[From Atholl Papers - AP X42-9]

Petition of Roman Catholic Subjects

May it please your Grace

We beg leave to trouble you with the inclosed Petition which we received from the Isle of Man.
If there be any thing further requisite or that your Grace thinks proper to give any answer there to, it shall be transmitted them by
your Graces most Hu^bl & most ob^t servts

Rob^t Shaw & W^m Snell

Grace Church Street
London 16 Mar 1747/8

To the Most Noble and Puissant Prince James Duke of Athol Lord of Man & the Isles

The humble petition of the merchants and others of the Roman Catholic Religion residing in the Isleman.

Sheweth
that your petitioners understanding that the Isleman was a place of trade and liberty, converted their effects in their native country into money which they brought over to the Island, and then or afterwards, purchased lands erected buildings or trafficked therewith, some of them having been resident near thirty years, and have by their extensive trade been the greatest instruments not only of augmenting the revenues of the Island but extending the keys [quays] errected for the safety of shipping and preservation of the harbours as also the occation of much money to be spent and laid out in the Island, which not only greatly increased the value of the lands & houses but made the Island much more populous caus'd new buildings to be errected much waste land to be taken in and improved, fines and rents and alineations to be greatly increased, money more plenty by which the inhabitants are better enabled to be more punctual in the payment of their rents to the Lords of the Isle. And your petitioners beg leave further to observe to your Grace that they have always behaved themselves with the greatest obedience and decency to the civil and eccleasiatical government, ever testifieing any indulgence they had in their religious worship by a zeal and affection to the government and their utmost efforts towards the defence of the Island, notwithstanding all which your petitioners to their great surprize and concern are given to understand that the Legislature are recomending to your Grace a Bill to disquallify them for takeing any lands or heriditaments by purchase or descent or to that effect by which if it should pass into a law, your petitioners apprehend your Grace will be a sufferer and themselves greatly injured.

Therefore your petitioners most humbly hope as they by their demeanour have given no just cause for the passing any such law they may enjoy the same privilidge as heretofore they have done.

And they as in duty bound shall ever pray