ds shall be levied by distress.

Divers inconveniences having resulted from the interposition of
justices, who, in pursuance of an act of parliament passed in the
present reign, assumed the right of establishing rates for the payment
of wages to weavers, several petitions wore offered to the house of
commons, representing the evil consequences of such an establishment;
and although these arguments were answered and opposed in
counter-petitions, the commons, actuated by a laudable concern for the
interest of the woolen manufacture, after due deliberation, removed
the grievance by a new bill, repealing so much of the former act as
empowered justices of peace to make rates for the payment of wages.
[396]_ [See note 3 G, at the end of this Vol.]_ The commons were not
more forward to provide supplies for prosecuting the war with vigour,
than ready to adopt new regulations for the advantage of trade and
manufactures. The society of the free British fishery presented a
petition, alleging, that they had employed the sum of one hundred and
thirty thousand three hundred and five pounds, eight shillings and
sixpence, together with the entire produce of their fish, and all the
monies arising from the several branches allowed on the tonnage of their
shipping, and on the exportation of their fish, in carrying on the
said fishery; and that, from their being obliged, in the infancy of
the undertaking, to incur a much larger expense than was at that time
foreseen, they now found themselves so far reduced in their capital, as
to be utterly incapable of further prosecuting the fisheries with
any hope of success, unless indulged with the further assistance of
parliament. They prayed, therefore, that, towards enabling them to carry
on the said fisheries, they might have liberty to make use of such
nets as they should find best adapted to the said fisheries; each buss,
nevertheless, carrying to sea the same quantity and depth of netting,
which, by the fishery acts, they were then bound to carry: that the
bounty of thirty shillings per ton, allowed by the said acts on the
vessels employed in the fishery, might be increased; and forasmuch as
many of the stock proprietors were unable to advance any further sum for
prosecuting this branch of commerce; and others unwilling in the present
situation, and under the present restraints, to risk any further sum in
the undertaking; that the stock of the society, by the said acts made
unalienable, except