To the Honourable Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, of the Commons House of Parliament:  
The humble Petition as well, of diverse Merchants and Citizens of London that use buying and selling of Fustians made in England, as of the makers of the same Fustians.  
WHereas by the Statutes of this Realm, Broade-clothes and other Clothes made of Wool and other kind of Cottons, Frizes and Rugs, are to be searched and sealed by his Majesty's Alnager, yet in the 36. year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth a Patent was granted to Sr. George Delues and William Fitzwilliams as Alnagers, for the sealing of divers commodities, as Bays, Rash, Stammel, Says, Worsteeds, Grograms, Mockadoes, Frizadoes, Fustians of Naples, Blankets, and all sorts of new Draperies, and new Stuffs made of Wool only, or most part of Wool; and a Subsidy and Fee for the same for 21. years, upon pretence being made of Wool, they were within the equity of the former Statutes. And whereas about twenty years past divers people in this Kingdom, but chiefly in the County of Lancaster, have found out the trade of making of other Fustians, made of a kind of Bombast or Down, being a fruit of the earth growing upon little shrubs or bushes, brought into this Kingdom by the Turkey Merchants, from Smyrna, Cyprus, Acra and Sydon; but commonly called Cotton Wool; and also of Linen yarn most part brought out of Scotland, and other some made in England, and no part of the same Fustians of any Wool at all, for which said Bombast and yarn imported, his Majesty hath a great yearly sum of money for the Custom and Subsidy thereof.  
There is at the least 40. thousand pieces of Fustian of this kind yearly made in England, the Subsidy to his Majesty of the materials for making of every piece coming to between 8. d. and 10. d. the piece; and thousands of poor people set on working of these Fustians.  
The right honourable Duke of Leneux in 11. of jacobus, 1613. procured a Patent from his Majesty, of Alnager of new Draperies for 60. years, upon pretence that Wool was converted into other sorts of Commodities to the loss of Customs and Subsidies for Wool transported beyond Seas; and therein is inserted into his Patent, searching and sealing; and Subsidy for 80 several Stuffs; and amongst the rest, these Fustians or other Stuffs of this kind of Cotton Wool, and Subsidy and a fee for the same, and forfeiture of 20. s. for putting any to sale unsealed, the moiety of the same forfeiture to the said Duke, and power thereby given to the Duke or his Deputies, to enter any man's house to search for any such Stuffs, and seize them till the forfeiture be paid; and if any resist such search, to forfeit 10 l. and power thereby given to the Lord Treasurer or Chancellor of the Exchequer, to make new ordinances or grant Commissions for the aid of the Duke and his officers in execution of their office.  

The Petitioners do conceive, (which they nevertheless leave to the consideration of this honourable House,) that the said Patent concerning Fustians made of such Bombast or Cotton Wool, and linen Yarn, to be void in Law, there being no Wool used therein, and the King having Subsidy and Custom for the Stuff whereof these fustians are made, & the patent a grievance and loss to them in their Trades, and by seizing their goods, & exactions of such as pretend to be the Duke's deputies, of great sums of money for sealing the Fustians; or putting the petitioners to annual rents to be at peace, and where they exact money they force the parties to give them a general release; and others troubled by warrants from justices of peace; and namely in London, the deputy Alnager seized a Pack of Fustians of one George Cornish, worth 50. l. and forced him to pay 40. s. to the said deputy before he could have again his goods, and give the deputy a general release.  
A Pack of sustyans of Laurence Brinsley seized as aforesaid, and he forced to pay 20. s. 6. d. and give a release.  
Robert Stevens, a Pack taken from him, and he forced to pay for the same 15. s. 6. d. and give a release.  
john Crow had 7. pieces seized, which cost him 22. s. to get again.  
Robert Graye had a Pack taken from him, and redeemed by repleevin  
john Goffe. had a Pack taken from him, for which he arrested the Alnager; and spent 10. l. and thereby got his goods again after 6. months kept from him, but could not bring him to trial.  
john Brand of Buntingford being by the Duke's deputies many times called before justices of peace for refusing to give them their demands, was by them brought into the Exchequer, and being a poor man, and unable to stand in Law, was forced to agree with them, and give a fine and 4. s. yearlie as a rent, and now called the Duke's Tenant.  
Many others are compelled, some to take from them a stamp to seal their own Fustyans withal, and become their tenants at a yearly Rent, for they never care for the sealing of the fustians so they may get money.  
For all which causes the Petitioners humbly pray, the Patent may be brought and seen in this honourable House, and the Petitioners relieved, as to this honourable House shall seem good.