Charles II, 1667 & 1668: An Act to regulate the Trade of Silk Throwing

Recital that Silk Throwing is obstructed by a By-law.

The same By-law made void, and the Company disabled to restrain the Number of Mills, Spindles, &c.

Whereas the Art of working and throwing of Silk for many yeares past (giving Imployment to the Poor of the Kingdom) hath of late been obstructed by reason that the present Master and Wardens and part of the Assistants and Commonalty of the Trade Art or Mistery of Silk Throwers of the City of London have endeavored to put in execution a certaine By-law by them made neere forty years since restraining and stinting the Freemen of the said Company that they shall not worke with above the Number of One hundred and sixty Spindles att one time and the Assistants of the said Company with above the number of Two hundred and forty Spindles which is an hindrance to the Growth & Improvem^t of the said Art and a restraint to the working of Silks in this Kingdome which is of late much improved and to the Subsistence & Livelyhood of many thousand poor Families and puts the Traders in that Comodity upon a necessity of using Forreign Thrown Silk Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual [& (fn. 1) ] Temporall and Commons assembled in Parliament That the said By-law is hereby void and null and the said Company are hereby disabled from making any By-law for the future which shall restrain or limit the Number of Mills Spindles or other Utensils to be imployed by any of the Free men of the said Company in or about the said Art or Mistery

II. Silk-winders or Doublers purloining Silk, to be imprisoned or punished as by 14 (13 & 14) C.II. c. 15. §5, 6.

And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid That if any Silk winder or Doubler shall hereafter be found faulty in unjustly deceitfully or falsely purloyning imbezilling pawning selling or detaining any Silke committed to his or theire Trust That then any Justice of Peace Maior Bailiffe or cheif Officer of any County Liberty or Corporation shall immediately upon conviction by confession of the party or upon the Oath of one Witnes before any of the said Justice or Justices of the Peace or other Officer commit to Prison or to the house of Correction the Offender till satisfaction be given to the party wronged or punishment inflicted as by an Act of Parliament intituled An Act for regulating the Trade of Silke Throwing made this present Parliament is directed and appointed Any thing in the said Act contained to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding

III. No By-law to restrain Number of Apprentices to less than Three.

And be it further enacted That no By-law already made or hereafter to be made by the said Company shall or may limit or confine any Freeman of the said Company to take a lesse number then three Apprentices att any time