
and that the said Trade is of great Use;; and that the Governors of the said Company pray an Enlargement of their Charter, for the avoiding certain Mischiefs herein recited.;
No Person to exercise the Trade of a Silk Thrower but such as have served an Apprenticeship.; Penalty 40s. per Month.WHEREAS the Company of Silke throwers within the City of London and Liberties and all theire Servants
and Apprentices within foure Miles thereof were quinto Caroli primi incorporated and made one body
politique and are knowne by the name of the Master Wardens Assistants and Commonaltie of the Trade Art or
Mystery of Silke throwers of the City of London And whereas the said Trade is of singuler use and very advantageous
to this Common wealth by imploying the Poore there being imployed by the said Company in and about the City of
London (as is expressed in theire Petition) above Fourty thousand Men Women and Children who otherwise would
unavoidably be burthensome to the places of theire aboade And whereas the present Governours of the said Company
by theire Petition pray an Enlargement of theire Charter whereby they may be the better enabled to avoid the many
Deceipts and Inconveniences they dayly meet withall by Intruders who have not beene brought upp Apprentices to
the said Trade and others who settle themselves beyond the limitts of the said Charter on purpose to avoide the
Searches and Supervision of the said Governours by which meanes they are att Liberty to make and vend what Wares
they please to the disparagement of the said Trade and discouraging of the Petitioners and all others of the said Trade
that have duely served Apprentice thereunto according to the known Lawes of this Nation. For remedy whereof Bee.
it enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majestie by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and
Temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by authority of the same That from and after
the twenty fifth day of December which shall be in the yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and
two no Person or Persons whatsoever shall directly or indirectly use exercise continue or sett up the said Trade Art
or Mystery of a Silk-thrower within this Realme of England unlesse such as are or shall be Apprentices to the said
Trade or shall have served seven yeares Apprentiship thereunto att the least upon pain that every person so
offending contrary to this Act shall pay forfeit and lose the su[m]m of Forty shillings for every moneth the said person
shall use or exercise the said Trade the one moyety thereof to the use of his said Majestie his Heires and Successors
and the other moyety thereof to such person or persons as shall sue for the same in any of the Courts of Record
within this Realm of England or before any the Justices of Oyer and Terminer or the Justices of Peace att theire
Quarter Sessions of the Peace by Action of debt Bill Plaint or Information or by any other lawfull wayes or meanes
whatsoever wherein no Protection Wager of Law or Essoigne shall be allowed
II. 
Penalty.
And for the better enabling of the said Master Wardens Assistants and Comonaltie of Silk-throwers and theire
Successors in theire government Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every person and
persons whatsoever now using or exerciseing as Masters the said Art Trade or Mystery or such as have served as
Apprentices to the said Trade by the space of seaven yeares att the least within the said Cities of London and
Westminster and the several suburbs thereof or within twenty miles compasse of them or either of them shall before
the twenty fifth day of December which shall be in the Yeare of our Lord One thousand six hundred sixty and
two be admitted and are hereby enjoyed to enter themselves into the said Societie or Corporation and to performe
and be subject and obedient to all such Statutes Lawes Orders Ordinances and Constitutions as are or shall be made
or ordained for or concerning the Exercise Regulation or Government of the said Art Trade or Mystery or of any
person or persons using or exerciseing the same upon pain of forfeiture of the su[m]m of forty shillings for every month
he or they shall use or exercise the said Trade after the said twenty fifth day of December One thousand six hundred
sixty and twoe the one moietie thereof to the use of his said Majesty His Heires and Successors and the other
moyety thereof to such person and persons as shall sue for the same in any the Courts of Record within this Realme
of England or before any the Justices of Oyer and Terminer or the Justices of Peace att theire Quarter Sessions of
the Peace by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information or by any other lawfull waies or meanes whatsoever wherein
no protection wager of Law or Essoigne shall be allowed
III. 
Provided that such Lawes Orders Ordinances & Constitutions so made or which shall be made be not contrary 
but agreeable with the Lawes and Statutes of this said Realm and the Customes of the said City of London
IV. 
And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the said Masters Wardens Assistants and Commonalty
and theire successors shall and may have and enjoye and that it shall & may be lawfull to and for them from time
time and att all times hereafter to do performe and execute within the said Cities of London and Westminster and
the severall Suburbs thereof or within twenty miles compasse of them or either of them all such grants powers
priviledges and authorities as by this present Act or in or by the said Letters Patents of Incorporation are given or
granted or mentioned to be given or granted for or concerning the regulation exercise or government of the said
Trade Art or Mystery or any matter or thing relating thereunto or of such person or persons as doe or shall
exercise the same Any thing in the said Letters Patents or any Act Statute or other matter or thing to the contrary
thereof in any wise notwithstanding
V. 
