The CASE of several Hackney-Coachmen in and about the Cities of London and Westminster and the Suburbs, occasioned by one Robert Murrey, and his Adherents, to the utter Ruin of many Families, for his and his Accomplices private Interest.  
1. THE said Robert Murrey, a common Projector, in the Year 1682 obtained an Act of Common Council in London, to restrain all but 400 Hackney Coachmen to ply in and about the City of London and Suburbs thereof, under the Penalty of Forty Shillings each Coach for every Offence: By which Project the said Murry did get clear to himself Four hundred and fifty Pounds, besides all Bribes and other Incomes; but the Coachmen that were oppressed by the said Murrey's Project, having obtained the then Attorney General's Opinion, That the said Act was against Law, stayed several Suits, and cast the said Murrey, or those employed to put the said Act in Execution.  
2. That then the said Murrey and his Accomplices did obtain an Order from Sir Edmand Villers, than Knight-Marshal for the Liberty of the Verge (viz. Westminster, Whitehall, and St. James') to suppress the Hundred Hackney Coachmen from plying with their Coaches within the Liberties aforesaid, and did with Money hire Men and keep them from their said Employment, until one Thomas Cadman did send his Servant with his Hackney-Coach to ply within the said Verge, after having suffered Nine Weeks Restraint, by means of the aforesaid Order, resolving to see by what Right they held their Power; whereupon the Knight-Marshals Men immediately seized upon the said Cadman's Servant, and kept him Prisoner at White-Hall for above Six Hours, until he gave a Note under his Hand of Forty pounds' penalty to appear before the said Sir Edward Villers the next Day by Nine of the Clock: And the said Thomas Cadman appeared accordingly on his said Servants behalf before his Honour, and made him sensible of the Oppression, who was thereupon pleased to take it off, and never put it upon the said Coachmen after.  
3. That the said Murrey and his Accomplices afterwards Solicited his Honour Capt. Cheek, than Governor of the Tower of London, to keep the said One hundred Hackney Coachmen from taking up any Fare upon the Bulwark Wharfe before the Tower Gate, under the Penalty of Five shillings for each Coach so offending, so that many poor men suffered thereby, until the said Thomas Cadman Petitioned his Honour, and made him sensible of the Abuse put upon them by the aforesaid Murrey and his Accomplices, so that now the said Robert Murrey, having made what Money he could of the said 400 Hackney Coachmen, came to those he had formerly ruined, and by his deluding Speeches prevailed upon some poor Hackney-Coachmen and others not qualified for that Employ, to assist him with Money to solicit the then Popish Commissioners to Licence 600 Hackney-Coachmen, and to pay more Money in one Year for working their Coaches in the streets, to the Commissioners and the said Murray and his Accomplices than all the said Hackney-Coachmen were worth, and if the Rich Men should pay the Poor men's Debts; the Commission was Sealed and Security given in to the Lords of the Treasury in November, 1688. (as the said Coachmen are credibly informed,) And if it had not pleased Almighty God to send His Highness, the then Prince of Orange, to their Relief at that very time, the said Hackney-Coachmen had been all ruined and undone by the unjust and wicked Contrivance aforesaid.  
4. That when the said Murrey saw the late King James was gone out of this Kingdom, and his Popish Commission of no effect, Did with the assistance of a Friend or Two in London, for his own Byends since Christmas last, get the Act of Common-Councel revived. And the said Coachmen being informed, that the said Murrey, and several others, are endeavouring, for their own private Interest, and to the Prejudice of your Petitioners, to procure one or more Bills, of their own framing, to be brought into this Honourable House, for the Regulating of Hackney-Coaches. The said Coachmen therefore humbly desire that the Act made for Regulating of Hackney-Coaches in the 13th and 14th Years of King Charles II. may be vived, with the Addition only of One Hundred Coaches. And that they may be settled at the same Yearly Rend that was Limited by the said Act.  Wherefore we most humbly beseech Your Honours to take the Premises into Your Serious Consideration; And we and all the rest, as in Duty bound, shall ever Pray, etc. 


Thomas Cadman,  
Thomas Whittle,  
Peter Welch,  
John Hurt,  
John Sheldarick,  
George Loverick,  
John Beaver,  
John Hugins.