That the town of Lowestoft, in the county of Suffolk, having been interrupted this last year in their free trade of herring fishing, by the inhabitants of Great Yarmouth in the county of Norfolk, tending not only to the ruin of the said town of Lowestoft, but of the whole western fishery; and seeking for remedy by their humble petition to the king’s most excellent majesty, who referring it to the right honourable the lords and others of his privy council, for satisfaction and relief, many hundreds of his neighbours, friends, and acquaintance, the western fishermen of both your said counties, whom it so highly concern, did join with the said town of Lowestoft, by their humble certificate and petition subscribed by them, and requested your petitioner to appear on their behalfs before the said lords, to affirm the said petition, which accordingly he hath done; and several hearings have been before his majesty in council, held on the third of this instant May, it was ordered, in regard that the determination of the difference depended upon the validity of several charters, acts of parliament, and orders of council, that the complainants should apply themselves to the right honourable the house of lords, speedily to be assembled in parliament, to consider their complaint, and afford them such relief as their lordships shall, on examination and consideration of the whole matter, find to be just and fit. Whereupon, on the twenty-fifth of this instant May, 1661, the said complainants, on their humble petition to the right honourable the lords assembled in parliament, obtained an order, summoning both parties to appear at the bar of that house on the seventh day of June next ensuing, together with their learned counsel, in order for the hearing of their cause. And your petitioner being in no capacity of serving his countrymen any longer therein, by reason of his command in his majesty’s service at sea; and because that apparent ruin must necessarily attend the said fishermen, which of his own knowledge he doth affirm; and as by the copy of their remonstrance and petition, hereunto annexed, and read twice before his majesty and the privy council, doth plainly appear. Your petitioner doth therefore, in their behalf, most humbly pray your honours to join with the knights and burgesses for the county of Suffolk, and as true patrons for your country’s good, be instrumental that the poor complainants be no longer interrupted and distressed by the rich inhabitants of Great Yarmouth; but that they may be heard at the time appointed, in order to the adjusting of their differences, and settling them by an act of Parliament, as the right honourable the lords and commons in their grave wisdoms shall think to be just and right. And your petitioner, as in duty bound, shall ever pray, etc.