of the great quantities of forreigne Iron Wyer lately imported into this Our Realme of England, (whereof also a great part is falsly and deceitfully made and wrought) Our sayd poore Subiects who make Iron Wyer cannot be set on worke in their Vocations of Wyer-making and Wyer-drawing, nor are able to con­tinue in the exercise of their sayd Trades, whereby so commendable and profitable an Arte is like wholly to be lost in this our Kingdome, and the makers of Wooll-Cards are much de­ceiued by that forreigne Wyer; and they who vse those Cards much more: whereby great pre­iudice will arise to Vs and Our people, and to the whole Trade of Clothing within this Realme, except some speedy course be taken for redresse of so great an inconuenience.

Wee well weighing the danger and preiudice that may happen to this Our Kingdome, by being serued onely from forreigne parts, with a Commoditie of so great necessity, and conti­nuall vse as Wyer is, either in time of warre, when little or none can be imported, or else when forreigne parts shall finde other Markets or Vents for that Commoditie, or when at their owne pleasures they may rayse their prises vpon Vs, or serue Vs, with false and vnseruice­able [Page]Wyer, which would tend much to the dishonour of this Our Nation, and disaduantage of Vs and Our louing Subiects.

And finding that sundry good Lawes and Statutes haue formerly been made, prohibiting the Importation of forreigne Wool-cards, and of the said forreigne Iron Wyer, and diuers o­ther Manufactures made of Wyer, for the better cherishing & encouraging of so profitable and necessarie a Manufacture within this Kingdome, but that the execution of those good Lawes hath of late beene much neglected; Wee taking these things into Our Princely consideration, by the aduice of Our Priuy Councell, haue thought fit as well to prohibite the Importation of forreigne Iron Wyer, and Cards made of forreigne Wyer, and of Hookes and Eyes, and o­ther Manufactures made of Iron Wyer onely, as to prouide that all Cards made within these Our Kingdomes and Dominions, be well and substantially made, without any fraud or deceit: Doe therefore hereby straitly Charge and Command all and singular person and per­sons whatsoeuer, aswell Our owne naturall borne Subiects, as Denizens and Strangers, that none of them, nor any other person or persons whatsoeuer, doe at any time or times here­after attempt or presume to bring, or cause to bee brought into these Our Realmes of England or Ireland, or any other Our Dominions, or into any the Ports, Hauens, Creekes or Places of any of them, any forreigne Iron Wyer, or Cards made of forreigne Iron Wyer, or other Ma­nufactures aforesaid, in greater or lesser quantities, made or to be made in any forreigne Part or Place whatsoeuer, or any Wool Cards made within this Kingdome, and which haue once been exported from hence, vpon paine of forfeiture of all and euery quantitie and quantities of the said forreigne Iron Wyer, and Cards made of forreigne Wyer, and of other the Manufac­tures made onely of Wyer as aforesaid, so brought or caused to bee brought in to Our said Realmes and Dominions, contrarie to this Our Royal Commandement.

And Our will and pleasure is, that all such forreigne Iron Wyer, and Cards made of Wyer, and Manufactures of Wyer aforesaid, which shall bee imported contrarie to these pre­sents, shall by such person and persons who shall seize the same be forthwith carried and con­ueyed into Our Custome-House within Our Port of London, and other Custome-houses of that Port where the same shall be seized, without selling, vttering, compounding, or deliuering any part thereof, before the same be thither brought and deliuered as aforesaid, vpon paine of our high Indignation & displeasure, and of such further paines, penalties and punishments as by the Lawes & Statutes of this Our Realme, or Our Prerogatiue Royall for the contempt of Our commandement in this behalfe, can or may any way be inflicted vpon them, or any of them so offending, contrary to the true intent & meaning of these presents: And to that end and purpose, Wee doe hereby require and command all and singular the Officers of Our Cu­stomes, or attending the same, within all and euery the Ports & Hauens of these Our Realmes and Dominions, and the Creekes and Members of the same Ports, that they and euery of them doe from and after the date hereof at all times forbeare to take any entry, or entries, or to take or make any composition or compositions for any Custome, Subsidie, or other Dutie, for, or vpon any forreigne Wyer, or Cards made of forreigne Wyer, or other the Manufactures made onely of Iron Wyer as aforesaid, brought, or to be brought into these Our Realmes or Dominions from any forreigne parts. And also that they, and all, and euery other Our Of­ficers and Ministers doe stay and seize the same, as forfeited and confiscated, to the vse and vses hereafter specified, vpon paine of forfeiture of their Offices, and of vndergoing Our high in­dignation and displeasure for their neglect herein, with such further paines and punishments as by the Lawes and Statutes of this Our Realme, or by Our Prerogatiue Royall, for the same their contempts and defaults, may any way be inflicted vpon them.

