FIrſt, the extreame multitude of Suites by ordinarie Informers: For that euerie Tearme ſome of vs were ſerued with Writs of Information, both out of the Cheecker, Common-pleas and Crowne Office, ſo that ſome times it coſt vs three or foure pounds a Tearme; and oftentimes more.

Againe, for that ſome Informers of the Citie, or Officers of the Citie, oftentimes meete with ſome of our Merchants Goods, as they carried them home, ſeized them to his Maieſties vſe, and take them from our Seruants: oftentimes eight or ten pounds worth at one inſtant and more, beſides many other troubles that we by them were put to.

Then the Citie being exſtreamely bent againſt vs, vpon their Acts of Common Councell, which were againſt the vſe of the Hot-preſſes in London, and the Liberties thereof, in reſpect of the danger of Fire by them. The firſt Act to pay fiue pounds for euerie Moneth it was vſed. The ſecond Act, to pay fiue pounds for euery time it was vſed within London or the Liberties thereof.

Vpon theſe Acts we were exſtreamely troubled and vexed, not onely by the Lord Maior of the Citie, but alſo by the Informers belonging to the Chamber of London: And being therein ouerthrowne in triall of Law in the Citie, were inforced ſome of vs to pay the vttermoſt penny we were condemned in. And not onely ſo, but were much more vexed and troubled, by binding vs ouer to anſwere the ſame at the Seſſions of Peace at the Guild Hall, to our great charge and exſpences.

Theſe were ſome part of the cauſes that mooued vs to ſeeke for reliefe, vnder his Maieſties gracious protection for our ſetled Gouernement, and redreſſe in our Trade, with many other grieuances as followeth.

FOr that diuers men of ſeuerall Trades, haue vnconſcionably entred into the Trade of Preſſing, within theſe foure yeeres or there about, and ſome within leſſe then two yeeres, by ſome ſiniſter meanes haue intiſed our Seruants and Iourneymen: whereby they haue gotten ſome skill and exſperience, by which ſiniſter meanes, they haue robbed vs of our Profeſſion, to the vtter vndoing of vs our Wiues and Families for euer, being at the leaſt in number (in and about the Citie) three hundred Perſons: And not only ſo, but when they had gotten ſome experience from our Seruants: They vnconſcionably turned them out of doores, to let them ſhift for them ſelues, which tends not onely to their vndoing, but alſo to ours. For they vſing many Trades, and ingroſſing diuers Commodities to themſelues, haue gotten alſo the chiefeſt part of the Worke within the Citie of London and Liberties thereof into their hands, to the vtter ruine and vndoing of a number of poore people, their Wiues and Families.

The principall of theſe Enterlopers, be Packers, Rich-men and of good eſtates, which takes vpon them the benefit of many Trades. Firſt, in the dreſſing of Clothes, taking vpon them to Dreſſe and Sheare them Marchant like, as they ought to doe: But they carrie them Rooffe in the Woole to the Dyers without Dreſſing, and after Dying, drie them, and ſo Preſſe them: All which defects, the Hot-preſſe couers in their priuate Houſes, to the great diſgrace of Clothing and Preſſing, and hath beene a great hinderance to his Maieſtie in his Cuſtomes.

They alſo make benefit by Dying as will appeare. They keepe and make benefit by Hot-preſſes. They be Factors, and ſo reape benefit,

And ſome of theſe Packers be Marchants alſo.

All theſe hauing other Trades, haue Enterloped into the Art and myſterie of Hot-preſſing: hauing gotten as aboueſaid by ſiniſter meanes, an in-ſight and knowledge of the Art of Proſſing, within theſe foure yeares, or there abouts, the moſt part of them leſſe then within theſe two or three yeeres.

More humbly ſheweth, that a Stranger in London (by name Burgman) within theſe three yeeres or there about, hauing gotten exſperience by theſe Enterloping Preſſors, is of late departed to Amſterdam in Holland, and there haue gotten to himſelfe a Preuiledge by Pattent: That no man ſhall vſe the Art of Preſſing there, but he and his Aſſignes for ſeuen yeeres, and hath to that end put in vſe twentie Hot-preſſes, prohibiting thereby all ſuch Perpetuanies, or any other commodities, Preſt in the Hot-preſſe here in England, tranſported thither by way of Merchandiſe: Seiſing and Forfeiting them, the one halfe thereof to the States of the Countrie, and one other part to the poore, and the third part to the Seiſure and himſelfe.

Thus our Trade or Myſterie of Hot-preſſing, whereon our liuing wholly dependeth, hauing no other Trade or meanes: is by theſe Enterlopers vtterly taken from vs, ſo that a great number of vs, our Wiues and Children are like to periſh. Wherefore we humbly craue this Honorable Aſſembly of high Court of Parliament, to commiſſerate our lamentable eſtates, by taking ſuch good Order therein, as by your good Honours ſhall be thought fitteſt, both for redreſſe in the former abuſes, and for your Petitioners reliefe.