An Abridgement of the Case of the Cities, Corporations and Market-Towns of England, most humbly Represented to the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled.  
THE said Corporations, Markets, and Market-Towns (which are the Wombs of Trade) together with all the Production and Staples of this Noble Realm (wherein their Lordships are so great Proprietors, and so highly Interested) do increase their Respective Rents and Values, according to the Encouragement they receive by mutual Commerce, and that Commerce its Improvement from such Regulations as our former Laws have Aimed at, but not Accomplished, by reason of the Difficulties that have been found in putting the same in Execution.  
For so it is, That the present Irregularities of Peddling and Hawking by Foot and Horse-Packmen, and such Wand'ring and Unaccountable Persons, That they 

I. Can neither themselves be duly Taxed, nor made Serviceable to the Offices and Duties of the Public, but on the contrary.  
II. Do Undermine, Discourage and Ruin many Thousands of Honest, Lawful, Settled Traders and Manufacturers, and their Numerous Families, by which,  
III. They cause great Impoverishment and Devastations in the said Markets and Towns, and consequently the Disimprovement and Downfall of the Rents and Profits both in, about, or near the same.  
IV. They are the Occasion of the Making, Vending, and Dispersing of Uncustomed, Imperfect, and Deceitful Wares, and the Deceiving and Abusing, and sometimes the Robbing and Destroying Their Majesty's Good Subjects, and Corrupting their Servants.  
V. To the great hindrance of Their Majesty's Revenue, in their Taxes, Customs, Excise, and Postage of Letters, especially cross the Country's;  
VI To the Hindrance and Discouragement of Serving Apprenticeships, and thereby Exposing Youth to great Hazards and Misfortunes.  
VII. To the preventing of Good Neighbourhood, Credit; and consequently the Consumption of Goods and Commodities of English Growth and Manufacture.  
VIII. To the rendering Useless both Merchants, Shopkeepers, Artifficers, Ships of Burden, and Trade to Remoter Parts, and consequently,  
IX. To make this Potent Island more weak and obnoxious to the Power of France. etc.    
To prevent all which, and but to reinforce our former Laws, the Bill now before then Lordships, Entitled, A Bill to prevent the Decay of Trade in Cities, Corporations, and Market-Towns in England, is most humbly Recommended to the Favour of their Lordships, by the Inhabitants thereof; in which Bill all Wand'ring Traders (except for Provisions) are generally limited with due Liberty to all Makers of Goods, with permission to such Pedlars, as are duly Qualified, to take Houses and Shops, and to Live (as other fair Traders) within the Limits of the Laws.  
☞ The abovementioned is humbly Offered as a plain Consequent from the Premises, by which all Objections are Answered, and the Matters of Fact Attested but by too many Witnesses from all Parts of the Kingdom. 
Note, That since the Petitioners could not prevail for the Passing their Bill into a Law, they have been Advised by their Council well to Consider the several Statutes formerly Provided, for their Relief, and not to grudge to be at some Charge, more Effectually to Prosecute the same, in such manner as from time to time they shall be Advised.