To the Honourable House of Commons, ASSEMBLED in PARLIAMENT. The Humble PETITION of divers Persons of several Callings who keep the Markets in London, in behalf of themselves and Hundreds more;

Humbly Sheweth,

THAT some of Your Petitioners having only Stalls in the said Markets, they are compelled by the Farmers of the said Markets, to pay Excessive Fines and Rents for the same; which, as they can prove, is much more than was ever paid heretofore: And others of Your Petitioners who have only Sitting in the said Markets and no otherwise, and having paid formerly some 2 d. some 3 d. and some 4 d. a Week, only for their said Sitting, towards Cleaning the said Mar­kets, as your Petitioners can prove; But the Farmers of the said Markets (contrary to Law and Custome, as Your Petitioners Humbly conceive) have for some Years past compelled some of them to pay, some 1 s. some 3 s. some 5 s. a Week, and some more, for their said Sitting, which has occasioned many of Your Petitioners, not being able to pay their great De­mands, to be forced to abscond from the said Markets, to the great Impoverishment of them and their Families; and those of Your Petitioners who have still continued Sitting in the said Markets, are so much Oppressed by their great Exactions, that they are scarce able to keep them and their Families in Bread.

And some of Your Petitioners having formerly refused to pay such great Rates for their Stalls and Sittings, as have been Imposed upon them, have been Arrested and their Goods Seized, to their great Damage and Impoverishment; some of them being Country People, have been forced to comply to the said Farmers Demands, by reason they could not put in Bail, being Foreigners and unknown in the City.

And others of Your Petitioners for some time past, by reason of the Deadness of Trade, having been unable to pay so great Rates laid upon them, are daily threatned by the said Farmers to be Arrested, and their Goods Seized for their Arrears, which if they do, must inevitably Ruine them.

And forasmuch as Your Petitioners have oftentimes sought Relief from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen of the City of London, and particularly delivered a Petition on the 6th. of March, 1688. and thereupon had a Hearing before a Committee, ap­pointed to hear their Grievances; but Your Petitioners having no Redress;

May it therefore please this Honourable House, to take the Premisses into Consideration, and to grant Your Petitioners Hearing, that so thereby they may not hereafter be Burthened in the like kind, but may have their former Customes and Priviledges Restored.

And Your Petitioners shall ever Pray, &c.
  • HAmlet Toone
  • Rich. Farley
  • John Swelgrove
  • James Bayly
  • John Lillee
  • Henry Hamman
  • George Fane
  • John Mainer
  • John Bishop
  • John Linley
  • Theophilus Piffs
  • Bernard Serjant
  • William Morris
  • Walter Watters
  • Robert Tate
  • James Ray
  • William Weaver.
  • Richard Cowderey
  • Thomas Daves
  • Michael Turpin
  • Mary Wright
  • John Newe
  • Thomas Perkins
  • Aaron Withers
  • Joseph Tothill
  • Edward Roakes
  • Richard Roakes
  • Richard Collman
  • John Flowers
  • George Flowers
  • Richard Mills
  • John Preston
  • John Gunter
  • Edward Barrett
  • Richard Breadcutt
  • John Bonsey
  • Joseph Hollemoor
  • Charles Trigge
  • Henry Hunt
  • Widdow Sherman
  • Widdow Linkhorn
  • Widdow Delaney
  • Widdow Thoarp
  • William Springall
  • Widdow Gibson
  • Ann Bannister
  • Henry Bartholocmen
  • Thomas Hipwell
  • Mich. Wheeler
  • Ann Linsey
  • Joseph Homes
  • Christopher Jone
  • Widdow Hooker
  • William Sedgley
  • Edwrrd Oakley
  • John Ruffe
  • Widdow Cobb
  • Henry Blewman
  • Ann Batt
  • James Whicheloe
  • Frances Thomas
  • With Hundreds more not mentioned.

An Account of some of the Particulars of the Grievances herein mentioned, viz.

Butchers Grievances.

DAniel Mofen paid Formerly 2 s. 6 d. a Week. Now is compelled to pay 7 s. a Week, and 17 l. a Fine. John Mofen paid Formerly 2 s. 3 d. Now 6 s. 6 d. and 26 l. Fine. Sarah Chambers Widdow, Formerly 4 s. 6 d. Now 12 s. and 40 l. Fine. William Child Formerly 2 s. 6 d. Now 9 s. and 17 l. 6 s. Fine. Robert Tatt Formerly 2 s. Now 6 s. and 10 l. Fine.

And the Persons following, with many more, can prove, that they never was demanded to pay any Fines; but were compelled of late by the Farmers to pay Excessive Fines for their Stalls, as,

  l. s. d.     l. s. d.     l. s. d.  
Henry Hamond, 23 13 00 Fine. John Lyngley, 26 17 06 Fine. John Mayner 26 17 06 Fine.
William Morris, 16 02 06   John Bishop, 21 10 00            

Fruiterers Grievances.

CHarles Trigg was compelled by the said Farmers to pay 5 l. Fine, and 18 l. a Year for a Shed or Stall, which is worth not above 5 l. or 6 l. a Build­ing, as is well known. But being unable of late, to pay so great a Rent, has been Arrested by the said Farmers, and the Suit is still depending, likely to prove his Ruine. John Presson also Arrested, and the Suit still depending. Ann Lyndsey formerly paid 12 d. a Week. Now, 12 l. a Year, and 5 l. Fine. Henry Hunt Formerly 1 s. a Week. Now, 4 s. 6 d. a Week. Michael Wheeler Formerly 1 s. 3 d. a Week. Now, 15 l. 10 s. a Year. Richard Mills Formerly 2 d. a Week. Now, 1 s. 6 d. a Week.

Gardiners Grievances.

HEnry Broomeman was compelled to pay 3 l. 4 s. 6d. for a Fine, and 2 s. 6 d. a Week, which Formerly paid only 1 s. a Week. Francis Thomas paid only 6 d. a Week Formerly. Now payes 1 s. 6 d. a Week. Elizabeth Baldwyn 1 s. 2 d. a Week Formerly. Now, 3 s. 6 d. a Week. Chri­stopher Hyon 9 d. a Week Formerly. Now, 2 s. 6 d. a Week.

Bacon-sellers, who formerly Sold their Goods upon their own Stalls, and paid 2 d. a Week for their Sitting, have been compelled of late by the said Farmers, to take Stalls of them, which cost not above 2 l. 10 s. Building, and to pay 5 l. a Year for the same.

Ann Whittingstall is turned out, for not being able to pay so great a Rent for a Stall, to her great Ruine.

Several Country People who only paid Formerly 2 d. a Week, are Now forced to pay 1 s. a Week, and some more, having only Sittings in the Markets, and no Stalls.

Herb-sellers, who paid some of them Formerly, but 2 d. 3 d. and 4 d. a Week for their Sitting, are Now compelled to pay some 1 s. some 2 s. some 3 s. and some 4 s. a Week, besides 20 or 30 s. a Year demanded of them in the nature of a Ground-Rent, and are almost Ruined in paying so great Rates, their Gains being so small.

Besides many more who are Burthened and Aggrieved in the like kind and nature, which they can Testifie, but too tedious to be here Incerted.

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