312 A. D. 1622. 



under our'hand we fliall dired, or as our commiflioners fhall fet down 

 under their hands ; that fo it may appear that they enjoy this freedom, 

 not by right, but of our mere grace and favour. Alfo that no flranger- 

 born, or born in England of parents-ftrangers, who have not ferved an 

 apprenticefliip of at leafl feven years, fliall hereafter fell any wares by 

 retail, but only in grofs : nor fliall fell even in grofs at fairs or mar- 

 kets,, or out of the city or town where they dwell. And that fuch Gran- 

 gers, at prefent fettled with their families in England, and who ufe any 

 manual trade, or the making of our new draperies*, and who dcfire to 

 continue here, may quietly fo do, provided they put themfelves under 

 our royal prote(!^ion : and whereas by the laws of this realm they 

 ought not to work at all or ufe fuch trades, but, as fervants to the 

 Englifli, they {hall now inrol themfelves as fervants to ourfelves, 

 our heirs, and fucceflbrs ; whereby they may by law be freed and dif- 

 , charged from the danger and penalty of our laws. Yet, for the encou- 

 ragement of all ftrangers to bring new and profitable trades and manu- 

 fadures into ufe here, every fuch flranger intruding any of our na- 

 tural-born fubjeds therein, may ufe fuch trade for the fpace of ten years: 

 but they fhall not at any one time keep above two foreign journeymen, 

 nor retain any apprentice but by indenture for feven years. Yet our 

 will is, that fuch of the French nation, who, by reafon of the late trou- 

 bles in that kingdom, have taken refuge here, fhall be fhewn fuch fa- 

 vour, beyond the proportion of other ftrangers, as our commillioners 

 fliall think fit ; if within a convenient time after thofe troubles fhall be 

 overblown, they fliall return into their own country again. [Fcedera, V. 

 xvn,p. 372.] 



This commiflion was immediately followed by a proclamation againft 

 the exportation of any gold or filver, either in coin or plate, jewels, 

 goldfmiths work, bullion, or other mafs. And ' for avoiding of all un- 

 ' ncicefllary confumption of filver and gold within this realm, much 

 ' pradiied of late by fome goldfmiths and refiners, and by the manu- 

 ' fadurers of gold and filver thread, no finer of gold and filver, nor 

 ' parter thereof by fire or water, fliall allay any fine filver or gold, 

 ' nor fell the fame to any but to the mint and to goldfmiths. And all 

 ' gold and filver thread is hereby prohibited to be made in this realm, 

 ' of what kind foever : nor fliall any perfon either buy or fell any fuch 

 ' gold and filver thread made in this realm. [Fadera, V. xvii, ^. 376.] 

 Had the king abfolutely prohibited the importation and ufe of that 

 inanufadure in England, there would have been fome more confiflency 

 in his condud. Probably his aim was to increafe his revenue by the 

 cuflom on imported gold and filver thread, though to the ruin of fo 

 many of his own people: befides, goldfmiths work and jewels are as 



* This exfniplion was in favour of the Walloons, evidently to collect a tax from foreign merchants 

 ^vho had intioduccd the new drapery in the prcccd- and workmen ; a meafurc equally arbitrar)- and im- 

 ing reign. But the chief objefl of the commiflion was politic in a commercial country. 



