To the most Honourable Assembly of the Commons house of Parliament.  
The humble Petition of the Artisan Clothworkers of the City of London.  
Most humbly showing,  
THat in the times of his Majesty's most noble Progenitors, Kings and Queens of England, the State have from time to time had an especial care for the employment and setting on work of the said Artisans, and thereupon have made diverse good provisions for their relief. Notwithstanding which, the Petitioners do not at this present enjoy or reap any or very small benefit by those former provisions, but by reason of their multitude and their great charge of children (being in London and the Liberties thereof 12000 persons & upwards) some of them are enforced for want of work to betake themselves to labour in the City as Porters, Water-bearers, and in other such like mean callings; others to return home into their Countries, and there to be either chargeable to their friends, or to follow husbandry and daily labour; others to depart the Realm to diverse remote parts in the world, where the secrets of their Art are disclosed, to the prejudice of those Artisans that remain at home; and others for lack of employment are fallen to idleness and begging, and betake themselves to other evil courses, to the great scandal of the government of this Commonwealth. And if the Petitioners should not in some measure get work from the Drapers of London, they might for the most part of them perish for want of food.  
That diverse complaints have been made as well to his Majesty and to the Lords of his Highness' most honourable privy Council, as to the Lord Maior and Aldermen of London, for some course to be taken for their relief and employment, who have showed a great desire and willingness to relieve them, and taken much pains to effect the same.  
That the Lord Maior, Aldermen and Common Council in London, taking into consideration that one principal cause of the misery of the Petitioners, was their retaining of excessive number of Apprentices, and the too speedy setting up of journeymen: wherefore at a Common Council holden 24. Septembris, 16. jacobi Regis, an Act of Common Council was made, containing diverse wholesome provisions for the remedy thereof, which doth not produce that good effect which was expected, by reason that diverse obstinate persons will not conform themselves thereunto, unless the same be confirmed by authority of Parliament.  
The Petitioners do further show, that of late time a great number of the petitioners and their families were relieved by the rowing and shearing of Fustians made within his Majesty's Dominions; but now by reason of the transportation of great quantities of Fustians unrowed and unshorn, the misery of the Petitioners is increased, and they are thereby deprived of a great part of their maintenance.  
That the Petitioners have exhibited a Bill in this present Parliament, as well for confirmation of the said Act of Common Council, as also for the redress of sundry other inconveniences; The which Bill they do most humbly pray may be enacted and established by this most honourable Assembly, to the relief of so many thousands that depend upon the welfare of the Petitioners.