IAMES by the Grace of God , King of England , Scotland , France and Ireland , Defender of the Faith , &c. To all to whome these presents shall come , Greeting . Whereas wee haue alwayes helde it one of the most iust and necessarie cares and considerations incident to the State and Office of Kings and Soueraigne Princes , so to dispose of their people and Gouernment , as the knowledge and vse of good and profitable arts and inuentions may become common and frequent amongst their people , the same being one of the greatest meanes to increase and preserue the wealth and strength of State and people , Considering how contrary effects labour and idlenesse doe produce , the one making Kingdomes great and flourishing , the other alwayes bearing the markes of beggerie and contempt : Forsomuch as some of our good and louing Subiects of our Realme of England , haue of late to their great charge , & no lesse commendation , found out and made proofe of sundry Mines in our Countie of Yorke , for the making of Allome , a Merchandize of great necessitie and vse sundry wayes for all our Dominions , and haue so well and commendably proceeded therein , that they are at this time able to make sufficient store of Allome , not onely to serue for the vse and expense of all our said Kingdomes , but also within short space to afford and spare great quantities thereof , to bee euery yeere transported for the vse and seruice of other our neighbour Kingdomes and Nations : And whereas the said persons , who by their skill and industrie haue effected so good and great a worke , ( so often failing vpon other attempts ) haue willingly and freely offered and yeelded vp the sayd Allome Mines into our handes , vpon such Conditions as haue giuen them full contentment and satisfaction , all men being able to iudge that a matter of that consequence , and wherein so many of our people should bee interessed , was more fit for vs to take into our owne hands , then to leaue the same in the power of priuate men : Wee haue now thought fit for the said considerations , and many other , to giue order to our Treasourer of England , and our Chancellour of our Exchequer , to take the whole worke into our possession , and for that purpose haue made choise of two of the same persons , that managed the same workes before ( being both of trust , skill and experience ) to deale for vs , as our generall and speciall Factors and Agents , for the whole ordering of the said workes in time to come . And albeit that by meanes of the Allome made and to bee made within our said Realme , we shal receiue great hinderance by being depriued of such Customes and other Duties , as formerly haue bene vsually payd vnto vs and our Predecessours Kings and Princes of this our Realme , for and vpon that Commoditie imported : Yet to the intent our Subiects shall not bee any way wronged , but in all poynts carefully respected and duely prouided for in that Commoditie , Wee haue ( out of our royall and tender care of our Subiects good ) giuen expresse order and commandement , that our said Agents shall prouide and cause to be prouided , and at all times , and from time to time hereafter haue in their custodie , in some fit and conuenient Store-houses , both within the Citie of London , and within euery other Citie and port Towne of the same our Realme of England , as shal be thought fit and appointed , sufficient quantities of Allome , and that from the sayd Store-houses , all and euery our people and Subiects shall and may from time to time , buy and haue thereof by lesser or greater quantities at their pleasures , so much good and seruiceable Allome , as they or any of them shall at any time require , and at such rate and price to be indifferently appoynted to be payd for and vpon euery hundred weight of Allome so to be sold and deliuered as aforesaid , as shall not giue any iust cause of discontent to any of our louing Subiects .

These are therefore to require and command , all and singuler person and persons whatsoeuer , aswell our naturall borne Subiects , as Denizens or Strangers , That none of them , nor any other person or persons whatsoeuer , Doe at any time or times hereafter attempt or presume to bring or cause to bee brought into these our Realmes of England , Scotland or Ireland , or any other our Dominions , or any the Ports , Hauens , Creeks , or places of any of them , any Allome in greater or lesser quantities , made or to be made in any forreigne part or place whatsoeuer , vpon paine of forfeiture of all and euery quantitie and quantities of Allome so brought or caused to be brought into our said Dominions , contrary to this our present commandement : The one moytie therof to be to vs , our Heires & Successors , and the other moytie to such person or persons as shall make seizure of the same : and also vpon paine of our high indignation and displeasure , and of such further paines , penalties and punishments , as for the contempt of our commandement Royall in this behalfe may any way be inflicted vpon them , or any of them so offending . And we do also further require and command all & singuler the Officers of our Customes within all and euery the Ports of the same our Dominions , and the creeks and members of the same Ports , that they and euery of them doe from and after the date hereof at all times , forbeare to take any entrie or entries , and to take and make any composition for any Custome , Subsidie , or other Duety , for or vpon any Allome brought or to bee brought into any our Dominions from any forraine parts , and also that they and euery of them ( whom it doth or shal coucerne ) do stay and seize as forfeited & confiscatted to the vse and vses aforesaid , all and singuler such forraine Allome , as from and after the date hereof shal be by any person or persons whatsoeuer , brought into any Port or Creeke of the same our Dominions , vpon paine of forfeiture of their Offices , and of vndergoing our high indignation and displeasure , with such further paines and punishments , as for the same their contempts or defaults may any way be inflicted vpon them and euery of them in this behalfe offending .