THE Carmen of London were made a Fellowship by the City in the Reign of Henry VIII and in the Third Year of King James I. were Incorpora­ted with the People call'd Fuellers, by the Name of Wood mongers, and so continued till the Year 1668. about which time several Complaints being made to King Charles II. by divers great Personages, of the Woodmongers Frauds in buying and selling of Sea-Coal and other Fuel, His Majesty recommend­ed the Redress thereof to the City of London; upon which a Committee of Com­mon-Council was chosen, who reported their Frauds and Abuses in the Measure of their Fuel; and amongst divers other Matters, That no effectual Course could be taken for Redressing thereof, but by Prohibiting the Woodmongers from keeping and working Carts of their own, for carrying abroad their Fuel: Upon which Report the Court of Common-Council passed an Act to effect the same, Anno 1665.

That the Woodmongers still continuing their evil Practices, particularly their grand abuses done to the Carmen, application was made to the King in Council for the Carmens Relief; upon which the Woodmongers Appealed to the Parliament, where their Abuses were made so apparent, that, for fear of Prosecution and Pu­nishment, they surrendred their Charter: And hereupon the Carmen were made a Fellowship by the City, by the Name of The Free Carmen of London, Anno 1668.

That the Woodmongers contemning the aforemention'd Act of Common-Council, several Suits were brought against them for Working unlicensed Carts; and the Act being found to be deficient in matter of Form, upon argument in the Courts at Westminster, the Judges gave particular Directions how it should be amended; which the Common-Council having done, it was by them passed into an Act, in the Year 1681. and the Woodmongers still refusing to conform, Actions were brought against them in London; which they removed into the Courts of Common Pleas and Exchequer; where the validity of the Act was argu'd by Council learned, and the Honorable the Judges of both Courts, pronounc'd the said Act to be a good By-Law, and granted Procedendoes therupon.

That the Woodmongers finding the said By-Law to be binding, did apply them­selves to the City, and by their crafty Insinuations, have obtain'd an Act of Common-Council, for allowing them 120 Carts, over and above the 420 old Licensed Carts, which they now work: so that near 200 old Licensed Carts stand Idle daily for want of their rightful Labour, to the impoverishing and undoing several Hundreds of the antient Free Carmen.

And now may it further be offer'd to your Considerations, that WE the said poor Carmen of London, have paid time out of mind near 400 l. a year, for the Relief of the poor Children of Christ's Hospital, and tho' we are now opprest by the new Addition of 120. over and above the antient number of 420. yet we continue to pay it still, to the impoverishing our selves.

And that the said antient Carmen, do not desire to lessen the Authority the City and Liberties of London and the Hospital ought of right to have over them, but to Esta­blish the Number of 420, those being a sufficient Number to perform all the Services of the City: Which will also prevent the usual Frauds and Deceits of the Wood­mongers as hath been often proved against them. And we the said poor Car-men are willing also to pay to Greenwich Hospital 300 l. per annum, for and towards the support of the Wounded, Antient and Indigent Seamen.