To the Honourable Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, of the
Commons House of Parliament:
The humble Petition as well, of diuers Merchants and Citizens of
London that vse buying and selling of Fustians made in
England, as of the makers of the same
Fustians.
WHereas by the Statutes of this Realme, Broade-clothes and other Clothes made of Wooll and other kind of Cottons, Frizes and Rugges, are to be searched and sealed by his Maiesties Alnager, yet in the 36. yeere of the reigne of Queene Elizabeth a Patent was granted to Sr. George Delues and William Fitzwilliams as Alnagers, for the sealing of diuerse commodities, as Bayes, Rash, Stamell, Sayes, Worsteeds, Grogerams, Mockadoes, Frizadoes, Fustians of Naples, Blankets, and all sorts of new Draperies, and new Stuffes made of Wooll onely, or most part of Wooll; and a Subsidie and Fee for the same for 21. yeeres, vpon pretence being made of Wooll, they were within the equitie of the former Statutes. And wheras about twenty yeeres past diuerse people in this Kingdome, but chiefly in the Countie of Lancaster, haue found out the trade of making of other Fustians, made of a kind of Bombast or Downe, being a fruit of the earth growing vpon little shrubs or bushes, brought into this Kingdome by the Turkie Merchants, from Smyrna, Cyprus, Acra and Sydon; but commonly called Cotton Wooll; and also of Lynnen yarne most part brought out of Scotland, and other some made in England, and no part of the same Fustians of any Wooll at all, for which said Bombast and yarne imported, his Maiestie hath a great yeerely summe of money for the Custome and Subsidie thereof.
There is at the least 40. thousand peeces of Fustian of this kind yeerely made in England, the Subsidie to his Maiestie of the materials for making of euery peece comming to betweene 8. d. and 10. d. the peece; and thousands of poore people set on working of these Fustians.
The right honourable Duke of Leneux in 11. of Iacobus, 1613. procured a Patent from his Maiestie, of Alnager of new Draperies for 60. yeeres, vpon pretence that Wooll was conuerted into other sorts of Commodities to the losse of Customes and Subsidies for Wooll transported beyond Seas; and therein is inserted into his Patent, searching and sealing; and Subsidie for 80 seuerall Stuffes; and amongst the rest, these Fustians or other Stuffes of this kind of Cotton Wooll, and Subsidie and a fee for the same, and forfeiture of 20. s̄. for putting any to sale vnsealed, the moiety of the same forfeiture to the said Duke, and power thereby giuen to the Duke or his Deputies, to enter any mans house to search for any such Stuffes, and seize them till the forfeiture be paid; and if any resist such search, to forfeite 10 l. and power thereby giuen to the Lord Treasurer or Chancellor of the Exchequor, to make new ordinances or grant Commissions for the ayde of the Duke and his officers in execution of their office.
The Petitioners doe conceiue, (which they neuerthelesse leaue to the consideration of this honourable House,) that the said Patent concerning Fustians made of such Bombast or Cotton Wooll, and lynnen Yarne, to bee voyd in Law, there being no Wooll vsed therein, and the King hauing Subsidie and Custome for the Stuffe whereof these fustians are made, & the patent a greeuance and losse to them in their Trades, and by seasing their goods, & exactions of such as pretend to be the Dukes deputies, of great sommes of money for sealing the Fustians; or putting the petitioners to annuall rents to be at peace, and where they exact money they force the parties to giue them a generall release; and others troubled by warrants from Iustices of peace; and namely in London, the deputie Alnager seased a Packe of Fustians of one George Cornish, worth 50. l. and forced him to pay 40. s̄. to the sayd deputie before hee could haue againe his goods, and giue the deputie a generall release.
A Packe of sustyans of Lawrence Brinsley seased as aforesaid, and hee forced to pay 20. s̄.6. d. and giue a release.
Robert Steuens, a Packe taken from him, and he forced to pay for the same 15. s̄.6. d. and giue a release.
Iohn Crow had 7. peeces seased, which cost him 22. s. to get againe.
Robert Graye had a Packe taken from him, and redeemed by repleeuin
Iohn Goffe had a Packe taken from him, for which he arrested the Alnager; and spent 10. l. and thereby got his goods againe after 6. moneths kept from him, but could not bring him to tryall.
Iohn Brand of Buntingford being by the Dukes deputies many times called before Iustices of peace for refusing to giue them their demaunds, was by them brought into the Exchequor, and being a poore man, and vnable to stand in Law, was forced to agree with them, and giue a fine and 4. s̄. yearlie as a rent, and now called the Dukes Tennant.
Many others are compelled, some to take from them a stampe to seale their owne Fustyans withall, and become their tennants at a yearely Rent, for they neuer care for the sealing of the Fustyans so they may get money.
For all which causes the Peticioners humblie pray, the Patent may be brought and seene in this honorable House, and the Petitioners releeued, as to this honorable House shall seeme good.