A REMONSTRANCE of all the SHOEMAKERS Of LONDON and elsewhere, that are against Transporting, Forestalling and engrossing of LEATHER;  
Which doth plainly and perfectly show the reason why Leather is so excessive dear, and so unserviceable for the use of the Common-wealth: the abuse is wholly occasioned by the Leather-sellers, some Curriers, some cobblers, Taylors, Weavers, Button-makers, brokers, Black-smiths, Chandlers, Tapsters, and that which is worst of all, some Shoe-makers, some of them have left off the Trade and will not work, but scorns to work, and are become sole Merchants of Leather onely, that do buy up all the Leather in some Country Fairs without Comptroule, bragging and boasting the Law can take no hold on them, and they convey what they list beyond Sea, and the rest they keep at home, in their Shops and Cellars, and there sell it at their own Rates, and are grown to such a Head, that it is in vain for any Shoe-maker to go to any Fair or Market with a small quantity of money, but he must be forced to come and buy of them; they forestalling, and engrossing the greatest part of the Leather in the whole kingdom into their own hands: Insomuch that if any of these people before mentioned, do come into any Fair or Market, the best and ablest Shoe-Maker in all England must stand off until they be served, or else out-prize them, which is destructive to the Common-wealth: likewise some of them do keep ten or twelve Shops a piece, others three or four Shops or Cellars, planting both City and Suburbs and Country over; and some of them do return one hundred pounds a week in one Shop; then consider how much the whole kingdom is prejudiced by these Purse proud people. First, because they forestall and engross and enhance the price. Secondly because they transport, or sell Leather to Merchants, that do transport. Thirdly, because they buy up so much Leather in Inns, and Tanners yards, which is raled and shaved and hastened in the Tanning, that it is scarce half tanned, that sucks water like a sponge; that people can never go dry on their feet; and Shoes made of such Leather breaks out of the sides, before they be half worn. And lastly, consider how many hundred of poor Shoe-makers all England over, are tied up from their proper Rights and freedom of buying Leather at the best hand of the Tanner, but are kept under and forced to buy of them, that they get the gain of all that poor Men labour for; and put Chance, if any Man get a poor Livelihood by his Trade, it must be by working such stuff as is not serviceable for the wearer, or if he puts in good stuff, he must exact an unreasonable price upon the Customers, they getting all the gains to themselves as aforesaid; and no Remedy for it, so long as the Curriers and Leather sellers, and Leather Cutters, as they are so called, are suffered to buy Leather, and fell, as they do, and neither can nor do convert the same Leather into made wears: There was a Statute made in the first year of the reign of King James, and the two and twentieth Chapter which is yet in force, That no Person or Persons shall buy, sell, bargain, bespeak or take, promise, to have, exchange or put away any Tanned Leather not wrought, and converted into made wears, but only such Person or Persons, as will and shall work and convert the same Leather into made wears, upon pain of forfeiture of the Leather so bought, sold, exchanged or put away, or the value thereof. But alas, Information can do no good in such cases, and they are counted odious in most places where ever they come, though their cause be never so good, nor hardly any Jury will allot them any thing, to the great discouragement and utter ruin of his Majesties subjects, and the King deprived of his just Revenues; Therefore let us all Petition to the Kings most excellent majesty, and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons As-sembled in Parliament: to take it into their serious Consideration, they being in part sufferers by the dearness and badness of Leather, that they stand up for the prosperity of the Land of their Nativity; and to grant a Seizure to take away from all unlawful buyers that cannot work and convert the same Leather into made wears, and to set such a Fine on the heads of those shoe-makers that may buy Leather lawfully, and yet sell it again read as it came from the Tanners, as to their grave wisdoms shall think fit▪ and that it may be lawful for any of his Majesties good subjects to be Seizures, and that it may not be involved to some particular Mens hands, who may som●●mes happen to be offenders themselves, or through Friendship or Bribery, they will not do their Office.  
And this Request of theirs being granted, the, Petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray, &c.