To The Right Worshippfull Justice Offly and the
[..] ress of the Justices now Setting as Hickse's Hall London
May it Please yor. Worshipps wee whose names are here to Subscribes
doe humbly certifie to yor. worshipps that one John Griffies (now a Prisons
to bee tryed this Sessions before this worshippfull Bench for Stealing Iron
from one Mr. Carter) is es wee doe verilg beleive a very honest man and
not in the least Guilty of ye. Sd fact haveing Served his apprentice Shipp
and Lived in our Parish & neighbourhood twenty Years or upwards
and Lived & behaved himselfe amongst us very Soberly Civilly and
honestly to the best of our knowledge haveing never heard of any
misdemeanour from him upon any accounts whatsoever before this
hee allsoe worked Journey worke Seaven or Eight years with one Mr. Borgan A
Smith whose name is Underwritten & doth testifie hee behaved
himselfe very honestly all the time while hee was with him And
wee doe verily beleive hee discharged himselfe Very faithfully
allso to ye. aforesaid Mr. Carter with whome he Lately worked
Journey worke for Some time but When the poore Prisoner Griffies
Demanded his Wages that was due to him (which is three pounds or
thereabouts) his sd Master Mr. Carter Refused it him and because
hee would not pay him (as wee humbly conceive) fell out with him
and(as wee Suppose)Layd this (as wee suppose) unjust Felony to his charge And
therefore it is May is Please yor. Worshipps that in the poore Prisoners
behalfe wee become humble petitioners to this worshippfull
board to take thee sd Case into Consideraon and if it may Phase
yor. Worshipps that ye. Sd Mr. Carter may (if hee cannot prove the
sd felony upon the Prisoner) not onely pay him yr. sr. Prisoner
the Wages due to him as aforesd but allso make him Some
Satisfaction for his Six weeks Imprisonment wherein hee hath
Lost his time & worke to maintaine himselfe & his wife as allsoe for
the Defamation of an honest though poore man who ought not
as wee conceive with humble Submission. to Suffer wrongfully
for being poore Thus much wee thought it our Duties in honestly &
Good Conscience humbly to Certifie to yor. Worshipps Leaving
the Issue to God And your Worshipps
William Parkere< no role >
[..] Fleming
Mikel Read< no role >
Joseph Burgoyne< no role >
John Couly< no role >
Hen: Dorssnig< no role >
John Watson< no role >