The humble Remonstrance of the Farmers and Adventurers in the VVine-farme of fourty shillings per Tun, to the honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament, Anno Dom. 1641.

Sheweth,

THat when Alderman Abell propounded to the retailing Vint [...]ers what Master Richard Kilvert intimated to him, they desired him the said Alderman, and others (whom they made a Commitee) to go to Counsell to be advised whether the businesse might legally be untertaken.

That the said Alderman and Committee assured the Company that they had taken as good counsell as gold could buy, and that the present Recorder of London and Mr. Sergeant Stone (deceased) were of opinion that Wines being a forraigne commodity, his Majestie might im­pose what he pleased on it, and that the farme of that Imposition might as freely be taken as any farme in England.

That this hath been already by Mr. Alderman himselfe declared in the honourable House of Com­mons in Parliament, and can still be fully proved if the least doubt be made of it.

That the said advice brought by the Alderman and Committee, with the retayling Vintners feare to be brought into the Starchamber on the illegall decree against dressing of meat in their houses, was the absolute motive that made the retayling Vintners to make the contract with his Maiestie, and the Far­mers and Adventurers to undertake the Farme.

That Mr. VVilliam Dickens went to Mr. Anthony Low Counseller at Law, to advice whether he might come in to be a Farmer or undertaker, he advised he might freely doe it, for it was no hazard or crime to be a Farmer of an illegall Imposition before set on; thereupon the said Dickens came in as great an Ad­venturer as any one Farmer whatsoever.

That the said Farmers and Adventurers (except Alderman Abell who was Treasurer) never received peny of the fourty shillings per Tun, and by the accompt they are indebted at least 8000. pounds which they are sued for and must pay out of their own purses, to the hazard of the undoing of some of them.

They humbly beseech this honourable Assembly seriously to weigh the premisses, and to commiserate their case, and as they never got one peny profit by it, so they desire to surrender all up and to accompt from the beginning, and that they may of have out of the Bonds owing by the retayling Vintners so much as may free them out of debt, and thereby preserve themselves wives and children from disgrace and ruine.

FINIS.

London printed, 1641.

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