THat in the time of the late generall Liberty of Printing English Bibles, and Testaments at London, and untill the 6. of March 1655. last past, there were above sixty Workmen-Printers imployed in constant work at seve­rall Printing-houses; whereby the Books were vended at very moderate rates, to the great accommodation and benefit of the Common-wealth, and encou­ragement, and comfortable support of your Petitioners; but by means of an undue, and unlawfull entrance of the late translated Copy of the Bible, then made in the Register of the Company of Stationers, and other unjust proceed­ings used by Henry Hills and John Field Printers, in reference to their Monopo­lizing ever since of the sole printing of Bibles and Testaments, and suppressing all other Master-Printers in that good work; (Whereby they themselves imploy not above ten or twelve persons in their service, and inhanse the prices of their Books to excessive dear rates,) The Common-wealth is abused by an unreason­able necessity, and your Petitioners are for the generality of them much pre­judiced and abridged in their hopes of lively-hood and fortunes, and many of them reduced to extream want and poverty, to the great grief of themselves and their relations.

May it therefore most graciously please your Honours to hear and redresse your Petitioners Grievances with all convenience, being of such universall influ­ence upon, and concernment to the good of the Common-wealth.