To the Supreme Authority, the Parliament of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND.  
A second Remonstrance of James Ibeson. Humbly presented on the behalf of the oppressed Inhabitants of the West Riding in the County of York, as appears by a Certificate under the hands of above Two thousand persons, concerning the intolerable Burden and Abuses committed by the Farmers and Officers of Excise. With a Proposal to the State, for the advancement of their benefit, in case the People may be eased.  
FOr as much as the Lord hath been pleased in his providence, to place your Honours in this present Parliament. And that the Counties by whom you are chosen, and for whom you sit; expect, and in all humility desire, that you would redress their grievances, power being put into your hands to do good to this Commonwealth, by taking away oppression and removing oppressors, and laying no other or greater burden upon the people, then what public necessity requires. And so to order the levy, of what is imposed, that the rich may not oppress the poor, but that all things may be tendered as little burdensome as may be.  
But when we feel the heavy burden of oppression over loading us, to what humane authority should we seek for help or ease; but unto your honours, who want no power if the Lord be pleased to stir up your hearts thereunto? And because you cannot know and ease our grievances, unless they be manifested unto you, we therefore with oppressed spirits complain.  
That many idle persons of malignant spirits, are employed with Pistols, Swords and Staves, rooking up and down the Country, deceiving, and cheating the people (especially those that have stood for the honour of the Parliament) by forceable entries, seizing, driving, and bearing away the Goods and Chattels of the Inhabitants, and that upon very sleight or no occasion; unless upon occasion of their own creating. The said Farmer allowing many of his servants no wages (as his servants themselves have confessed) but what they can get by catching, harrasing, and poleing the people; so that we are necessitated to take up the complaint of the Prophet Isa. 56.11. They are as greedy dogs which can never have enough, they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter.  
Servants are not only enforced to swear against Masters, and children against parents, But the people are enforced to swear against themselves (else to suffer) which is not only against the law of nature, but against the law of God, and a means to increase unnatural affection, lying, and perjury.  
The Clothiers are not permitted to send their goods to any Fair, before they have made Entry in the Office of Excise, both of the number of the pieces, and the value thereof.  
Neither can they bring their goods back from the Market, before they can procure licence, or swear the same is neither bought nor sold.  
Nor remove their own goods, much less deliver such goods as are sold without licence.  
They have also caused goods that have been sold to be praised, and being sold a good pennyworth, they have seized the same, and have enforced the seller (for fear) to let them have the goods at the price so entered, or fined, disappointing such Chapmen as dealetherein.  
The goods that have been ceized without cause, for which the people have not only been fined, but are infortced to acknowledge in writing under their hands, thathey have committed a fault, otherwise they cannot be discharged, though no offence at all was committed.  
The people are also enslaved, and enforced by the Farmers at Kendal, Manchester, and other places to pay Excise there, and are by the Farmer of Excise of the West-Riding aforesaid, enforced to pay again, all for one and the same goods, and are enforced to attend the Officers at their pleasure, without any cause at all.  
They have enforced poor women being big with child, to lay their hands upon the Bible, to swear against themselves, and such as have refused, have been grievously by their threaten affrighted, endangering their untimely travel.  
And since I came to London, a complaint came unto me, of a woman that was not above three pence at the most indebted for Excise, for which she had her goods seized to the value of forty shillings, the poor woman seeing that, presently fell distracted, and with a knife had cut her children's throats, if she had not by God's mercy been prevented, and after slain herself, as she hath since confessed, remaining still, at times, distracted. I fear too many of these, or of the like nature, are often committed.  
But the said Farmer or his substitutes, for the carrying on of their irregular and arbitrary proceed, did illegally enforce the people to subscribe their names unto a Certificate, and such as refused so to do, was by the Officers detained as prisoners, and greivously threatened, they did also subscribe other men's names thereunto without their consent or knowledge, beginning their subscriptions at the bottom of the paper, writing upwards, leaving a distance to write what they pleased above, and the said Officers shown the said Certificate unto the Justices, but what was the effect; this Petitioner, nor the people knoweth not. But your Petitioner hath used his uttermost endeavour to make proof of their illegal practices, and did in May or June last, make his appeal to the said Justices (before whom the said Certificate was showed) and produced many witnesses, but they did not only refuse to take cognizance thereof, or to examine upon oath; but on the contrary, have (as your Petitioner is informed) returned a Certificate in favour of the said Farmer, persuading this Petitioner, that the extent of the Farmer's Commission was so, that they did not conceive how the Officers of Excise could offend: thereby endeavouring to render them acquit of any matter or thing charged upon them, so that no redress hitherto is had, for the good of the Country or Commonwealth.  
