In 1609, under the reign of King James I (1603–25), a royal charter affirmed the constitution, rights, and land holdings of the Shrewsbury Drapers Company. During the 17th century, it required a substantial £400 for a Shrewsbury Draper to establish a business, a noteworthy sum for the era. Of the 203 Freemen admitted to the Company from 1608 to 1657, 43% were sons of gentlemen. Oftentimes, young men would embark on business ventures in collaboration with their fathers. By 1608, the Shrewsbury Drapers numbered 84, a figure that had risen to 113 by 1625. Among these drapers, many were concurrently involved in other enterprises such as brewing or law practice. Throughout the 17th century, Shrewsbury drew visits from drapers hailing from the north of England and the Midlands, thereby fostering a bustling market for pack horses.

In 1618, the first brick house in Shrewsbury was constructed by William Rowley, a brewer and draper. By 1638, the inaugural mayor of Shrewsbury, Thomas Jones, held a prominent position as a leading draper.

In 1621, Sir Edward Coke sponsored the Welsh cloth bill, which aimed to break the Company’s effective monopoly over cloth transportation to London. Initially, the bill proposed that all merchants should have the freedom to purchase cloth anywhere in Wales and export it upon payment of duties to the crown. The export provision was later qualified to stipulate that exportation could only occur after the cloth had been fully processed domestically. Opposition to the bill arose from two Shrewsbury burgesses during its third reading in 1621, arguing that it would undermine standards for Welsh cloth dimensions, facilitate practices like forestalling and ingrossing, challenge Shrewsbury’s charter, and permit Welsh clothiers to vend their products in any English town. Coke countered these contentions, asserting that Shrewsbury would only suffer due to its monopoly and that monopolies should be condemned as they could not be justified on grounds of state reason. The bill was subsequently passed by the commons and forwarded to the Lords.

In 1621, the drapers collectively “agreed to buy no more cloth in Oswestry.” Notably, John Davies noted in 1633 that the market for Welsh cottons had brought prosperity to Oswestry, but this shifted to Shrewsbury after the staple of cloth was transferred there, leading to Oswestry’s decline. After the market relocated to Shrewsbury, a clothier from Merioneth had to travel a greater distance, resulting in delays. Responding to a plea in 1648, the drapers compromised by deciding to purchase cloth on Thursdays.