Silk Throwing Act 1667
1667 CHAPTER 11 19 and 20 Cha 2
An Act to regulate the Trade of Silk Throwing

Recital that Silk Throwing is obstructed by a By-law.
The same By-law made void, and the Company disabled to restrain the Number of Mills, Spindles, &c.Whereas the Art of working and throwing of Silk for many yeares past (giving Imployment to the Poor
of the Kingdom) hath of late been obstructed by reason that the present Master and Wardens and part of
the Assistants and Commonalty of the Trade Art or Mistery of Silk Throwers of the City of London have
endeavored to put in execution a certaine By-law by them made neere forty years since restraining and stinting the
Freemen of the said Company that they shall not worke with above the Number of One hundred and sixty
Spindles att one time and the Assistants of the said Company with above the number of Two hundred and
forty Spindles which is an hindrance to the Growth & Improvemt of the said Art and a restraint to the working
of Silks in this Kingdome which is of late much improved and to the Subsistence & Livelyhood of many thousand
poor Families and puts the Traders in that Comodity upon a necessity of using Forreign Thrown Silk Be it
therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual &
Temporall and Commons assembled in Parliament That the said By-law is hereby void and null and the said
Company are hereby disabled from making any By-law for the future which shall restrain or limit the Number
of Mills Spindles or other Utensils to be imployed by any of the Free men of the said Company in or about the
said Art or Mistery
Silk-winders or Doublers purloining Silk, to be imprisoned or punished as by 14 (13 & 14) C.II. c. 15. §5, 6.
II. 
And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid That if any Silk winder or Doubler shall hereafter be found faulty in
unjustly deceitfully or falsely purloyning imbezilling pawning selling or detaining any Silke committed to his or theire
Trust That then any Justice of Peace Maior Bailiffe or cheif Officer of any County Liberty or Corporation shall
immediately upon conviction by confession of the party or upon the Oath of one Witnes before any of the said
Justice or Justices of the Peace or other Officer commit to Prison or to the house of Correction the Offender till
satisfaction be given to the party wronged or punishment inflicted as by an Act of Parliament intituled An Act for
regulating the Trade of Silke Throwing made this present Parliament is directed and appointed Any thing in the
said Act contained to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding
No By-law to restrain Number of Apprentices to less than Three.
III. 
And be it further enacted That no By-law already made or hereafter to be made by the said Company
shall or may limit or confine any Freeman of the said Company to take a lesse number then three Apprentices
att any time