80 "A Dismal Depression in 1622." 



grown poor, and unable to relieve the infinite number of poor people residing 

 within the same (drawn hither by means of clothing) but, by that trade, 

 wherein they have been brought up and exercised, and thereby many of 

 them do wander beg and steal and are in case to starve as their faces (to our 

 great griefs) do manifest, and they do so far oppress these parts, wherein 

 they live that our abler sort of people there are not able much longer to conteyne 

 the same. Letting your honours further to understand that we much fear that 

 the peace'hereof will be very shortly endangered, notwithstanding all the vigilance 

 we use or can use, to the contrary, and for the manifestation thereof we in dis- 

 charge of our duties and by reason of our near dwelling among those poor people 

 do embolden ourselves to acquaint your honours with examination taken by us of 

 one Richard Webb weaver committed to our jail to receive order in justice 

 according to his offence, a true copy wherof is herein enclosed intending to 

 discover any further matter as we shall be able, and thus humbly praying your 

 honours to take these things into your consideration, and that some present 

 remedye (out of our powers to yield them) may be provided otherwise the fate 

 of our eountry (in our opinion) will be most miserable do very humbly take our 

 leaves, always resting 



" At your Lordships Commandment 



"Geo. Huntley 

 " Minchinhampton Gloucestershire " W. Guyse 



1 June 1622." " Tho Estcouete 



"Geoege Huntlie 



" This encloses the following 



" Richard Webb of King Stanley weaver, came lately unto me, and desired to 

 speak with me in private, whereupon going aside he told me he was come to me 

 to inform me that there were at least 500 persons that were coming unto me such 

 as were in want, with their staves ready at their doors, which he came privately 

 to give me notice of 



" I asked him what they intended. He answered to do me no harm but to 

 make their wants known. And further he told me there was an intention that 

 the last spring tide, which was about a fortnight past, that some should have 

 come to the water side of Severn to make stay of the troughs that were going 

 down the river of Severn with malt from the city of Gloster, which had been 

 done, if some had not stayed it meaning some of his company. And being asked 

 by me who they were by name that intended so to come he answered they were 

 many poor men, but refused to mention their names. 



"W. Guyse."* 



This I think has made good my title and proved that there was 

 a dismal depression in drapery in 1622. 



It has, however, introduced to us many other unfortunates, who 

 suffered along- with the drapers of London. 



There are the weavers and the spinners, the fullers and the dyers. 



• Dated 1st June, 1622. State Papers, Domestio Series, James L, vol, 131—4, 



