The Clothiers Petition to His Majestie: WITH His Majesties gracious Answer.
To the Kings most Excellent Majestie.
The humble Petition of the Clothiers of
Suffolke, and the Townes of
Dedham and
Langham in
Essex.
THe pressing feares that hath befallen your loving Subjects; especially those of the Citie of London, in whom the breath of our Trade and livelyhood consisteth; have so blasted their hopes, that the Merchants forbeare exportation: our cloaths for the most part, for the space of this 18 moneths remaine upon our hands, our stocks lying dead therein, and we can maintaine our trading no longer: The cryes for food of many thousands of poore, who depend on this Trade, doe continually presse us, not without threats, and some beginnings of mutinies: so that, if some speedy reliefe doe not interveine, we can expect no lesse then confusion.
For helpe hereof your supplyants have petitioned both Houses of Parliament; and well knowing that the life of all supply next under God, resteth in Your Royall Selfe: and being encouraged by Your former gracious allowance of us to have accesse,
We are emboldened in all humility to petition Your Majesties most gracious aspect upon us, and the cryes of the poore; and to let one word fall from Your Majestie to Your Parliament in our behalfe, that our Trade may be inlivened, the poore set to worke, and thereby the peace and good governement of the Countrey preserved.
And Your Petitioners shall ever pray the God of Heaven to blesse Your Majestie with continuance of his love, and this Nation with the continuance of the mutuall love of Prince and People.
THis Petition was delivered to his Royall Majestie at His issuing out of His Coach in Greenwich, and his Majestie commanded them to attend His pleasure in the Presence Chamber; where Master Secretary Nicols informed them that His Majestie would give them an answer himselfe, which His Majestie was graciously pleased to performe the next morning in the Garden: His Majestie demanded if they were the Clothiers that presented that Petition, they answered they were: whereupon His Majestie was graciously pleased to make this Answer. viz.
They did well in petitioning Him, and that He thought they did it not before they had just cause: and was further pleased to expresse, that He had seriously considered of their Petition, and had already recommended it to His Parliament; and that He would take further care of it.