462 LETTERS RELATING TO 



penalties. Queen Elizabeth, in the fortieth year of 

 her reign, granted to Sir Ed. D Arcy, his executors, 

 deputies, and assigns, for twenty-one years, to have 

 the sole making of playing cards within the realm, 

 and the sole importation of foreign playing cards ; 

 and that no other should either make any such 

 cards, within the realm, or import any foreign cards, 

 but only the said Sir Ed. D Arcy, his executors, 

 deputies, and assigns, notwithstanding the said act. 

 The point concerning the sole making of cards 

 within the realm is not questioned : the only ques 

 tion now is concerning the sole importation. 



It was resolved, that the dispensation or licence to 

 have the sole importation or merchandizing of cards, 

 without any limitation or stint, is utterly against the 

 law. 



And your majesty s commandment having been 

 signified to me, to know, whether my judgment be, 

 as I report it to be resolved, in most humble manner 



1 offer this answer to your majesty ; That I am of 

 opinion, that without all question the late queen by 

 her prerogative might, as your majesty may, grant 

 licence to any man to import any quantity of the 

 said manufacture whatsoever, with a &quot; non obstante&quot; 

 of the said statute : and for proof thereof I have 

 cited about fifteen book-cases in my report of this 

 case. And the first of those book-cases is the 



2 H. VII. fol. 6, by the which it appeareth, that 

 if a penal statute should add a clause, That the 

 king should grant any dispensation thereof, 

 &quot; non obstante&quot; the statute ; yet the king, no t- 



