THat his Maiestie by his Proclamation dated 2. Decemb. An. 11. Iacobi, did straightly prohibite all persons from thenceforth to vnship, discharge, or lay on lād in England or in Wales any Felts, Hats, or Caps, wrought or halfe wrought in any part beyond the seas, And did thereby command all his Customers and Of­ficers of his Ports to forbeare to take any entries of the same.

That there are neuerthelesse great numbers of Felts and Hats made beyond the seas, which are dayly brought by strangers into this Realme, and put to sale in this Kingdome, in contempt of his Maiesties said Proclamation and prohi­bition.

The petitioners further shew, that by reason of the permission of the importa­tion into this Realme of the said manufacture of Felts and Hats ready wrought; and for that there is no prohibition against the buying of the same in this king­dome, infinite numbers of people are thereby employed and relieued beyond the seas, and contrariwise many thousands of his Maiesties poore subiects which were accustomed to be employed and set on worke by the Felt-makers of this Realme, in carding, basenning, felting, dressing, pouncing, blocking and dying, with cer­taine other feates concerning Felt-making, are now vtterly vndone, and many of them (for want of employment) are fallen to idlenesse, begging, and betake them­selues to other euill courses, to the great scandall of the gouernment of this Com­monwealth.

And forasmuch (as the Petitioners conceiue,) there is no Statute or Law of this Realme in force to preuent those great mischiefes and inconueniences, They do therefore most humbly pray, that (for the reliefe of so many thousands of his Maiesties subiects) there may be some seuere law made in this present Session of Parliament as well for the prohibition of the importation into this Realme of Felts and Hats wrought and halfe wrought beyond the seas, as also for the punishment of such as shall buy the same in this kingdome.