To the Honrable & Worshipful ye Bench of Justices

Gentlemen

Your most Humble Petitioner being now Confin'd
(for want of Examination) for between three & four
Months & drove to ye utmost extermity of Necessity
I most Humbly Request & Petition of this most Honorable
Court for a Proper Hearing for my Relief from this my
Dismall Distress in hopes of ye Humane Consideration
having been confin'd five times in Goal thro ye Malice of
my Wife whom I have not seen since ye time ye I was
Acquitted at Hicks's Hall & who has Swore a Child against
[..] has made herself trouble some to ye Parish of Mile-End
New town the Overseers of which Parish as aforesaid have
now Confin'd me & Demand me to pay ye Sum of Seven
Pounds before yt they will be pleas'd to Redeem me & at ye
time of my Committment before ye Worshipfull Justice Jarvas
I was not permitted to Vindicate my own Cause for wch Reason
I Hope yt ye. Goodnesses will be pleas'd to order me to be brought
to ye Hall to be Admitted a Hearing which petition if Granted
will I hope be a Redemption to me from Starving & ye. most
Humble Petitioner as in Duty Bound shall for ever pray

Mathew Bridgwood< no role >