FIrst , the cause of this Bill put in against Butchers for grazing and selling of Oxen and Sheep aliue , is , because that those men that frame their Bill against vs , know that Butchers of London can affoord a better penyworth then they can : The reason thereof is , that there is no Butcher of London , but doth serue seuen yeares Apprentice ( at the least ) before he is made Free , and in that time hee may learne to know what a leane Oxe is worth , and what hee may bee worth when he is fat : But on the other side , these men ( for the most part ) were neuer Apprentice at all , to know how to buy and sell : and therefore , although we pay as much for ground as they do , yet we will affoord a better peniworth then they either will or can : and in that we hope we are profitable to the Commonwealth .

2. We say , that we are to prouide and keepe in store for the Cittie : For , as it is the care of the Lord Maior & other the Magistrates of the City of London , in the time of plenty to buy Corne in the Markets , and to lay it vp in store , for to supply the Markets when the Country doth faile : So , it is our care ( being free Butchers of London ) to buy Oxen and Sheepe when they are plentifull , and to keepe them in our grounds neere London , for the prouision of the Cittie , till the Countrey cannot affoord such Cattle sufficient to serue such an honourable Citty as London is , because their drift is long , and the wayes very foule , which is the cause that though they are fat when they come out of the Country , yet they are leane before they come to London : When on the contrary , our Cattle are in our grounds nere London , and may be brought home in halfe a day , so that in driuing they are neuer the worse . This we wil proue , and therfore they cannot affoord so good as we can .

3. It will be proued that in any Market of London , if Butchers do bring Cattle to sell , they do sell them sooner , and as good cheape as any man whatsoeuer that renteth his ground .

4. We craue to haue the liberty that all the Kings subiects haue , viz. All men of what degree , estate or calling whatsoeuer , be they rich or poore , from the highest to the lowest , they may graze Cattle if they will , and sell them aliue : Or any Tradesman in London , or in the Countrey , if he be able to hyre Land , or if he haue land of his owne , it is lawfull for him to graze , and afterwards to sell the Cattle he hath grazed aliue : therefore we trust , that which is allowed euery one of his Maiesties subiects , is not prohibited for vs to doe : so that we hope we may haue liberty to feed Oxen and Sheepe , and all other Cattle , and sell them aliue if we neede ( keeping them so long as the Statute alloweth all men ) otherwise , we should seeme Aliens and strangers ( being barred of that liberty which is limited to euery one ) and not his Maiesties subiects .

5. We craue ( not on the behalfe of all Butchers whatsoeuer , for there are many that haue not serued half their time , and some that were neuer Apprentice , that vse the trade of a Butcher , these wee omit : but on the behalfe of the Free Butchers of London , that are a Company of London , and beare the charge of a Company of London ) that the benefit of grazing may not be taken from vs , which anciently we haue vsed , and without which , our trade is ( as it were ) no trade at all , and not worthy seuen yeares seruice .

6. Those that haue put in their Bill against Butchers , haue not done it for the good of the Commonwealth , but for their owne priuate gaine . For , if they can enact an Act of Parliament against Butchers for selling of Sheepe & Oxen aliue , then the London Butchers must many Market dayes in a yeare , giue them that prosecute to haue such an Acte , twenty shillings in one Oxe , and eighteene pence or two shillings in one Sheepe , more in one Market day , then they were worth the Market day before . The cheefest cause that they would haue this Acte , is , that thereby they might haue their willes to inhaunce their prizes at their owne wils and pleasures ( not caring for the hinderance of others : ) For when the Market is scanty of Cattle , then wee haue them in our grounds to serue our turne , and to furnish the Markets for others of the poore Inhabitants of so great a Citie : for then ( vnlesse we our selues would be loosers ) we must be forced to sell Beefe at three pence or foure dearer in a stone , & euery ioynt of Mutton three pence or foure pence deerer in one market day then at other times : but hauing in such times of scarsitie Cattle grazing in our own grounds sufficient to serue the Market , we thereby hold downe their excessiue prizes , which is the onely cause they haue preferred this Bill against vs free Butchers of London , for selling of Cattle aliue .

7 When as there happen any deepe snowes , foule weather , or high waters , that the Grasiers cannot bring theyr Cattle to the City : as also in the time of the visitation of the plague , the Butchers of London out of their owne prouision and store , haue vsed and do continually furnish the City of London , which otherwise would not be supplyed .

8. The Kings Maiesties Court at the entertainment of Ambassadors , and other times , is often furnished with prouision out of the Butchers store , which they shall neuer be able to doe , if they shall bee restrained grazing , and so consequently , his Maiesty oftentimes vnprouided .

9. Lastly , when it shall be considered by this high Court of Parliament , how much it may concerne the benefit of the Commonwealth , that we the free Butchers of London should continue the vse of grazing : and on the contrarie , what scarsity it will many times in a yeare bring in the City , if such an Act should be inacted against vs , we doubt not but it will be thought that those men who haue framed this Bill against vs , haue done it more for their owne priuate gaine , then for the good of the Commonwealth .