And whereas an vse or custome hath lately crept into this Kingdome by some ill disposed persons, more regarding their owne priuate gaine and lucre, then the good of the Common­wealth, to buy vp old cast Cards within this Kingdome, and doe scowre, translate, and trim vp the same, and sell them againe to vnskilfull countrey people for new Cards; by meanes whereof the Cloth made of Wool carded with such Cards, is falsified to the great losse and hin­derance of the Clothier, the deceit and preiudice of Our Subiects, who doe buy and weare the same, and to the discredit of the trade of Clothing, being the chiefest and richest Commoditie of this Our Kingdome.

These are therefore further to require and command, that no person or persons doe at any time or times hereafter attempt or presume to Buy, Sell, Barter, Vent, or put to Sale with­in any of Our said Kingdomes, or Dominions, or to export into any forreigne parts any old cast Wool-Cards whatsoeuer, vpon paine of forfeiture and confiscation thereof, and such other paynes, penalties and punishments, as by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme, or by Our Prerogatiue Royal can or may be inflicted vpon them. But that the same old Cast Wool-Cards being offered to sale be seized to Our vse, by any Our Officers or Subiects, and to bee brought into Our Custome-houses within Our Port of London, or other Ports aforesaid.

And to the end Our intention herein may take the better effect; Our will and command is, and We doe hereby declare Our pleasure to be, that such person and persons as shall make seizure of any of the said forreigne Iron Wyer, or of any Cards made of forreigne Wyer, or manufactures made of Iron Wyer only, or of any old cast Wool-Cards, translated or trimmed vp, and put to sale as aforesaid, contrarie to Our Royal commandement herein signified, shall haue and receiue to his or their owne vse and vses, one moyetie or halfe part of the said Iron Wyer, or Cards made of forreigne Wyer, or old cast Wool-Cards, or other manufactures made of Wyer onely as aforesaid, so by him or them seized or to be seized, as aforesaid, the other moietie thereof to be reserued to Our vse.

And for the better execution of this Our present will and Commandement, Wee doe straitly charge and command all Iustices of Peace, Maiors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Headbo­roughs, Tithingmen, & all other Our Officers, Ministers, & louing Subiects, to whom it shal or may appertaine, that they and euery of them, at all time and times hereafter, & from time to time be aiding and assisting to Our sayd Customers, Collectors, Searchers, Waiters, and to all other person and persons imployed for the searching in any Ship, House, Ware-house or Celler, and for seizing, taking, and carrying away of all and euery such Iron Wyer, and Cardes made of forreigne Wyer, and other manufacture made of Wyer imported, or hereafter to bee imported contrary to this Our Royall prohibition and commandement. And if any shall offend herein, or bee found remisse or negligent in the execution of the premisses, and notice thereof be giuen to Our Attourney generall for the time being, that hee doe proceed against all and euery person and persons so offending, in Our high Court of Starre-chamber, or in any other Our Courts of Iustice, or otherwise, by such wayes and meanes as are by the Lawes, or Statutes of this Realme prouided against such as shall offend herein, contrary to the Law, and contrary to Our Royall Commandement.

Giuen at Our Court at White-hall, the seuenth day of May, in the sixt yeere of Our Reigne.

God saue the King.