IAMES by the grace of GOD King of great Britanne , France , and Ireland : defender of the Faith , to Our Loveds Messingers , Our Shirefs in that part , conjunctlie and severallie specialie constitute ; greeting , Forsamekle , As WEE out of Our Princelie and tender regaird towards the honour credite and benefite of this Our ancient Kingdome , having euer had a speciall caire and regaird that the practize of Trades not formarlie knowne or truelie and vprightlie practized within the same , might bee broght in ; and that Our Subjects might be instructed therein , to the intent that by their industrie skill and labours the Cuntrie might bee furnished within the selfe with many necessar commodities , whereof now a great part are broght from foraine parts to the discredite of this Our Kingdome and emptying of the same of a great deale of Treasure yeerlie exported for that cause : Amongst others Our Royall and Princelie projects in this kynd , which haue all had one happie and good successe . WEE were pleased vpon one Petition exhibite vnto WS in Our Soveraine and high Court of Parliament , Concerning the vniversall abuse in Tanning and Barking of Leather throughout this Our whole Kingdome , To recommend to the Lords of Our Privie Counsell the order taking for reforming of the said abuse . Wherevpon the saids Lords having taking some paines and travells for trying of the said abuse and the ground and occasions of the same ; And they having at length conferred thereanent as weell with a number of the principall Tanners of this Our Kingdome of best judgement , knowledge and experience , in that trade , as with sundrie Cordonars of good fame and credite : And all the particulars which might produce a cleare discoverie of the said abuse and occasions thereof , with the meanes how the same might bee reformed being amplie proposed reasoned and discussed , In end IT was found by the saids Lords out of their owne reason and judgement , and by the declaration and confession of the Tanners them selfes , that the abuse and corruptions of their trade did proceed from their owne ignorance and want of skill , in the trew and perfyte forme of Tanning : And that therefore there was a necessitie of inbringing of Strangers to instruct them thereintill . Wherevpon the saids Lords having entered in deliberation how the strangers might bee broght in ; In end the charge thereof was embraced and vndertaken by Our traist Cousing and Counsaller IOHNE Lord ERSKENE who hath verie cairefullie behaved him selfe therein , and hath broght in and exhibite before the saids Lords the persons particularlie vnderwritten ; They are to say , George Harason in Durham . Nicolas Richardson there . Cuthbert Hutcheson elder there . Edward Craiges there . Cuthbert Hutcheson younger there . Ihon Robeson there . Thomas Dobieson there . Thomas Dobieson younger there . Robert Halfard there . and George Lambert there . Iohn Heroun in Hexem . Reynold Milbourn there . Harie Twedaill , there . Thomas Wallace there . George Ogill there . Philip Shilton of Chester of the street . and George Wilsoun in Morpet . Which whole persons are all of good skill knowledge and experience in the trade of Tanning . And vpon their great Oaths they haue promised to deale faith fullie and trewlie with the Tanners of this Our Kingdome , And to instruct them in the right forme of Tanning , and how to dresse their pottes : Lyke as they haue sett doune some groundes how the Hydes shall bee drest and handled , from the tyme they are broght from the Boutcheour , vntill they bee perfytlie and weell Tanned .

AS namelie they haue declared that there is a great abuse committed by the Boutcheours , by slashing of the Hydes and cutting of some of the Rimme away , whereby a part of the substance of the hydes is taken away and the hydes are thereby the more apt to receiue water .

JT is requisite that everie Tanner having a good Stock shall haue Two lyme-pottes at the least , for changing of the hydes from one potte to another , To witt , One for greene leather , and the other for Rype leather : But if his Stock will not answere to Two pottes , then hee must refresh the Lyme the oftner ; And those pottes are to bee of Sax , or Seaven foote in length , Foure foote in breadth , and foure or fyve foote deepe .

The Hydes being brought from the Boutcheour to the Tanner , they are to be casten in fresh watter there to lye three or foure dayes , till the bloode and filth bee sucked out and taken away .

Thereafter they are to bee put in a Lyme-potte , there to lye fyve or sax weekes till they bee sufficientlie lymed , And three dayes euerie weeke they are to be handled and sighted and changed from potte to potte for eschuing of putrifactioun , And being taken out of the lyme-pottes , they are to bee casten in fresh water there to lye one day or one night , till the lyme bee washin of , Thereafter they are to bee put in a baitte of fresh watter with pigeon or Dow-dung , or Hen-pen , there to lye eight dayes till the lyme bee cleane wroght out of them .

The Lyme being cleine wroght out of the hydes , they are then to bee broght to the wouseis of the Barke-pottes , of which pottes everie Barker must haue at the least fyve or sax , two for lopping , and the rest for handling , and the pottes for lopping must bee seaven foote long fyue foote deepe , and fyue foote braide , and the pottes for handling one yaird square euerie way lyned with timber or stone , as the commoditie affoords , and covered if the owner thinketh meete for eschwing of Thift .

The Hydes being broght to the Bark-pottes and wouseis , they are to bee chifted and handled from one potte to another , to witt , from a worse to a better everie thrid day or oftner as the occasion presenteth , till they bee sufficientlie Tanned : And the wouseis are made of water and Bark , and of the Bark which the Tanners of this Our Kingdome cast foorth of their Bark-pottes , the English Tanners make their best wouseis and liquour with some litle refreshing and renewing .

And the Hyde for over-leather must lye twentie foure weekes in the Bark-potte , And the Hyde for sole-leather twentie eight weekes , or lesse if the leather bee weell followed at the discretion of the Owner .

