¶ To the Right Honourable Assembly of the Commons House of Parliament.  
The Reasons moving the Hot-pressers to draw themselves into an orderly form of government under his Majesty's gracious protection.  
FIrst, the extreme multitude of Suits by ordinary Informers: For that every Term some of us were served with Writs of Information, both out of the Cheecker, Common-pleas and Crown Office, so that some times it cost us three or four pounds a Term; and oftentimes more.  
Again, for that some Informers of the City, or Officers of the City, oftentimes meet with some of our Merchant's Goods, as they carried them home, seized them to his Majesty's use, and take them from our Servants: oftentimes eight or ten pounds worth at one instant and more, besides many other troubles that we by them were put to.  
Then the City being exstreamely bend against us, upon their Acts of Common Council, which were against the use of the Hot-presses in London, and the Liberties thereof, in respect of the danger of Fire by them. The first Act to pay five pounds for every Month it was used. The second Act, to pay five pounds for every time it was used within London or the Liberties thereof.  
Upon these Acts we were exstreamely troubled and vexed, not only by the Lord Mayor of the City, but also by the Informers belonging to the Chamber of London: And being therein overthrown in trial of Law in the City, were enforced some of us to pay the uttermost penny we were condemned in. And not only so, but were much more vexed and troubled, by binding us over to answer the same at the Sessions of Peace at the Guild Hall, to our great charge and expenses.  
These were some part of the causes that moved us to seek for relief, under his Majesty's gracious protection for our settled Government, and redress in our Trade, with many other grievances as followeth.  
FOr that diverse men of several Trades, have unconscionably entered into the Trade of Pressing, within these four years or there about, and some within less than two years, by some sinister means have enticed our Servants and journeymen: whereby they have gotten some skill and exsperience, by which sinister means, they have robbed us of our Profession, to the utter undoing of us our Wives and Families for ever, being at the least in number (in and about the City) three hundred Persons: And not only so, but when they had gotten some experience from our Servants: They unconscionably turned them out of doors, to let them shift for themselves, which tends not only to their undoing, but also to ours. For they using many Trades, and engrossing diverse Commodities to themselves, have gotten also the chiefest part of the Work within the City of London and Liberties thereof into their hands, to the utter ruin and undoing of a number of poor people, their Wives and Families.  
The principal of these Enterlopers, be Packers, Rich-men and of good estates, which takes upon them the benefit of many Trades. First, in the dressing of Clothes, taking upon them to Dress and Shear them Merchant like, as they ought to do: But they carry them Roof in the Wool to the Dyers without Dressing, and after Dying, dry them, and so Press them: All which defects, the Hot-presse covers in their private Houses, to the great disgrace of Clothing and Pressing, and hath been a great hindrance to his Majesty in his Customs.  
They also make benefit by Dying as will appear. They keep and make benefit by Hot-presses. They be Factors, and so reap benefit,  
And some of these Packers be Merchants also.  

Others there be, that have unconscionably intruded themselves into the Art of Pressing, as followeth.  
Some Mercers.  
Some Goldsmiths.  
Some Stocking-sellers.  
Some Gross.  
Some Vintners.  
Some Brokers.  
Some Shoemakers.  
Some joiners.   
All these having other Trades, have Enterloped into the Art and mystery of Hot-pressing: having gotten as abovesaid by sinister means, an insight and knowledge of the Art of Prossing, within these four years, or there about, the most part of them less than within these two or three years.  
More humbly showeth, that a Stranger in London (by name Burgman) within these three years or there about, having gotten exsperience by these Enterloping Pressors, is of late departed to Amsterdam in Holland, and there have gotten to himself a Previledge by Patent: That no man shall use the Art of Pressing there, but he and his Assigns for seven years, and hath to that end put in use twenty Hot-presses, prohibiting thereby all such Perpetuanies, or any other commodities, Pressed in the Hot-presse here in England, transported thither by way of Merchandise: Seizing and Forfeiting them, the one half thereof to the States of the Country, and one other part to the poor, and the third part to the Seizure and himself.  
Thus our Trade or Mystery of Hot-pressing, whereon our living wholly dependeth, having no other Trade or means: is by these Enterlopers utterly taken from us, so that a great number of us, our Wives and Children are like to perish. Wherefore we humbly crave this Honourable Assembly of high Court of Parliament, to commiserate our lamentable estates, by taking such good Order therein, as by your good Honours shall be thought fittest, both for redress in the former abuses, and for your Petitioners relief.  

The Reasons which caused us to have a settled Government, according to his Majesty's directions, be these as followeth.  
FIrst, that there were gross abuses daily used and practised, by some Enterlopers and others: tending not only to the hurt of the Merchant, but the discredit and overthrow of Clothing in foreign parts; the ruin and undoing of a Commonwealth. Oftentimes abusing the Merchant's goods, by cutting of Remnants of Perpetuanies, some times two yards, sometimes more, sometime less: Others by Burning, Scorching, taking away the Colour clean. And being thus unconscionably done and abused, they make them up in Tillets and Pack them away: which tends to the great abuse and scandal of this our Kingdom.  
These things being well weighed and considered of us, caused us to seek the means, to redress these soul abuses, which we presently put in use, settling ourselves in one place, by a special direction from his Majesty, to the Lord Mayor of London, and being there settled, we forthwith made choice of four men weekly to view, and look over every man's work, to be well and workmanlike done, and warrantable according to an article of his Majesty's privy Seal. And in this good course we went cheerfully on, with much good comfort to ourselves and to the Merchant, until these troublesome Enterlopers, repining at his Majesty's good and orderly Government: Vexing and troubling us contrary to his Majesty's Grant. Wherefore for redress, we humbly submit ourselves, to this Honourable Assembly of this high Court of Parliament: And your Petitioners, with their Wives and Families will ever pray, etc.