There were many good Laws made, for the setling the Aulingers Office, and preventing frauds and deceipts in work, in all sorts of Drapery, both old and new, which are too tedious to recite, though many of them be very necessary to be observed, for the credit and reputation of our Manufacture, but I shall only set forth, where they are to be found, and refer the ingenious, and judicial, to the perusal of the Statutes themselves, which are the Statutes concerning Wooll and clothing. _25. of Edw. 3. Cap. 4. 27. Ed. 3. Stat. 4. 50. Ed. 3. Stat. 7. and 8. 3. Ric. 2. cap. 2. Stat. 7. Ric. 29. 13. Ri. 2. Stat. 10. 13. Ric. 2. Stat. 11. 17. Ric. 2. Stat. 2. and 13. 13 Hen. 4. Stat. 24. 9 Hen. 4. Stat. 2. 11 Hen. 4. Stat. 6. 11 Hen. 6. Stat. 9. 4 Ed. 4. Stat. 1. 7 Edw. 4. Stat. 2. 17 Edw. 4. Stat. 3. 7 Edw. 4. Stat. 5. 1 Rich. 3. Stat. 3. and 4. 3 Hen. 7. Stat. 7. and 71. 3 Hen. 8. Stat. 7. and 8. 5 Hen. 2. Stat. 8. 1 Hen. 8. Stat. 11. 6 Hen. 8. Stat. 9. 25 Hen. 8. Stat. 18. 27 Hen. 8. Stat. 11. 6 Hen. 8. Stat. 9. 25 Hen. 8. Stat. 18. 27 Hen. 8. and Stat. 13. 33 He. 8. Stat. 3. 33 Hen. 8. Stat. 19. 4 Eliz. 6. Stat. and 2. and 5. 3 Phil. and Mary 11. 4 and 5 Stat. 3 Phil. and M. Stat. 4 and 5. 5 Phil. and Mary Stat. 5. and 8. 7 Eliz. Stat. 12. 33 Eliz. Stat. 9. 27 Eliz. Stat. 18. 39 Eliz. Stat. 11. 29 Eliz. Stat. 20._
Cards for Wooll, were prohibited to be brought out of other Countries into _England_ or _ Wales_; none were to transport sheep beyond Sea, without the King’s Licence, there was a limitation upon keeping Sheep, and an appointment how many sheep each man should keep, upon the penalty of 3 Shill. 4 pence, for every sheep more than his number.
[Sidenote: _Loss by the Poor not set at work._]
And if it be as the Company of Silk-Weavers, and Ribbon-weavers say, (as doubtless it is,) there are an hundred thousand people small and great, that depends upon that trade in and about the City of _London_, then how many may be supposed rationally to be in the whole Kingdome, that have their dependance on the trade of clothing, in the old and new Drapery, and other Trades, which have a dependence upon, or relation unto the Trade of Clothing, and which know not how to earn a penny any other way, since that trade is in a great measure lost, and left off; but these poor people live idly, and go a begging for their bread, among which also are many children from 8 years of age to 15, which can very well get a living about the trade of clothing, for that they can sort Wooll, mix it, Spole, Quil, Pick Teasels, prick Card-wiers, &c. and which in the time of good trading, could constantly earn eighteen pence, twenty pence or two shillings a week, but now very few of them, have any imployment as aforesaid; and if I should suppose but a Million of such poor people, throughout the Kingdome, which should every one get his eighteen pence a week, it would amount to, Three Millions nine hundred thousand pounds in a year, which is so much clear loss to the Kingdome; besides I know that there are many hundred thousands more of such people which live idly, and get nothing. Since we have left off so much of the Clothing trade in _England_, as hath been already intimated, the evil effects and consequents thereof, I humbly desire to leave and commit to the consideration of those that are more judicious in the Political affairs of the Common-wealth, to have suitable Remedies, as to their grave wisdome and Prudence might seem to be meet and necessary, I endeavouring only to be a layer open of the sore, and refer to the skilful Chyrurgeon for a healing Plaister.