The CASE of Richard Fielder, in Relation to the Petition of the wagoners.  
THE said Fielder is Deputy Surveyor of the King's Highways, and by Virtue thereof, constantly attends His Majesty whenever he goes above Ten Miles out of Town.  
That it is his Business to give Notice to all Persons to Repair the High-ways; by reason whereof, several wagoners on the Roads, finding a Benefit to themselves thereby in their more easy Draughts, have now and then, for the said Fielder's encouragement, given him Ten Shillings; which they do now pretend, was given by way of Composition, that they might drive with more Horses than the Law allows.  
That since His Majesty's coming to the Throne( which is all the time the said Fielder hath been concerned in this Business) he hath been One Year in Ireland, and a Year and half employed in making New Roads in Hide-Park and St. James's-Park, so that he could not possibly be so much upon the Roads as the said wagoners pretend( had he no private Concerns of his own which are very great, he being a Corn-Chandler, and employed in buying Horses for the Army.) And moreover, he hath for Five Years last past, been a Warrant-Servant to His Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark; and always in constant waiting whenever the Prince removed his Court, which is well known hath been very often.  
Note, That some of the said wagoners pretend they have paid the said Fielder Five or Ten Shillings per Quarter, which is the most: Yet some of them say, That for their own part, they have paid him more than Twenty Pounds, at several times; which is contradictory in itself, for admitting( though by no means granting) that Ten Shillings per Quarter were paid, yet in Four Years time according to their own Limitation, the said sum must fall much short of such their pretensions.  
That in Case this Honourable House should be of Opinion, That the said Fielder's receiving any Money of the said wagoners, was for Composition, to let them drive with more Horses than the Law allows( which he does utterly deny, was for any other Reason than what is herein before mentioned) yet he hopes the same is pardonned by the late Act of Grace: For, that it was not, neither could it be proved before the Honourable Committee, That he has taken One Penny from any of the said wagoners, within this Year and an half, upon any such Account; and for the Truth thereof, refers himself to the wagoners Evidence, given in before the said Committee, where there is nothing alleged by the Petitioners, of any Quarterly sum paid him within this Year and an half.  
Lastly, 'tis greatly to be feared, how Insolent the said wagoners will be for the future, if they shall receive encouragement herein: For since their Petitions have been depending in this Honourable House, they have presumed daily to drive contrary to Law; and particularly one John Pierce, drew his wagon out of the Swan-Inn at Holbourn-Bridge, on Saturday the 29th. of February last, with Nine Horses; and being admonished not to do it, he replied, He would do it and see who durst meddle with him. It can be proved, how several of them do now daily drive contrary to, and in Defiance of the Law; and in particular Thomas Child, Thomas Barns, and William Whitaker, who all driven their several and Respective wagons with Six Horses, at length, to each wagon, on the Second Instant, in the Parishes of Bradford, Tilehurst, and Reading, in the County of Barks, making their Boasts, That none durst oppose them; besides several others, too long to be mentioned in this Paper. All which is humbly offered to your Honours Consideration, by the said Fielder.