To the King’s Most Excellent Majesty: The Humble Petition of the General Assembly, the representative body of the Somer-Islands The Somer-Islands is the historical name for Bermuda, named after Admiral Sir George Somers.

Whereas your Royal Majesty’s Predecessor, King James of Blessed memory, did by His Gracious Letters Patents A legal document or charter issued by a monarch granting specific rights or office. on the 29th day of June, in the Thirteenth year of His Reign of England, etc. give and grant unto the first Proprietors of these Islands, by the name of the Treasurer and Company of the Somer-Islands, many Privileges, Liberties and Immunities, with several bounds and limitations, for the making and alterations of Laws absolutely necessary for the being and well-being of these Islands, and the Inhabitants thereof; which Proprietors consisting of the Nobility and Gentry of the Realm of England, did in the 18th year of His said Majesty’s Reign, make and ordain several good and wholesome Laws according to the said Letters Patents, which were to be kept by them and their successors inviolable; Printed, in the Year of our Lord original: "Anno. Dom." 1622: to the which, reference being had, may more plainly appear; whereby they were obliged to maintain and defray the public charges of these Islands, out of the Public Lands which his said Majesty had granted to them, their Heirs and Successors.

Since which time, part of the interest of these Islands, being alienated Transferred or sold to others. amongst some few Traders and Mechanics In this context, "mechanics" refers to manual laborers or tradespeople, often used disparagingly by the gentry to imply a lack of political standing., with whom self-interest being more prevalent than public good, they have infringed your Majesty’s Laws, and broken the said Letters Patents, despised the said good and wholesome Book of Laws, the Acts of their Progenitors, imposing on us your Majesty’s free-born and most Loyal Subjects, their Arbitrary Commands and Injunctions, deposing us of our Birthrights and Privileges, forbidding to Trade for any Commodities that they send not in their Ship, which is but once in a year; enhancing their goods to such excessive rates, that they have our Commodities for almost nothing, endeavoring to bring us into greater bondage; unjustly taxing our Tobacco to the one third part of its value, and sometimes more; for which they were to supply us with Ammunition for defense, and Ministers for our instruction; yet have but one Minister in the whole