1693
April Sessions

To the Right Honble Sr John Fleet< no role > Knt Lord Mayor of the [..]
of London and to their Maties Justices of the Peace within ye Same City

The humble Peticon of the Churchwardens and
Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of St Botolph
Bishopsgate London

Sheweth

That the sd Parish being large and full of Poor this Double Court (many yeares sine
was pleased (according to the forme of the statute in that case made and provided) to order Inhitants of
divers Parishes within the said City to contribute their distance towards the Releife of the sd Poor wth
Contribution amounted to abt £60 P Ann and was continued till the dreadfull Conflagration of the sd
City in the year of our Lord 666 and then ceased the contributing Parish & being burnt

That after the rebuilding of the Sd City the Rents thereof being greatly advanced great numbers of
Poor people resorted to ye said Parish of St Botolph & there setled themselves and many wealthy Inhitants
Who by the said fire were driven from their habitations returned back to their former places of Abde
and by meanes thereof the number of rich Inhitants within the said Parish greatly Deceased and the
Poor thereof increased exceedingly

That this Honble Court (takeing into consideration the poverty of the said Parish and Pceiving that ye
Inhitants thereof were notable to maintaine their Poor) Did in the year of our Lord 1687 date and
Assess the Inhitants of divers Parishes within the sd City to pay divers weekly Allowances towards the
releife of the Poor of the sd Parish of St Botolph amounting in the whole to £30 P Ann

That not withstanding the sd Allowances you Peticoners (for the better maintenance of the sd Poor) have be
constrained to advance the Rates of the said Parish Soe excessively that divers eminent Parishioners have
removed into other Parishes where smaller Taxes are exacted and more theraten to Doe the life
Soe that ye Expedients yor Peticoners have used to maintaine the Poor have proved in effectuall

That though great number of the Inhitants of ye said Parish are such as Chiefly depend on the weaving Trade
for their maintenance gett many of them till of late have paid to the releife of the Poor and others
have supported themselves and Familier wth out being chargeable to the said Parish

But now soe it is May it Please yo Lordshipp and Worrpps that by the Deadness of Trade
many of them have been forced for a Lively head to enter themselves into their Maties Service
as Seamen or Soldiers and have left their Familier to be provided for by ye Petitioners soeyt
the number of Poor within the said Parish is soe exceedingly increased That without to me greate
Assistance from Parishes within the City the Burthen thereof can noe longer be supported

May it therefore please yor Lordshipp & Worrpps to take into yor consid-
rations the deplorable necessities of the Poor of the sd Parish of
Botolph and to order some Parishes within the said City to make have
further Allowance and Contribucon towards the releife of the said
Poor As to yor Honor & Worpps shall seem meet & to me without

And yor Petitioner shall ever pray etc