IN all humble maner, Shewing, that whereas of late yeeres his Maiesties Puruey­or hath vsed to come and take from your petitioners (being free-men of the Citie of London) Beere and Ale for his Highnesse vse, which antiently of free-men within the said Citie hath not been taken. In respect whereof, and for that many of your petitioners were and still are verie poore and needie, and could not liue and maintaine their great charge if they had not readie money for their Ale and beere so taken, or at least trew payment for the same in short time after. The petitioners to preuent their owne impouerishment and vndoing, were forc­ed to denie the Purueyor the taking of their Ale and Beere as aforesaid, whereupon warrants were granted forth to commit such of your petitioners to prison as refused so to doe, vntill they should be contented to yeeld to such takings, or else to pay foure pence for euerie quarter of Mault your petitio­ners should brew.

Your petitioners manie of them being in prison a long time, to their great losse and charges, and be­ing desirous of their libertie that they might imploy themselues in their profession for the maintenance of them, their wiues, children, and great families, were then compelled to procure their enlargement by yeelding to the payment of the said foure pence for euerie quarter of Mault they should brew, which payments your petitioners haue been euer since forced to performe.

Now so it is, if it may please this Honourable Assembly, that the said foure pence imposed on your petitioners, as aforesaid, being a new taxation, is more grieuous and burthensome vnto them, then if they payd ten Subsidies a yeere, For that besides the charge thereof, The vndertaker or farmer of those groats hath formerly vexed and sued your petitioners in the Court of Request, And the now vnderta­kers or farmers doe continually threaten to sue and exhibit Bills and Interrogatories in the Court aforesaid, to examine your petitioners and their seruants vpon their oathes, vnlesse your petitioners will condiscend to what composition they please, not contented with any reasonable gaine, notwithstanding they are brethren of one Company, to the great terrour, grieuance, and further impouerishing of your petitioners, and the generall hurt and inconuenience of the said Citie, and those within foure miles compasse thereof.

Neither doth this new taxation vpon euerie quarter of Mault imposed on your petitioners free them or any kind of way ease them from Subsidies, Taxes, Fifteenes, or any such like payments, nor gaines your petitioners any benefit extraordinarie more then any other Subiects haue who pay no such thing.

The premisses considered, May it please this High Court of Parliament for relieuing of so great a number from this heauie burthen of foure pence vpon euerie quarter of Mault, and for preuenting of the like inconuenience that may ensue, to grant them your fauour herein, And so they leaue it to your Graue considerations.

And they and their posteritie shall be ouer bound to pray for your Honours long health and prosperitie.