To Sir John Hawkins< no role > Knight , and to the rest of his Majesty's
Justices in Session Assembled as Hicks Hall in the County of
Middlesex
The Humble Petition of William White< no role >

Sheweth

That your Petitioner having kept a public House in Mutton Lane
Hatton Garden , your Petitioner Unadvisedly rented a Cockpitt at Hockley in the
Holes where some persons frequently assembled to fight their Cocks, which induced
some of the Neighbours to prefer a Bill of Indictment against your Petitioner for
keeping the said Cockpitt

That your Petitioner on hearing of such Indictment wait to the part
who had preferred the said Bill of Indictment, and also to Mr. Rhodes the
Attorney who carried on the said prosecution, and with truth assured them that
your Petitioner was totally Ignorant of the Illegality on Consequence of keeping the [..]
Cockpitt, and promised and engaged that if they would permit your Pettr. to dispose of [..]
said Concern and some Cocks that he had then in his possession, he would relinquish
the said premisses, and save the prosecutors any farther trouble therein

That on this representation the said prosecutors agreed not to
proceed therein, and your Petitioner Accordingly traversed the said Indictment over
to this present Session, with intent in the mean time to dispose of the P. premisses
which your Petitioner hath Accordingly done, and on Tuesday the 12th: of this Month
attended this Honble Court to Submit the Circumstances of his Case to the Judgment
thereof, And to Acquaint the Bench that the prosecutors were Satisfied with your
Petrs. Conduct, But your Petr. being an Ignorant Man, and incapable of stating the
several Circumstances aforesaid to this Honble Court, nor was your Petrs. Council or
Sollicitor present to Acquaint this Honble Court therewith, when your Petrs. [..]
sentenced to pay Fine of One Hundred pounds, and Committed to Clerkenwell
prisons until the same shall be paid

That your Petr. has a Wife and three Children to maintains, and
is but in very Indigent Circumstances, so that being utterly Unable to pay the said Fine
the same will Amount to perpetual Imprisonment against him, which must be the
entire ruine of himself and Family for ever

May it therefore please your Honours to take your Petr. unfortunate
Circumstances into Considerations, And to reduce the said Fine in such
proportion as this Honble Court in their great Humanity shale
think proper

And your Petr. will ever pray

Wc.