Winders, &c. purloining, &c. Silk delivered to them to wind, &c. or Persons receiving such Silk,; to be committed; and to make Satisfaction to Party grieved.
And whereas there is a necessity lying upon the Silke throwers to deliver to theire Winders or Doublers
considerable quantities of silke which being of a good value is by evil disposed persons many times unjustly deceitfully
and falsly purloined imbezeled pawned sold and detained to the great damage and sometimes the utter undoing of
the Thrower whoe employes the said persons Bee it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every such
silke winder and doubler who shall att any time hereafter unjustly or deceitfully and falsly purloyn imbezell
pawn sell or detaine any part of silk delivered or to be delivered by any Silk thrower or other person to them or
any of them to wind or double that in every such case and cases as well the Winder or Journey man so offending
as the Buyer and Buyers Receiver and Receivers of such Silke being thereof lawfully convicted by confession of
the party or parties so offending or by one Witnes upon Oath before one or more of the Justices of Peace of the
County or Liberty where the same offence or offences shall be committed or if it be within any City or Towne
Corporate before the Maior Bailiffe or cheiffe Officer of the said City or Town Corporate who by force of this Act
are impowered and authorized to minister the same oath and finally to heare and determine all and every the
offences aforesaid and to give and make to the party and parties greived such recompence and satisfaction for such
theire damage and losse and charges thereabouts as by the said Justice or Justices or cheife Officers shall be ordered
and appointed
VI. 
If Party offending not able to make Recompense within 14 Days; First Offence, Punishment;; Second Offence, further Punishment.
Provided that no more damage be given or awarded then the party greived shall prove hee is damnified and
hath expended in looking after the same And if the party or parties so offending shall not be able or sufficient to
make recompense or satisfaction for the said Offence nor doe make Recompense or Satisfaction for the same Offence
or Offences within fourteen dayes next after such conviction in such manner and for me as by the Justice or Justices
or cheife Officers shall be ordered and appointed as aforesaid then the Party or Parties so offending for the first
Offence shall be apprehended and whipped or sett in the Stocks in the place where the Offence is committed or
in some Markett Towne in the said County neare unto the place where the Offence or Offences aforesaid shall be
co[m]mitted as shall be limitted and appointed by the said Justice or Justices of the Peace or cheife Officers and for
the second Offence to incur the like or such further punishment by whipping or being put in the Stocks as the
said Justice or Justices of the Peace or cheife Officers shall in theire discretion thinke fitt and convenient
VII. 
And be it likewise enacted by the Authority aforesaid that all and every Receiver and Receivers Buyer and
Buyers of any Silke or such as take to pawn any Silke imbezeled or purloyned contrary to the meaning of this Act
(matter of Fact being proved) shall make satisfaction within the time aforesaid or else shall be subject to like
Punishment as by this Act is inflicted or provided to be inflicted upon such Person so imbezeling or purloyning
any such Silke as aforesaid
VIII. 
Provided alwaies that it shall and may be lawfull to and for any Freeman of the said Company of Silk-throwers
to sett on work and imploy any Person or Persons being Native Subjects to His Majesty and no others whether
they be Men Women or Children to turn the Mill tye Threads double Silke and wind Silke as formerly they
have used to doe although such Person or Persons who shall be so sett on worke and imployed in the works and
services aforesaid shall not have served or been bred up as Apprentices to the Trade of Silk throwing by the space
of seven yeares and that all and every the said Person and Persons who shall be so sett on worke and imployed
by any Freeman of the said Company in the workes and services aforesaid shall & may be imployed by any Freeman
of the said Company in the works & services aforesaid or any of them without any lett or molestation Any thing
in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding
IX. 
Provided and be it enacted that the said Corporation of Silk throwers shall not by vertue of this Act nor any
thing therein contained make any Orders Ordinances or By-Lawes to sett any Rates or Prices whatsoever upon the
Throwing of Silk to bind or inforce theire Members to worke att but that theire respective Members shall be left
att Liberty to contract with theire respective Imployers and also with the Persons that they imploy at such Rates
as they and theire Imployers and the Persons imployed shall agree upon Any thing in this Act to the contrary
in any wise notwithstanding.