"Company, upon sundry false Suggestions, as they were credibly informed, had, of late, exhibited his Bills, as well to the Queen's Majesty, as to his Honour, as to others the Lords of the Privy Council, craving thereby, that it might plwase her Highness to authorise, by a Commission by him devised, some one (meaning himself) to oversee and survey the Doings of their Workmen: Supposing to her Highness, that they, the Wardens, (to whom that Office by Vertue of the Queen's Majesty's Letters Patents appertained) did very remissly neglect their Duty therein: They therefore, lest peradventure her Majesty, and his Honour, and the rest of the Lords, not knowing how impudent and leud a Person he was, neither what Care and Paine they daily did take to execute their said Office of Search, might to their great Griefs and untolerable Burthen, upon his untrue Suggestion, without just Cause authorize so evil a Member, or any other, to search among them, to the great Disturbance of the whole Company, thought it their bounden Duty, first, to signify to his Lordship what he, the said Sutton, was, and in what Disorder he had lived, and yet did, among them, as by Records hereafter cited might appear: But also therewith presented to their Honours, what Order they took for searching throughout the whole Realm."

"That this Will. Sutton, Anno 1569, for his Disobedience to his Wardens, was sent to the Counter. His Case was thus: The said Sutton then (as he now did) found many Faults: And when he was called before the Company, could not set forth one particular Workman that should commit the same; and so, for slandering the Workmen, he was, by the Alderman of the Company, the Wardens, and the whole Assistants sent to Ward. That another Time he made Report to sundry, that he knew several great Enormities in the Company, and he would have it redrest. Whereupon, the Wardens hearing of it, sent for him again; and with as good Words as they could, desired him to tell it, and to set forth to them presently; that they might punish the same, and be forthwith redrest, that the Queen's Subjects, by Delay, might receive no Loss: But when he should have set down the said Faults, he could not set down one. After this, he then secretly, (as now he did) informed the Council, what evil Plate there was in Cheapside; and prayed a Commission for the Search of the same, and had it. And when he had taken the same Plate, and upon the sudden sealed it up in Bags, being after brought befrre the Commissioners, each Party had his own Plate again, as good Plate, and undefaced."

"That this Sutton alos procured one John Burton, Gold Wyer-drawer, to draw him a Wyer of fine Silver, and to brace it over with Gold, to make a deceitful Cheyne thereof: And so the said Cheyne had 14 Ounces in Silver in it, and a thinn Plate of Gold on it, weighing 3 Ounces. Whereupon, the said Sutton was called and examined, and could not deny the same. At another Time, the said Sutton, for his evil Demeanour was committed to Prison, in that he not only slandered the Company, but the Wardens; and would not, according to his Othe, set forth and declare to the said Wardens, as well the Cause as the Parties Names: Whereupon he, by his Adherents, complained himself to the whole Body of the Council; suggesting (as he yet daily doth) what great Enormities were in the said Company, and that he was committed for evil Will and Malice. Whereupon, their Honours directed their Letters to Sir Ambrose Nicholas, Kt. then L. Maior, and the Master of the Rolls: Who deliberately heard both him and us, with all the Proofs and Circumstances he could bring in, touching his Assertions. And in the End, by an Order taken likewise, ready to be shewed under their Hands, Yt was ordered, that he should eftsoons go to Prison again, 'till the Councils Pleasure, upon their Certificate, were full known."

"And after the Lords Pleasure was known, Order by the Commissioners was taken, that he should come openly into Goldsmiths Hall, and there acknoweldge his Fault before all the whole Company; and there likwise to give them to understand, that he was sorry for his Faults: And should farther promise never after to offend so again."

"Now, our very good Lord, whether this Sutton (living idly, and not using the Trade of Goldsmiths, but rather seeketh to deface the same) be such a one, to whom any Credit should be given, or a Man meet to serve in a Commonweal, we refer to your grave Judgement and Understanding. Humbly beseeching your Honour, and the rest of the Honourable Council, to stand our good Lords, and to ayde us in our Service, no otherwise than we shall deserve. And we shall be bound daily to pray to God for your prosperous Estates long to endure."

This was writ upon Parchment, and sign'd by John Langley, Maior, and at least ten more of that Company, the Wardens and others.

And with this Address they sent the Ordinances of the Company, fairly written also in Parchment, viz.

FIRST, There is every Year four Wardens chosen, and solemnlie Sworne to do their bounden Duties unto the Queen's Majesty; and justly and truly to deal in the Company, and to perform the Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances of the House.

Item, They or three of them sit twice every Week, viz. Monday and Friday, to hear all Causes of Offence in the said Company, and to end the same. And if the Causes be of Weight, then they are to call to them ten, at the least, of the Assistants. All which Assistants to have been tofore sworn Wardens. And these together to hear, end, and determine the same.

We search every Year twice, thrice, or four Times, as Occasion serveth. And if we find any Things unlawfully made, be it Gold or Silver, we break it, tho' it be worth an 100l. or two. We also imprison the Partie, and fyne him. All which, and more, is turned to the Relief of the Poor. Which cometh yearly, with other Things, geven by our auncient Fathers tofore, to the Sum of

We four Times a Year call the whole Corporation together. And then openly ini the Hall we read the Ordinances of the House unto them, and especially for good and true Workmanship.