Power to levy Fines.

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any apprentice or apprentices until such time as he hath been out of his time of apprenticeship and a freeman of the said Company by the space of three years, and make his proof piece as is hereafter expressed; nor shall to or for his own proper gain, profit, or advantage profess, exercise, or manage the same mystery as a master thereof, or to take any apprentice, until such time as he shall, for the trial and approbation of his skill in the same trade, have made and wrought in the presence of the Master or Wardens for the time being, or such person or persons as by them or any two of them shall be appointed for that purpose, five hundred needles of such sorts and sizes as by the Master and Wardens for the time being, or any two of them, shall be to him or them in that behalf prescribed, and upon the finishing of the same needles shall present them to the Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the said Society for the time being, or the greater part of them; and that every person upon such approbation shall pay to the Master and Wardens aforesaid, to and for the use aforesaid, the sum of Ten shillings of lawful money of England, and to the Clerk of the said Company for the time being One shilling and sixpence, and to the Beadle thereof Twelvepence. And that every person or persons that shall offend in any point contrary to this ordinance shall forfeit and pay for every offence, to and for the use aforesaid, to the Master and Wardens of the said Company for the time being, Five pounds of lawful money of England, or such less sum

of like money as by the said Master, Wardens, and Assistants for the time being, or the greater part of them, shall be adjudged and thought fitting.

The Number of Apprentices whereof each Freeman is capable.

Also it is ordained that no person or persons free, or which hereafter shall be free, of the said Company, nor any other person or persons which now do or hereafter shall use the art or mystery of Needlemaking within the limits aforesaid, that hath borne or which hereafter shall bear the office, room, or place of Master or Warden, or Assistant or Assistants of the said Company of Needlemakers, shall have, retain, keep, or employ above the number of two apprentices at the most at one time; and that no person but such as shall be chosen to the office of Master, Wardens, or Assistants to keep two apprentices as afore is mentioned; and they, the Master, Wardens, or Assistants, not to take any more unless the term of one of his or their said apprentices be within six months of expiration or determination. And that no other person or persons which shall hereafter use or exercise the art or mystery of Needlemaking within the said City of London, and ten miles' compass of the same, that hath not borne such office or offices as aforesaid, shall have, retain, and keep at one time more than one apprentice, unless the term or terms of the apprenticeship or apprenticeships of such apprentice or apprentices shall be within

Enticing Apprentices.

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one year of the expiration or determination of the said term or terms; and that every person or persons which shall offend in any point contrary to this present ordinance shall forfeit and pay to the Master and Wardens of the said Society, to and for the use aforesaid, the sum of Five pounds of lawful money of England for every month that he, she, or they shall keep, have, or retain any apprentice contrary to the true intent and meaning of this present ordinance, or such less sum of like money as by the Master, Wardens, and Assistants for the time being, or the greater part of them, shall be adjudged and thought fitting.

Against Enticements of an Apprentice out of his Service.

Also it is ordained that no person or persons now using, or which hereafter shall use, the same trade of Needlemaking, or which now is or hereafter shall be free of the same Company, shall entice, seduce, persuade, intreat, procure, receive, take, or entertain into his or their service or house the apprentice of any man or woman now or hereafter using the same trade, or being of the same Company, unless the term for which every such apprentice is respectively to serve be fully ended, or unless it be otherwise ordered by the Master and Wardens of the said Company and their Assistants, or the greater part of them, for the time being; and that every person that doth or shall offend contrary to this

E

present ordinance shall forfeit and pay, for the use aforesaid, for every such offence, to the Master and Wardens of the said Company for the time being, Three pounds of lawful money of England, or such less sum of like money as shall be adjudged and thought fitting as aforesaid.

Against teaching the Trade to any other than to Apprentices.

Also it is ordained that such person or persons which now or hereafter are or shall be free of the said Company, or which now do or hereafter shall use or exercise the art or mystery of Needlemaking within the limits or places before mentioned, or any of them, that shall by any manner of means whatsoever teach, instruct, or cause to be taught and instructed, or endeavour by any colour or otherwise to teach or instruct any person or persons whatsoever other than his apprentice or apprentices (to be by him or them lawfully bound, according to the laws of this Kingdom and custom of the City of London), the trade, mystery, craft, art, or occupation of Needlemaking, or any skill, knowledge, workmanship, or thing thereunto in any manner of wise belonging or appertaining, shall for every such offence in that behalf forfeit and pay to the Master and Wardens of the Company aforesaid for the time being, to and ⚫ for the use of the said Society, the sum of Ten pounds of lawful money of England, or such less sum of like money as by the

Penalties for Profane Swearing.

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Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Company aforesaid, or the greater part of them, for the time being, shall be adjudged fitting.

Not to strike the Mark on Ordinary Needles.

Also it is ordained that no person or persons whatsoever which now do or hereafter shall use the said art within the limits aforesaid, or be free of the said Company, shall at any time or times hereafter strike or set any mark or stamp upon any sort or size of ordinary needles, for that it is a means to delude and deceive the buyers of the same, they thinking and many times taking them to be of the best sort of needles in respect of the mark or stamp is set on them as aforesaid; and every person or persons as aforesaid that shall offend contrary to this ordinance shall forfeit and pay for every offence to the Master and Wardens aforesaid, to and for the use of the said Society, the sum of Twenty shillings of lawful money of England, or such less sum of like money as shall be thought fitting and adjudged by the said Master, Wardens, and Assistants, or the greater number of them.

Against Swearing, Reviling, and the like.

Also it is ordained that if any person which now doth or hereafter shall exercise the same art within the limits aforesaid, or any