To the Worshipful His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the
County of Middlesex in their General Quarter Session of the
Peace Assembled.

The humble Petition of the Several Persons Whose Names
are hereto Subscribed Journeymen Weavers Working with
the Said County in that Branch of the Silk Manufacture
and Silk mixed with other Materials Called Engine
Weaving on behalf of themselves and other Journeymen
in the said Branch Working within the Jurisdiction of
the Said County.

Sheweth,

That in and by an Act of Parliament made and Passed
in the Thirteenth Year of the Reign of his Present Majesty Intitled
An Act to impower the Magistrates therein mentioned to Settle
and Regulate the Wages of Persons Employed in the Silk Manufacture
within their respective Jurisdiction It is Enacted (among
ther things) that the Wages and Prices for Work of the Journeymen
Weavers within the County of Middlesex Shall be Settled regulate
and delivered by the Justices of the Peace for the Said County at
General Quarter Session of the Peace and the Said Justices of
the Peace are thereby authorized and impowered from time to
time upon application being made to them for that purpose to
settle regulate order and declare the Wages and Prices of Work
of the Journeymen Weavers working within their Jurisdiction
as aforesaid And by a certain other Act of Parliament made
in the Thirty Second Year of his Present Majesty's Reign the
Provisions of the Said Act and the Powers of the Magistrate
extended to the Manufacture of Silk mixed or wrought up with
any other Materials.

That Some time after the Passing of the said first mentioned
Act of Parliament upon Application made at the Quarter
Sessions for the said County the Justices of the Peace did Settle
and regulate the Prices and Wages of the Jourmeymen in the
said Branch Since Which time a great number of other new
works having arisen in the Trade which were not included in
the Book of Prices then established great Discontent has