To
the
most
Honorable
Assembly
of
the
Commons
house
of
Parliament
.
The
humble
Petition
of
the
Artizan
Cloth-workers
of
the
Citie
of
London
.
Most
humbly
shewing
,
THat
in
the
times
of
his
Maiesties
most
noble
Progenitors
,
Kings
and
Queenes
of
England
,
the
State
haue
from
time
to
time
had
an
especiall
care
for
the
imployment
and
setting
on
worke
of
the
said
Artizans
,
and
thereupon
haue
made
diuers
good
prouisions
for
their
reliefe
.
Notwithstanding
which
,
the
Petitioners
do
not
at
this
present
enioy
or
reape
any
or
very
small
benefit
by
those
former
prouisions
,
but
by
reason
of
their
multitude
and
their
great
charge
of
children
(
being
in
London
and
the
Liberties
thereof
12000
persons
&
vpwards
)
some
of
them
are
enforced
for
want
of
worke
to
betake
themselues
to
labour
in
the
Citie
as
Porters
,
Waterbearers
,
and
in
other
such
like
meane
callings
;
others
to
returne
home
into
their
Countries
,
and
there
to
be
either
chargeable
to
their
friends
,
or
to
follow
husbandry
and
dayly
labour
;
others
to
depart
the
Realme
to
diuers
remote
parts
in
the
world
,
where
the
secrets
of
their
Art
are
disclosed
,
to
the
preiudice
of
those
Artizans
that
remaine
at
home
;
and
others
for
lacke
of
imployment
are
fallen
to
idlenesse
and
begging
,
and
betake
themselues
to
other
euill
courses
,
to
the
great
scandall
of
the
gouernment
of
this
Commonwealth
.
And
if
the
Petitioners
should
not
in
some
measure
get
worke
from
the
Drapers
of
London
,
they
might
for
the
most
part
of
them
perish
for
want
of
food
.
That
diuers
complaints
haue
bin
made
as
well
to
his
Maiestie
and
to
the
Lords
of
his
Highnesse
most
honorable
priuie
Councell
,
as
to
the
Lord
Maior
and
Aldermen
of
London
,
for
some
course
to
be
taken
for
their
reliefe
and
imployment
,
who
haue
shewed
a
great
desire
and
willingnesse
to
relieue
them
,
and
taken
much
paines
to
effect
the
same
.
That
the
Lord
Maior
,
Aldermen
and
Common
Councell
in
London
,
taking
into
consideration
that
one
principall
cause
of
the
misery
of
the
Petitioners
,
was
their
retaining
of
excessiue
number
of
Apprentises
,
and
the
too
speedy
setting
vp
of
Iourneymen
:
wherefore
at
a
Common
Councell
holden
24.
Septembris
,
16.
Iacobi
Regis
,
an
Act
of
Common
Councell
was
made
,
containing
diuers
wholesome
prouisions
for
the
remedy
thereof
,
which
doth
not
produce
that
good
effect
which
was
expected
,
by
reason
that
diuers
obstinate
persons
will
not
conforme
themselues
thereunto
,
vnlesse
the
same
be
confirmed
by
authoritie
of
Parliament
.
The
Petitioners
do
further
shew
,
that
of
late
time
a
great
number
of
the
petitioners
and
their
families
were
relieued
by
the
rowing
and
shearing
of
Fustians
made
within
his
Maiesties
Dominions
;
but
now
by
reason
of
the
transportation
of
great
quantities
of
Fustians
vnrowed
and
vnshorne
,
the
misery
of
the
Petitioners
is
increased
,
and
they
are
thereby
depriued
of
a
great
part
of
their
maintenance
.
That
the
Petitioners
haue
exhibited
a
Bill
in
this
present
Parliament
,
as
well
for
confirmation
of
the
said
Act
of
Common
Councell
,
as
also
for
the
redresse
of
sundry
other
inconueniences
;
The
which
Bill
they
do
most
humbly
pray
may
be
enacted
and
established
by
this
most
honorable
Assembly
,
to
the
reliefe
of
so
many
thousands
that
depend
vpon
the
welfare
of
the
Petitioners
.