Continued Thursday 11th. February 1773

TuesdayandThursdaysTen Ounces when boiled of good Beef without
BoneOne Winchester Pint of PottageOne Penny Leaf of the best Wheaton
BreadOne Winchester Quart of good small Beef at Noon and a Pint at
Night.Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays Three Ounces of Butter,
or four Ounces of good Cheshire, or Warwickshire Cheese, One Winchester Pint
of good Milk Pottage and Bread and Beer as on other DaysThat in
1712 the Worshipful Court settled the Price the Steward should charge for
each Meal at six Pence which before had been at four PenceThat seen after
the said Robert Waite< no role > came into Office the Price of Provisions began to rise and
has continued so rising ever since, in so much that Beef which he Purchased in
1759 and 1760 for 2d. and 2d ½ P Pound, in the Subsequent Years he
paid for after the rate of 3½d-4d and 4½d P Pound For Beer from 7s. the
Barrell to 9s. & 10s.For Cheese from 21s & 25s to 38s-40s & 42s P Hundred
and for Milk from 1s..6d to 2s.6d. P DozenThat several of the said
Robert Waited Accounts have been passed and his final Account is now
preparingThat if in such Accounts the Died of the Prisoners was to be
charged only after the rate of 6d. for each Meal according to the Order made
60 Years ago, when Provisions were at a moderate Price, Your Petitioners
Jane< no role > as Executrix of her Father would sustain a most considerable loss,
which Your Petitioners humbly conceive is not your Worships intentions, and
the Contrary as the Rents of your Estates, have during the time of the said
Robert Waites< no role > Stewardship, been Advanced in a great a Proportion, than the
Price of Provisions Your Petitioners hope and reely on your Worships condenr
and Justice in ordering that the less by the rise of Provisions shall be borne
out of those encreased Revenues and not by Your Worships Servant as
Steward of the HospitalThat the Meal of each Prisoner is weighed and
measured every Day in the Presence of the Hempdresser and Porters Marrt
and an Account is kept thereof by the Porter and Matron, and another
Account is likewise kept by the Steward in a Book which is every Quarter
chequed and signed by the Porter and Matron before it can be carried up
to Your Worships Committee, and the Provisions have all along been fairly and
regularly supplied according to the Order of the Court not withstanding the
Difference in the Prices relying on your Worships Justice and Goodness
That Provisions have continued at an Exorhitant Price ever since Your
Petitioner John has been Elected Steward and therefore praying that
this Court will take their Case into Consideration and to do therein as they
shall think just and reasonable. It is Ordered that it be referred to the
Committee of this Hospital to consider what allowances they shall think
reasonable to be made to the late Steward, and the Petitioners, and to
Report the same to the Court.