1^0 all to whom these Presents shall come. We the Right Honourable
Heneage Lord Finch Baron of Daventry, Lord High Chancellor of
England, Sir Richard Rainsforu Knight, Lord Chief Justice of his
Majesties Court of Kings Bench, and Sir Francis North Knight,
Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Fleas at Westminster,
send Greeting.

Whereas, in a Statute made in the Parliament holden at Westminster the
Twenty Fifth day of January, in the Nineteenth Year of the Reign of the late
King of Famous Memory, Henry the Seventh, for the Weal and Profit of his
Subjects, It was amongst other things Ordained, Established and Enacted, That no
Master, Wardens and Fellowships of Crafts and Mysteries, or any of them, nor any
Rulers of Guilds and Fraternities, should take upon them to make any Acts or
Ordinances, nor to Execute any Acts or Ordinances by them then afore-made, in
Disinheritance or Diminution of the Prerogative of the King, nor of any other, nor
against the Common Profit of the People; But if the said Acts or Ordinances be
Examined and Approved by the Chancellor or Treasurer of England, or Chief
Justices of either Bench, or Three of them, or before both the Justices of Assize in
their Circuit or Progress in the Shire where such Acts or Ordinances be made, upon
pain of Forfeiture of Forty Pounds for every time that they do contrary, (as by the
same Statute more plainly doth and may appear.)

Know ye, That the Master and Keepers or Wardens and Oomminalty of the
Mystery or Art of Stationers of the City of London, willing and desiring that the
said Act of Parliament, be in all things duely observed and kept, the Third day
of January, in the Nine and Twentieth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord
Charles the Second, by the Grace of God of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland,
King, Defender of the Faith, &c. Have presented unto us a Book containing divers
Orders, Rules and Ordinances by them Ordained, Devised and Made, for the well
Governing of their Society ; And as well for the Consideration of the good Estate
thereof, as for the better Governing and Ordering of the said Society, at their
humble Suit to us made, to have the same Settled and Established : And that We
all and every their said Acts and Ordinances hereafter mentioned, and by them
so to us exhibited, would Examine, and those and every of them Correct and
Amend, and so Approve them in due and convenient manner and form, as the
said recited Act of Parliament requireth : We well perceiving and considering
the said Supplication to be good and reasonable, according to their desire, and by
the Authority of the said Act of Parliament to us given, All and every their Acts
and Ordinances, so to us Exhibited, have Seen, Read and Examined; The Tenor
whereof hereafter followeth, Viz.
1.4