To the Right Honble Slingsby Bethell< no role > Esquire
Lord Mayor of the City of London and others his
Worshipfull Brethren the Aldermen his Majesty's Justices
of the Peace for the same City in their General Quarter
Sessions of the Peace Assembled.

The Humble Peition of the Master Wardens and Company of
the Art or Mystery of Innholders of the City of London as well on
behalf of themselves as all other Consumers of Oats in the City of
London.

Sheweth

That there is at this Time and for a longtime past there hath been
a very great Scarcity of Oats in this Kingdom and the Price of middleing
English Oats at New Bear key Market London for some time past has
exceeded and at this Time greatty doth exceed the Sum of Sixteen Shillings the
Quarter the Continuance whereof must prove very detrimental to your Petitioners
and the other Consumers of that Grain unless this Honourable Court shall be
Pleased to relieve their Sufferings by Ordering the Port of London to be Opened for
the Importation of Foreign Oats at the low Duty.

That Your Petitioners are ready to Prove to your Lordship and this
Honourable Court the Truth of the Premises by the Oaths of two honest and
substantial Persons Qualified in the Respects according to the directions of the
Statute in that behalf or by such other Ways and Means as to this Honourable
Court shall seem meet

Wherefore your Petrs: most humbly Pray this
Honble Court to take their Case into Consideration And
to Grant such Certificate or Certificates thereof as by the
Statute in that behalf are enjoined and required and to
Grant Your Petitioners and others the Consumers of
Oats such further Relief in the Premises as the Nature
of their Case in the Judgement of this Honourable Court
may require

And Your Petrs: shall ever pray