IF it shall consist with the Wisdom of Parliament to Restrain that Consumption of Corn, which of late hath been in this Kingdom, by Distilling, to any certain Yearly limitted quantity of Malts, then it is humbly proposed, That the Benefit of the Working of such limitted quantity of Malts, may not be confined to any Small Number of Men, who are now in that way of Trade, but that all Free Distillers may (according to their Ancient and Unquestionable Right of Working) have free liberty to Share in the Benefits thereof:

And that for the Reasons following.

• I. The present Body of the Free Distillers consists of above Four Hundred Members, and the Number of the Persons now using the Malt Distilling Trade, are but few (if any) above Twenty, and some of them no Free Distillers, but Interlopers, and others Excise-men; and how great a Hardship may it be esteem'd, that so great a part of the Distillers Trade should be Confined and As­sured to so Small a Number, and they such Persons?
• II. The Confinement of Distilling from Malt to this Small Number of Men, will unavoidably greatly En­courage and Facilitate the Persons concerned therein, in their Combining and Confederating together, in setting (almost) what Prices they please, both upon the Malts fit for their Use and Purpose, and the Spirits Drawn from those Malts; to the great Prejudice, not only, of all others Concern'd in the Trade, but also of the King's Subjects in general.

This being Matter of Fact, it is humbly hoped, That this Honourable House will Direct nothing in this Weighty Affair, that shall be Injurious to the Society of the Free Distillers.