FIRST, THAT the said Mr. Witherings, by Proclamation of July, 1635. did unjustly thrust Thirteene Post-Masters, and their two Factors' out of their imployments; for the weekely conveyance of all mens Letters, betweene London and Plymouth: which they them­selves, (long before the said Proclamation) at their great labours and expences, had set up: To the great contentment of all his Majesties Subjects; And thereby the said Witherings did ingrosse to himselfe forty pound per annum, out of each of their la­bours, amounting to 600. pound per annum, and so continued till his Majesties Sequestration, in July 1640. being five yeares, or thereabouts, which comes to 3000. pound.

Secondly, That the said Mr. Witherings, from July aforesaid 1635. did pay unto the Post-Masters of Yorke, Chester, and other Roades, for some short time, sixe pence per mile, and afterwards fell to three pence per mile, for the weekely carrying, and re-carrying, of all mens Letters upon those Roades, untill he had gotten his Monopoly Patent of 1637. Then by vertue of the said Patent, he compelled the said Post-Masters, forcing them to runne two thousand miles every weeke, to carry all mens Letters for nothing. Thereby violently taking out of their la­bours likewise, the summe of 678. pound per annum, and upwards, which he also so continued, till his Majesties Sequestration aforesaid, which comes to 2035. pound, 4. shillings, and 8. pence. So the whole summe, which the said Witherings hath extorted out of the Labours, and Callings, of a thousand persons, the Post-Masters, and their Families, amounts to 5038. pound, 4. shillings, and 8. pence. Besides 4000. pound he made and re­ceived for Post-places, within the compasse of three yeares, or thereabouts.

Thirdly, That whereas the Post-Masters had formerly 4000. pound per annum Fee, onely for carrying his Majesties Pacquets, which summe being divided amongst them, comes not to above 20. pence, 2. shillings, or 3. shillings, to each mans share, per diem, or thereabouts, And for which service the Post-Masters, were enjoyned to keepe two or three servants, and horses, purposely to attend that service, yet Witherings under pretence of doing his Majesty some extraordinary service, reduced the said 4000. pound per annum, to 2053. pound per annum. And yet paid them the same out of the fruites of their owne Labours, And gave also out of the benefit which he gained out of their said Labours, 1500. pound per annum, to the then Secretaries of State, for the supporting, and securing the said Monopoly Patent, thereby altogether Monopolizing other mens labours to his owne particular profit, contrary to the Lawes, and Constitutions of this Kingdome, and of free Subjects, whereas the Lord Stanhope, had nothing out of their labours. Onely he had 100. Markes per annum, and that payable out of his Majesties Exchequer.

Fourthly, That the said Witherings, by vertue likewise of his Monopoly Patent, imprisoned Carryers, and Waggoners (a long time together, and would not release them without giving great Bond, to bring all Letters to his Office) for carrying the Letters of his Majesties Subjects, causing their Bagges and Fardels to be ript open, violently taking their Goods and Letters from them, to their great prejudice and losse, and to the great hin­derance of all commerce betweene his Majesties loving Subjects.

Fifthly, That as soone as his Majesty did fully understand, what great oppressions and wrongs Witherings had committed, in the execution of the said Patent, against the Post-Masters, and others his Majesties Subjects; his Majesty was gratiously pleased to Sequester the same into the hands of Phillip Burlemache, ordering him to pay 1500. pound per annum, to the said Post-Masters, formerly given to the then Secretaries of State, being the fruites of their owne labours, which said addition of 1500. pound per annum, is now paid by Mr. Burlemache unto the Post-Masters, according to his Majesties gratious appointment: his Majesty referring the full settlement thereof unto this Honorable House.

Sixthly, That the said Witherings, by his projecting, and insinuating wayes, to the aforesaid Secretaries of State, hath not onely barred, and cut off the Post-Masters from making suite to his Majesty, for their just arreares of 30982. pound, or thereabouts, to the utter undoing of a great num­ber of his Majesties poore Servants. (Some part of which arreares, being the whole Estates, and Portions of divers poore Widdowes, and Father-lesse Children.) But also very cunningly contracted with divers of them to take a third part for the whole, or else they were to receive nothing at all, and some of them being greatly necessitated, were constrained so to doe. But some others, although they so contracted, yet they could receive none of that Composition.

Seventhly, That by reason of the multitude of Post-warrants granted to any person for a small gratuity, and likewise divers Pacquets, com­manded to be carryed for persons not nominated, or allowed by his Majesties Orders, (which Pacquets might as well goe against, as for the State) the Post-Masters (being so over-charged, having not sufficient wages to keepe a competent number of horses to discharge their places) have beene enforced to presse and charge the Country with horses, and thereby subject to their arrests, cryes, and complaints.

Eighthly, That when the Sequestration of the Letter-Office for forraigne parts, was in examination before M^r. Glyn, then the Post-Masters, Carryers, Waggoners, and others, petitioned this Honourable House, against M^r. Witherings Monopoly Patent, for the In-land Letter-Office, But because Mr. Witherings Counsell, confessed that the same Patent to be a Monopoly, and that they could say nothing for it, nor would meddle in it, therefore the said Patent at that time was no further questioned.

All which Premisses considered, they most humbly beseech this Honourable House to Commiserate their great pressures, and that according to Justice they may be relieved.

And as in duty bound, they shall dayly pray, and praise God for the happy proceedings of Parliaments.