To the Worshipfull the Justices of the Peace at the Quarter
Sessions at Hick's Hall in & for the County of Middlesex

The Humble Petition of many of the Inhabitants of the Parish
of St. Mary Islington here names are hereunto subscribed

Sheweth

That being informed application to intended to be made to thee
Worshipful Bench of Justices of a Memorial requesting Your Worships
to issue out a man date or precept to inforce the Statute of Winchester and
Oblige the Inhabitants to Watch & ward, we, your humble Petrs. big have to
demonstrate & Offer our Reasons against the said Memorial

Imprimis No notice has been given in the Church that any
such business was intende to be proposed to the Vestry, & Consequently
those by whom this resolution was formd, avoided taking the sense of the
Inhabitants on a momentous Affair in which they were nearly concerned
and a private Vestry obtained the Opportunity of passing a resolution to
lay a Tax by their own Arbitrary Wills on the whole body of the
parishioners. But this violation of the undoubled right of the Inhabitants
we presume mist defeat the measures so unjustly taken; for the want
of publishing that particular business in the Church, before the holding
of Such Vestry, we are informed renders the sd. Act of Vestry void & Illegal.

Secondly The said Parish of Islington is very large; the
Houses are not every where contiguous; but lying in different Rows &
Buildings detasfied from each other; and besides being Accessible behind
to dishonest Etc East minded people, it would require prodigious
Number of Watchman, & an immense expence to Grand us in the
part that lies most exposed to be attached; and we think the number