[1] Refers to the proclamation of September 11, 1614. In 1618 the
East India Adventurers had joined stock with the Muscovy Company to
form one joint company for the whale fishery, but after two years of
unsuccessful adventuring the agreement was dissolved (Anderson, _Origin
of Commerce_, ii, 360, 367).
[2] Spitzbergen, rather than Greenland proper.
1619, October 6.
[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._
1619, November 10.
[Inspecting of Tobacco.]