The CASE of several Italian Merchants settled in London.  
THE Trade to Italy, and all other Places is equally free to Natives and Aliens, only with this Difference, that the Aliens pay greater Duties to their Majesties.  
Thrown Silks being very scarce in England, by reason of the Difficulty of bringing them out of Italy at this time of War with France,  
The Weavers petitioned the Honourable House of Commons, for Liberty of importing fine Italian, Sicilian and Naples Thrown Silk over Land. Whereupon a Bill was brought in, and passed that Honourable House, and lies now before your Honours.  
There is a Clause in the said Bill, which restrains the said Importation over Land to the Subjects of this Kingdom only, and for their proper Accounts, and no other whatsoever.  
'Tis humbly hoped that your Honours will take this Matter into your serious Consideration, and be of Opinion, that if this Clause passes, it will be a kind of monopolising that Silk Trade in the Hands of two or three English Merchants dealing therein, who procured this Clause. Whereas it has always been taken for a certain Rule, That Trade should not be restrained, but Traders encouraged; for the more of a Commodity comes in, the cheaper it must be sold to the Subject, and the more Customs will accrue thereby.  
Besides that it is most humbly conceived, that your Honours will not think it reasonable, That these Merchants, who are by Law at liberty to import Goods directly over Sea from Italy, should not be suffered to import the same Goods over Land.  
There are several English Merchants settled in divers Ports of Italy, who may reasonably fear in case this Clause passes into a Law, that those Governments may return it upon them, by forbidding all but their own Subjects to import the English Manufactures into Italy, instead of the continuance of the kind Treatment which the English Merchants meet with there, as is notoriously known to all that ever traveled into those Countries. Joseph Cagnony, Angelo Corticelly, Joseph Como, and Anthony Francis Magnony are Italians, who have lived in England, and traded as Merchants several Years; their chief Trade has been with their Country, and have from time to time exported great Quantities of the Woollen Manufactures of this Kingdom in return of the Goods they imported out of their own Countries.  
They most humbly hope your Honours will think fit to reject the said Clause, that Trade may have its free Course, conformable to the respective Treaties of Commerce between this and all other Trading Nations.