So that the free people of England are by these abuses abridged of their liberty, many of them enforced to give over their Trades, which have employed many poor families, it being impossible for them to follow their Trades and Callings, without the favour of the Farmer; to the great terror and grief of the people, having their goods seized, their shops watched, their houses searched, their packs in high ways or fields unpacked, rifled and spoiled, their Markets and Fairs decayed: And not only the Commonwealth damnified, but also the souls and consciences of the people (by swearing and lying) grievously oppressed.  
By all these, and many other insufferable abuses, Clothiers, and men of other Callings, are not only discouraged, but many of them impoverished, the Country being intolerably troubled, such vast sums of money by the Farmers collected (for so small a benefit by them paid) so that it is conceived, and upon examination will appear, that all the Excise of Inland goods whatsoever, excepting Beer and Ale (yea I may add one half of the Excise of Beer and Ale thereunto) bringeth not any benefit to the State, neither discharging the Arrears of the Soldiers, nor stopping the gaps of the necessities of this Commonwealth. But is wasted and consumed by the Farmers and their creatures; which grieve the people, consuming the benefit of this Commonwealth, devouring the peace of this Land, which if not speedily prevented, many thousand Families must of necessity be impoverished, and not only disabled to relieve the poor, but stand in need of being relieved  
So that if any evil design or invasion should happen, in, or against this Nation, it is to be feared, that the generality of the people (by their discontents) would join not only against their own good, but against the good of this Commonwealth, which I hearty desire may be prevented.  
It is conceived that one half of the duty of Excise of Beer and Ale, will clear the whole Excise thereof, and will also clear the whole Excise of all other Inland goods whatsoever, and bring many thousand pound a year benefit to the State, more than is now paid by the Farmers.  
Therefore we humbly propose and desire your Honours will be pleased, so to moderate the Excise, that one half of the Excise of Beer and Ale may be taken away, with the whole Excise of all other Inland goods whatsoever (especially old and new Drapery, which is the chief promoter and upholder of so many hundred thousand families, and that every In holder, Victualler, Alehousekeeper, or Tipler, may be assessed according to their proportion, as the Justices, or four honest men in every Weapontake, Hundred, or Division, shall think meet, for the advancement and benefit of this Commonwealth, and to be paid into some public Treasury in the respective Counties, Cities, or Liberties quarterly, upon forfeiture of their Licenses, and being disabled of that privilege; by which means the Taxes of the said Inholders, Victuallers, Alehouse keepers and Tiplers will be much abated, and the whole collections will freely and clearly accrue to the Commonwealth.  
And it will take away innumerated oppressions and oppressors, and in no way lessen or impair the benefit of the State. But will add unto the same many thousand pounds as aforesaid, permitting all Tradesmen and others to follow their Callings, attend their Markets, and Fairs quietly, and all Carriers and others to travel upon their occasions without molestation or trouble, whereby the people may be the better enabled to contribute unto the necessities of this Commonwealth.  
It will also acquit all common Brewers, which make sale by the Hogshead, Barrel or Firkin, whereby the Excise of all private Families will be totally taken away, to the infinite ease and satisfaction of the Country.  
Lastly, It will gain such an engagement, and an acknowledgement of the love and affections of the people, as by God's assistance will be a strengthening of the peace and safety of this Nation, so that the affections of the people may continue in the love of the Parliament, and the Parliament in the love of the people, for the peace and welfare of this Commonwealth.  
And the inhabitants of the said Riding, for the liberty aforesaid, shall be willing to give the Parliament such security for the performance hereof, as they in their wisdoms shall think meet, which without doubt will be performed throughout the whole Nation, for the good of this Commonwealth.  
Subscribed on the behalf of the oppressed Inhabitants of the West Riding, in the County of York, or elsewhere, for the good of the whole Commonwealth, By me, JAMES IBESON,  
FINIS.