June 30, 1816
That Wee the Journiman Clothworkers of the west of England do humbly beg that your Royal Highness will be so good as to take into Consideration the Distresses of your Petitioners wich are now labouring under the greatest Distress owing to Mechinery and that your Petitioners that have for so many years been out Fiting for your Royal Highness and old England do feel them selves greatly Injured by the use of Mechinery and that your Petitioners was greatly in hopes that when it Pleased the Allmighty to send a peace that we Should have a Trade to Come home to but how shocking was the Change when we Came to our nation home to find so many Poor Pepol out of Employ and it is Distressing to see so many out of work and are now at this Present moment lying in the streets of Bradford and Trowbridge and its Neighbourhood and in time of war there was no giggs nor Frames at Trowbridge but [illegible] to relate it is now Increasin Every Day and that your Petitioners have nothing to support themselves and their Familys but the small sum the Parish will alow and that is but very little Indeed and it was agreed [illegible] to your Petitioners when they Heard the sound of Peace but now they are Compelld to wish for another war to keep from Starving wich will be certainly be the Case if your Royal Highness and the Royal House do not take it into Consideration so we your humble Petitioners do most humbly beg of your Royal Highness to do something further as your Petitioners requires nothing but to live BY their Labour after serving Seven years Aprenticeship
[To] His Royal Highness
The Prince Regent
With Speed London
The Petition can be found at HO 42/151.
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