To the Honble the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament Assembled

The Humble Petition of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Middx
in Session assembled on Behalf of themselves and the Rest of the Inhabitants of the
said County

Sheweth

That your Petitioners Observe by the Votes of this Honble House that a Petition of the Ld. Mayor
Aldermen and Commons of the City of London in Common Council Assembled hath been lately
Presented to this Honble House setting forth that the goal of Newgate is the Common Goal for the
City of London and County of Middlesex that the Prisioners committed thereto have for several
Years past been communibres Annis near one thousand Persons two thirds of whom have been
Middlesex Prisoners-That the said Goal is a very ancient ill constructed close and incommodious
Building and in its present state unfit for the reception of prisoners committed her-That the
present state and Condition of the said goal merits the attention of the legislature-That upon
an examination and Survey of the said goal it appears that the same cannot be rendered
healthy and Commodious without being taken down and rebuilt on a more extended Plan
and that the Petitioners are ready and willing to do every Thing towards the Promoting
that Work that on their part can be equitably Expected or required but that the same cannot
be carried into execution without the aid and Authority of Parliament.

Your Petitioners on their part humbly beg leave to represent to this Honble. House.
That the Goal is supposed to have been originally built in the Reign of Thing Henry the
first or of King Stephen, that is to say, between the years 1100, and 1154, and that the same
hath been under the sole Government of and hath from time to time some times by express mandate
from the King been rebuilt repaired Actered and enlarged by the City of London .

That supposing the Number of Prisoners yearly Committed to the said Goal to he as great as is
alledged and that two thirds of such Prisoners an Middlesex Prisoners the latter of whiich positions
your Petitioners do by no means admit.

Your Petitioners say that the Number is not greater now but is rather less than it hath been
for a long Series of years past.

That the County of Middlesex have several prisons of their own which they maintain at
a great expence wherein through the Providence of God and the great Care that hath been constantly