THat your Petitioners being surprised by the Spanish Embargo in the late Rupture made with this Nation, di [...] thereby loose the most considerable part of their Estates which they then had in the King of Spains Dominion [...] but had some proportion of their effects preserved by the Covert of some Confidents of the Spanish Nation, int [...] whose hands they were cast by their Factors.

That your Petitioners were necessitated so far to comply with the said Spaniards so intrusted, as to purchas [...] their effective fidelity in remitting home their remaining Estates; they used their Credits to furnish new supplie [...] into the said Spaniards hands: who by their cunning practises of making partial Returns▪ with promises o [...] good advantage, in the bottoms of their Accompts, have trained your Petitioners on from time to time to [...] continued Trade with them. But your Petitioners having now at last made a costly experience that the [...] remedy is worse then their disease, have thought it their duty, for the good of this Nation (as well as their own Interest) to accuse themselves of that indiscretion into which their first necessities drew them: and to begg you [...] Honours Provident direction to prevent the further progress of those inconveniences into which that indiscretion hath cast them.

The inconveniences that your Petitioners have feelingly discovered, Are,

First, That the Trust that they have given those People whom they cannot call to account, hath given reins to their avarice and dishonest [...] to undervalew all our Native Commodities, at least one quarter part of what they formerly yeilded when our Nation sold them; and to over rate all their Returns of Wines and Fruit above half of what we usually paid for them in times of Peace. And which is yet worse, when the [...] had your Petitioners Goods in their hands, they told them plainly they must not expect any Returns of them, unless they remitted them considerable sums of monies to as great a valew as their goods: so as the one half of the Goods we imported were paid for, and lost out of th [...] Common Stock of the Nation.

Secondly, That the whole Trade of the Exports and Imports of Goods to and from Spain, was necessarily to be done on Dutch Bottom which they were necessitated to buy, and cause to be sayled by Dutch Men; and the most part of the Goods Exported carried first into Holand, for the better disguise both of the Goods and property of them, and procuring Convoy; whereby they contracted an heavy load o [...] charges, both of Customes, Provisions, and otherwaies.

Thirdly, And notwithstanding those Charges in Holland,

That there was not one Ship that Traded to any Port of Spain with English Mens Estates, but was enforced to purchase the connivanc [...] of the Spanish Officers of the Contra-bando, with great sums of mony; from 2 to 500 lb. per Ship, according to her burthen.

Fourthly, That those Spanish Agents by the imployment they have had from your Petitioners, have waded so far into the misteries of o [...] Trade, as that they have practised waies to engross the whole advantage into their own hands; by erecting a Factory of their own Natio [...] whom they have sent hither; some under the notion of Jews, and others of Studients, pretending to be bound for Flanders, persons of a [...] Ages, to provide a succession of their own People; that in case of a Peace they may be fastened in the whole of that Trade; as they have a [...] ready attained all that is profitable in it, by buying our Manufacturies at the first hand: so as the English Marchant shall make no advantag [...] in transporting them: And Vending here the Wines and Fruit of their Spanish Principals in a vast proportion, beyond what the [...] Export; remitting the over-plus of the Product of those Spanish Commodities by Exchange into Italy, and Flanders: whereby the Stoc [...] of our Nation is exhausted, and the King of Spain his occasions in those Parts served: to the prejudice of this State.

And therefore your Petitioners Humbly conceiving that by a totall obstruction of Importing of Spanish Wines, and Fruits, the Stock [...] the Nation may be much preserved, the advantage of a subtile Enemy abated, and his interest in the Canary Ilands much indangered; in r [...] gard those Islands have nothing to procure them a subsistance but their Wines; nor any other Nation to Vend them but the English.

Your Petitioners do Humbly pray, that it may please your Honours to enact by your Authority, that during the War with Spain [...] Wines, and Fruit of the growth of any of the King of Spains Dominions may be prohibited to be Imported to any of the Ports or Plac [...] in obedience to this Common-wealth; upon pain of confiscation of the Ships and Goods. And that such other provisions may be mad [...] as may best obviate the present inconveniences of that destructive Trade.

And your Petitioners shall Pray, & [...]