To the Right Honourable Sr Francis Child< no role > Knt Lord Major of ye Honourable
City of London To the Right Worshipfull the Recorder. And the Rest of his Majestyes
Justices of the Peace Assembled at the Generall Quarter Sessions Held for the Citty of
London at the Guild Hall of the same

The Humble Peticon of the Church wardens Overseers for the Poor
And others the Antient Inhabitants of the Parish of St Botolph Bishopsgate

Humbly Sheweth London
That before the dreadfull fire of London yor Petitioners
had allowed by order of the Bench of Justices from the City Parishes the Sume of Sixty
Pounds P Ann; but after that dreadfull fire, which consumed most of the Habitations it was
taken of. And multitude of the Inhabitants which were burnt out, came to Inhabitt in their
Parish. And when the City was Rebuilt the houses were built soe large that their no Houses for
the Poor; The rich went all back into the citty. And left the Poor behind them who many
of them hath become A great charge and the Poverty and decay of trade and the long & sedious
Warr, And the Generall decay in the Weaveing Trade, of which Trade three parts of our
Poor consist upon whereby the Parish is reduced to such great Straites that they know not wch:
way to releive their Poor, notwithstanding they make such great Assesments for the Poor, that
noe Parish in the City of Freedom part comes were it. And besides every year wee are forced
to make Additionall rates for the Poor. And this year besides the Assesment for ye Yearly Poor
their is already Assessed A year and an halfes additionall rates for the Poor, which makes
the Gentlemen of the Parish threaten to leave the same, but wee are constrained to make
such Assesments. And all will not doe for wee are Indebted betweene Nine Hundred And
A Thousand Pounds which wee pay Intrest for. May it Please your Honour And yor.
Worshpps from the time of the Dreadfull fire of London untill the Year 1688 wee had not One
Penny Allowed from the Citty: And in the sd Year 1688 wee had allowed Thirty Pounds and at
severall times by degrees it was raised to Sixty Pounds for which wee Return thanks to this
Honourable Bench. Wee are Informed that St Giles Cripplegate for thee Freedom pt: doe receive
from the City Ninety five Pounds P Ann. And wee doe pay to the Poor a great deale more then
they, and shave A Greater number of Poor by Farr then they As may appear by our Returne