WHereas a great number of people aswell Aliens as others Our Subiects borne , who neuer served as Apprentices in any trade , craft , or occupation , haue intruded into places , aswell within Our City of London , exempt from the freedome thereof , as without Our said City , and within three miles of the same , And there without restraint or order , haue vsurped , and doe still practise and exercise seuerall Trades , Mysteries , and Handicrafts : By meanes whereof the said places are much pestered with Inmates , and become noisome and contagious , wares are falsifyed and sophisticated , and the Tradesmen and Artificers , aswell within the said places , as within Our Citie of London , who haue serued as Apprentices according to Our lawes , are very much impouerished and disabled to maintaine their families .

Wee taking the premisses into Our Princely consideration , and resoluing on the best and speediest way of reformation for the good of Our people , and for the remedy of the aforementioned euils for time to come , haue thought it meet to set a stop to the future confluence and intrusion of Forreyners and Aliens into the said places . And for that cause , and for the regulating and more orderly disposing of Trade and Tradesmen there , by the aduice of the Lords and others of Our Priuie Councell , haue by Our Letters Patents vnder Our great Seale of England , in such sort as therein is expressed , incorporated the present Tradesmen and Artificers inhabiting within the same places , who haue serued as Apprentices by the space of seuen yeares , and haue there erected and established a setled Gouernment : Ordaining and declaring by Our said Letters Patents , that no person whatsoeuer , other then the present Tradesmen and Artificers shall from hencefoorth inhabite in the said places , to set up or exercise any Arte , Mystery , Trade , or Occupation , or vse any trading by retaile there , or be admitted into the said Corporation vnlesse he shall first serue as an Apprentice there by the space of seuen yeares .

And concerning the said present Tradesmen and Artificers , Wee haue by Our said Letters Patents ordeined and declared , that such of them as haue serued Apprentiships by the space of seuen yeares , shall foorth with be receiued into the freedome of the said body . And for such of them as being Natiues , haue not serued Apprentiships as aforesaid , in regard the punishment whereunto they are lyable ( if Wee should put Our lawes in execution ) would much impouerish them , and rather bring a charge upon the Parishes wherein they liue , which are ouerburdened with poore already , then work any reformation for the time to come : We therefore , out of Our Princely care for their ease and welfare , by Our said Letters Patents haue further ordered , That they also may be admitted into the said Freedome , in such manner , as by Our said Letters Patents is ordained ; And after such admittance , shall , and may freely vse their Trades within the said places during their naturall liues .

And as for such Aliens , as haue for some reasonable time , openly vsed and exercised Trades within the said places , We haue further by Our said Letters Patents , declared Our gracious Will and Pleasure to be ; That such of the said present Aliens there inhabiting , as shall bee found fit to partake of this Our Grace and Fauour , and will submit themselues to be regulated and ordered by Our Lawes , and the Constitutions of the said Corporation , may also bee admitted into the Communalty and Freedome of the said Body , accordingly as is ordained by Our said Letters Patents ; And after such admittance , shall , and may freely vse their Trades there , during their naturall liues : And that no other Alien shall from henceforth be admitted into the said Freedome .

And to the end , that so great care by vs taken , for the generall good and welfare of Our People inhabiting the said places may not bee frustrate ; Our Will and Pleasure is , That all the said Tradesmen and Artificers , now inhabiting in the said places , and intending there to continue , be forthwith admitted into the said Freedome . And that no person or persons whatsoeuer , shall after the Feast of All Saints next insuing , vse or exercise any Trade , Mystery , Craft , Occupation , or trading by Retaile in the places aforesaid , vnlesse hee , or they bee admitted into the said Freedome , vpon paine of Our Indignation , and such further punishment , as We by Our Lawes , and the Statutes of this Our Realme , or by Our Prerogatiue Royall may inflict vpon the Contemners of Our Royall Will and Pleasure .

And for the more speedy effecting the great good hereby intended , it is Our expresse Will and Pleasure , That the Church-wardens , Constables , and other Officers of the seuerall Parishes and Precincts , within the places aforesaid , do forthwith deliuer vnto the Chamberlaines of the said Corporation , the names and sirnames of all the present inhabitants , within their respectiue Parishes and Precincts , who now exercise any Trade , Mystery , Craft , Occupation , or dealing by Retaile there , as also the places of their abode , and what Trade euery of them doth vse : That so the names of the present Tradesmen and Artificers , and places of their abode being knowne , the intrusion of others may the better be preuented , and discouered in time to come .

Lastly , We do hereby declare , That in all the Premisses , Our Royall care hath been , not to alter or infringe the present formes of Gouernment already established within any of the said places ; but only to affoord Our Royall assistance , for the ease and reliefe of Our good Subiects , in cases already not prouided for . And therefore by Our said Letters Patents Wee haue prouided , That the Iurisdiction and forme of Gouernment , heretofore established within Our City of London , Our City of Westminster , the Borough of Southwark , Our Tower of London , the Liberties and Precincts thereof , or elsewhere within the places aforesaid , and the Priuiledges , Immunities and Rites of them , or any of them ; and also the Liberties , Priuiledges , Immunities and Rites heretofore granted to the Deane and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of S. Peter Westminster , or by them , or their high Steward for the time being , lawfully vsed , shall not by Our said Letters Patents be any wayes infringed or preiudiced .