To the right hon:ble the Commons of England assembled in Parliament. The humble petition of the auntient hackney-coachmen of London and Wesminster.. [sic]

I KJ
The Right Hon :ble the C o m m o n s of EngUnt
Affembled in P ari.iament.
The humble Petition of the awttient Hackney-Coachmen of
London Wesminster.
1 EW ET H:
That whereas many inconveniencies have lately arifen
by the increafe of Hackney-Coaches^ kept and ufed wichml
the aforefaid Cities Of London and Wefiminfier, which faidj
inereafe and the ir.conyeniencies thereby happening, have
been occafioned partly by the number of Coaches which;
have been kept by fome wealthy Co^chmeny of whic1'* fomd
have kept 12* fome iq. Hackney-Coaches^ and fome 30.
Ckach Horfes a piece3 and chiefely by Tradefmenj as Inne-keepers^ Coach-Mi-
kers) and Ca*re-mm, and other Perfons wrho have not been brought up in^ffe©
Galling of Coachmen^tt iot profit and Lucre have kept feverall Hackney*
Coaches, and imployed Boyes and unexpepienced Perfons to ply and drive the
fame : Whereof the Number imployed hath been above 1000. at one and;
fame time.
AND whereas the King's Majefty itpoh Complaintmade of the faidincom
veniericies, hath been plea fed by his Proclamation to reftraine your Petition
nets from plying abroad in the ftrqets unto their refpe&ive Stables, whereby
the faid Imc-Keeyers and others (who have not been brought up in the CaH
ling3 yet keeping Coaches in the midft and .chiefe Innes of the City of London)
are only imployed, and your Petitioners who are many of them very indigent^
and have great Families and many Children, and have been alwayes brought
up in the Calling (having their Stables in the remoteft part the City for a-j
voiding of Annoyance) have no imploymenr, to the Ruineof chemfelves, their
Families and Children, who muft fall upon the Charge and Charity of their
refpe&ive Parifhes, Having no other Calling whereby to live $ Apd likewife
ro the inconveniencies of all people, who can have no t^hes ready for life!
upon the greateft Occafions and Neceffities. 1
And forafmuch as the faid Tnccnyeniehciesmaybebetter preventedjby re-1
{training the number of Hackney-Coaches to about 400. And by incor-
porating a certaine number of the chiefe and moft experienced Coach*
*ncny who have no other Calling, with power to make By Lawes and
Rules dir&ing tjhe Ufage of the laid 400. Coaches^ and for Regulating
the Abufes committed by Hackney-Coaches, in manner as by a Bill pre¬
pared for that purpofe, and hereunto annexed is fet forth.
May,it therefore pleafe y©ur Honours to take the Pretnifes, and the matters in
the faid Bill contained to your Grave and ferious Confiderations,
\that the fame maybe Enabled or fome other meanes may be found
out for the reliefc of your Petitioners and the Publique good.’
. AnAyont 'Petitioners [ballfraytfe.