Sir Thomas Grosvenor's CASE, in Answer to the Petition of William Monson and William Thompson Esqs and others, in order to avoid the said Sir Thomas his Privilege as a Member of the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament.  
THE said Sir Thomas doth admit, that he did Demise the Mines in the said Petition mentioned, unto Phineas Bowles and John Blunt, as in the Petition is set forth; and Sir Thomas did immediately deliver all the Ground mentioned therein; with which the Petitioners did rest satisfied for these Six years and upwards, without laying any further Claim.  
Sir Thomas does not detain any of their Rights, or disturb them in their Possessions, for the Place in question was never in the poffession of the Petitioners, or ever Let by the Lease to Bowls and Blunt, but the Place was before Leased and granted to Mr. Roger Mostyn, and Mr. Williams, who have so Sworn it, in their Answers to the Petitioners Bill in Chancery; and the Ground was then, and has ever since continued in their possession, as Sir Thomas' Tenants, and Workmen.  
But Sir Thomas doth deny, and so in his Answer in Chancery to the Petitioners said Bill, hath denied, that he was privy or consenting to the Assignment of that Lease to the said Petitioners; and the said Sir Thomas, by his said Answer, hath set forth, That the said Lessees, and the Petitioners under them, had forfeited the said Lease by Misfeazances, and not Working the said Mines as they ought to have done, and yet notwithstanding have enjoyed the benefit thereof, and that the said Sir Thomas offered to wave the said Forfeiture, and to allow the said Lease upon moderate Terms, in the Answer set forth, which they refused or neglected to do; And by his Answer denies expressly, as the truth is, that he, or any claiming under him, had in any fort entered upon, or disturbed the said Lessees of the benefit of the Mines so demised, to the best of his knowledge: And that the Petitioners had combined with one Davies, and others, to defeat his Title to the said Mines by foul and indirect Practices, which Davies obtained a Lease thereof behind Sir Thomas his back, and without notice to Sir Thomas, and entered thereupon by colour thereof, which Mines are Sir Thomas his Inheritance, the said Davies pretending that Sir Thomas held them by Usurpation, and in wrong of the Crown, whereby Sir Thomas was greatly vexed and disturbed, and at this day the said Davies pretends to find defects in Sir Thomas his Grant of the Mines, and thereby to let in the said Lease.  
And Sir Thomas doth deny, that he Ordered the Petitioners Workmen to be beaten off the Work by violence, or to be threatened to be, or that he knows that one of them was buried alive in the Pit, as the Petitioners have falsely and scandalously suggested in the Case by them Printed and Published, and actually delivered to many Members of this Honourable House; Which Suggestions tend to the great Defamation and Reproach of the said Sir Thomas, who, as he is a Member of this Honourable House, humbly Prays, that this Honourable House will be pleased to take the same into Consideration, and do him Right therein, the rather, for that if the same Matter had been true, yet was it altogether unnecessarily inserted in the said Case as to the Matter prayed by the Petitioners said Petition, and therefore could be designed only to render the said Sir Thomas Obnoxious, and even Odious.  
And it doth appear by the Petitioners own showing in their said Case, That Sir Thomas hath done no Violence or Injury in his own Person to the Petitioners, their Workmen or Works, and that as to such other; Persons as the Petitioners pretend have done them wrong, and they Indicted them, and had the Liberty of the Law against them, and the said Sir Thomas wholly left them to the Law.  
Sir Thomas Grosvenor denies to have ever waved his Privilege, or hindered the Petitioners in delivering their Petition last Sessions, but after the Prorogation, pursuant to the General Order of the House, did put in his Answer. 'Tis true he came to Dr. Newton, the Master in Chancery, November last, and told him his Solicitor was out of Town, and he had none of his Papers, and produced to him the Vote of the House, and did insist on his Privilege during the sitting of the House, but as soon as it was up, that he would appear with his Council, and argue the Exceptions.  
And as to the Exceptions put in to the said Sir Thomas his Answer in Chancery, as in the Petition) he saith, That his said Answer is direct and full to all the necessary parts of the Petitioners Bill, as thereby may appear, and that the said Exceptions are merely frivolous and impertinent, and designed only to Trouble and Perplex him, and tend to the Discomposing and Retarding him in the Discharge of his Duty and Service of this Honourable House: And therefore humbly Prayeth, That he may have his Privilege allowed him according to the Vote and Standing Order of this Honourable House of the 17th of April 1699.