The hydes being sufficientlie Tanned and taken out of the Barck-pottes , they are then to bee dryed with the Aër , to wit they must bee hung vp vpon sparres to bee dryed in convenient places according as the season and weather falleth out , and they are to bee keipt from raine , and neuer to bee dryed by fyre but vpon plane necessitie , and in drying of the hydes all violent and extreame heates ar to bee eschewed .

Many other thinges haue they declared concerning the trew and perfyte forme of Tanning , the particulars whereof will bee better vnderstood by practize and sight , then by verball informations and discourses .

And whereas those Strangers haue left their owne Cuntrie houses and families , and are come heere to bee directed to the severall pairtes of this Our Kingdome for instructing of the cuntrie People in the right forme of Tanning , which will prove verie gainefull vnto them and profitable to Our whole cuntrie , And will not onlie spaire a great deale of Barck which is vnnecessarie , vnprofitablie , and vnworthelie , spent by them , but besyds will hold a great deale of money within this Our Kingdome ; which is yeerly exported for inbringing of forrain leather .

Therefore it is verie necessar and expedient for the honour and credite of this Our Kingdome , that the saids persons shall not onlie bee kyndlie and freindlie vsed with all respect favour and duetie that apperteineth ; but that they haue some Privileges and liberties in the said trade , during the tyme of their abode heir for the better inco●●ging them to deale faithfullie and truelie ●● the earand they are co●● for . And siklyke it is verie necessar that the Tanners and Barckers of this Our Kingdome bee cairefull and diligent to receiue tymous instruction from the saids Englishmen , to the intent that betwix and the Terme appoynted for Sealling of the saids Hydes , they may haue good knowledge and experience in the said trade . And for effect , WEE with the advise of the Lords of Our secreet Counsell HAUE taken and by the tennor heirof TAKES the saids persons and everie one of them vnder Our Protection , Defence , and Saif-gaird , to be vnharmed or troubled in their persons or goods for whatsomeuer deid or occasion otherwayes then by commoun course of Law and Justice . And sicklyk WEE with advise foresaid Haue Given and granted and by the tennor hereof Gives and grantes full libertie priviledge licence and warrand to the persones aboue-written and everie one of them To vse the trade of Tanning in the severall parts and places of this Our Kingdome where they shall happen to bee directed and send in maner following , ●o witt , they shall concurre with the Tanners within these parts and Joyne with them in the Tanning and dressing of their Leather , and they shall make vse of their Lyme and Barck-pottes , And shall lay their hydes in the same pottes with the hydes of the Barkers of those pairts , and shall handle and dresse the whole hydes in the pottes indifferentlie and and with a commune and aequale respect and consideration : By the which doing the Tanners of this Our Kingdome , if they bee willing or capable of Instruction may haue good occasion to learne and to bee instructed in short tyme in the true knowledge of the said trade .

OUR WILL IS herefore , and WEE charge you straitlie and commands that incontinent those Our Letters seene , Yee passe to the Market Croces of the Head Burrowes of this Our Kingdome and others places needfull ; And there by oppen Proclamation , and in Our Name and Auctoritie make publication of the praemisses wherethrogh none praetend ignorance of the same : And that yee command charge and inhibite all and sundrie Our Lieges and Subjects that none of them praesoome nor take vpon hand To vex harme molest trouble or inquyet , the persons particularlie aboue written or any one of them , But to 〈◊〉 them with all respects of freindship and kyndnes , in all parts where they shall happen to repaire , As they and everie one of them will answer to WS and Our Counsell vpon their obedience at their highest charge and perrell . And sicklyk that yee command and charge The whole Barckers and Tanners of leather within this Our Kingdome that they and everie one of them betwix and the first day of September next to come , Provyde them selfes with the number of Lyme and Barck-pottes aboue-written , And that they dresse and handle their Hydes both in the Lyme and Barck-pots according to the forme rewles and ground set doun and to be praescryved vnto them : And for this effect that they bee cairfull and diligent to receiue instruction from the persons particularlie aboue-written , And to conforme them selfes to their directions and informations aswell in the dressing and handling their hydes which are praesentlie in their pottes , as anent the hydes which shall bee put in the same hereafter .

And if any person or persons out of malice and in contempt of this Our Ordinance and of purpose to hinder the progresse of this work , which will prove so profitable to the whole Cuntrie shall happen to leave of the said trade for some certaine space with resolution to return thereto againe at their pleasure and as they shall find the occasion . That therefore yee intimat and declare to all Our Lieges that everie such persone or persons who shall bee tryed to offend in this case , shall be called before the Lords of Our Privie Counsell and punished by them at their discretion . And whereas it is vnderstand to the saids Lords of Our Privie Counsell that the Tanners of this Kingdome may haue sufficient tyme and leasour to learne the said trade of Tanning and Barcking of leather in ane vpright and perfyte forme ( if they be willing ) betwix and the first day of November in the yeere of God Jaj vj ᶜ xxj yeeres . Which is the tearme appointed by Our said Counsell when the Sealing of the Hydes for approoving of the sufficiencie of the same shall beginne . Therefore that yee intimat and declaire to all the Barkers and Tanners of Hydes within this Our Kingdome , that all and whatsomever hydes that shall happen to bee presented to Market , sauld or put in work without the Seale after the said first day of November in the yeere of God Jaj Sax hundreth and twentie one yeeres . shall bee confiscate and escheat to the vse and behoue of him who hath the charge and trust of the Seale . The which to doe WEE commit to you you conjunctlie and severallie Our full power By those Our letters , delivering the same by you duelie execute and indorsed againe to the Bearer .