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[Manufacture of Tobacco-pipes.]

An abstract of some branches of his Majesties late Charter, Granted to the Tobacco-Pipe makers of Westminster; declaring his Majesties pleasure touching that Manufacture, and also all persons whom it may concerne.

James by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, &c. Whereas Wee have been informed by the complaint of divers of Our poore Subjects, the ancient Makers of Tobacco-Pipes within this Our Realme, That for want of power and priviledge to retaine their Apprentises and Servants during their Apprentiship (who commonly depart from them before they have served their tearmes, or attained to the knowledge of their Art) they are much prejudiced both in their Trades and meanes of living, by their excessive making and uttering of ill Ware, And Our Subjects who have use of that Manufacture, are thereby greatly abused and deceived: And not only so, but to their Masters farther impoverishment, these loose and idle persons doe instruct and teach others of as bad qualitie as themselves, to make and sell like ill and deceitful ware. Besides, for that the said Art of making Tobacco Pipes is easily learned, sundry of our Subjects trained up in other Trades more useful for the Realme, doe forsake the same and take up this of making Tobacco-Pipes: And others who have other good Trades to live upon, intrude themselves into this also, and use both, to the hinderance and overthrow of those who anciently practised the same. And whereas for the better reforming of all those disorders, to cut off the superfluous straglers and late intruders, to reduce them to a competent number, and to settle good government amongst them (this Trade being a new Trade, never yet ordered by any Law or Policie, and which concerneth not any Commoditie of necessitie for our Common-weale, but a superfluous pleasure, necessarie to be regulated by Our Royall power and authoritie) We have therefore thought fit by Letters Patents under Our Great Seale, to Incorporate a certaine number of choice and selected persons, who have either served as Apprentices, or have otherwise practised that Art by the space of seven yeers, to whom and whose Servants, Apprentices, and such others as shall be by them admitted into that Societie for their skill and honest conversation, Wee intend to appropriat the said Art, and to restraine all others from taking that benefit which in no right belongeth unto them.

And to the end that all our loving Subjects may take knowledge of Our pleasure expressed in our Charter, that it may be duly observed without pretext of ignorance, Wee doe heereby declare Our expresse will and pleasure to be, and doe straightly charge and command, That no person or persons whatsoever, other then such as are members of the said Societie of Tobacco-pipe makers of Westminster, or which have by the space of seven yeares at the least beene bound to (or exercised) that Art, or such others as shall be chosen into the Societie by the said Societie, shall not presume (from the date of these presents) directly nor indirectly to make any manner of Tobacco-pipes within this Our Realme of England or Dominion of Wales, nor shall bring in or import any manner of Tobacco-pipes from beyond the Seas, or from Our Realme of Scotland; Nor shall utter, sell, or put to sale any Tobacco-pipes so made or brought into this Our Realme of England and Dominion of Wales, contrary to Our pleasure heerein declared Upon paine not only of forfeiture of all such Manufacture, but of incurring such penalties, imprisonments and punishments, as by the Lawes and Statutes of this Our Realme, or by Our prerogative Royall may be inflicted upon the offenders in this kind for their contempt or neglect of Our Royall Will and Commandment. And further, for the better discovering and suppressing of all secret and under-hand making or uttering of the said Manufacture by such as are not members of this Societie or otherwise enabled as aforesaid, Wee doe require, charge, and straightly command all Our loving Subjects (especially such Retaylers as shall buy Tobacco-pipes to sell againe) that they, nor any of them directly, nor indirectly, shall buy, acquire, get or obtaine any Tobacco-pipes whatsoever of or from the hands of any person or persons, not being knowne members of the said Societie, And to that end it is provided, that all Tobacco-pipes made by the said Company, shall be brought to the Common Hall of the said Societie, there to be proved whether the same be good and marchantable ware, before they shall be uttered or put to sale; (where they may be bought of all Our loving Subjects) Upon paine of undergoing of Our displeasure, and such paines and penalties as shall or may ensue thereupon for such contempt against Our will and Our prerogative Royall. And for the full effectuating of Our pleasure heerein, These are to command and straightly charge, That all the said Tobacco-pipe Makers aforesaid, shall forthwith take knowledge of our Charter by these presents, and by resorting to the said Societie in London, where they shall receive such Orders and Ordinances as shall be constituted and made by the Master, Wardens, and Assistances of the said Societie for the benefit of the said Societie. And lastly, We will and do hereby require all Mayors, Sherifes, Justices of Peace, Bailifes, Constables, and all other Officers and Ministers whatsoever, That they and every of them in their severall Offices and Places be from time to time ayding and assisting to the said Master, Wardens, and Societie in the due execution and accomplishment of this Our Royall Will and Commandment, as they tender Our pleasure, and will avoid the contrary.

Witnesse Our selfe at Westminster the sixth day of October, in the seventeenth yeere of Our Raigne of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland, the three and Fiftieth.

1 p. folio. Copy in Antiq.