To the Worshipfull the Chairman and the rest of his Majesty's Justices
of the Peace in General Session Holden by Adjournment at Hicks' Hall
in Saint John Street in and for the County of Middlesex on Thursday
the 28th. day of February in the 24th. Year of the Reign of his present
Majesty King George the Second Assembled

The Petition of William Rooke< no role >

Humbly Sheweth

That Yor. Worships Petr. by Indre of Apprenticeship bearing
date on or about the third day of September in the 21st. Year of the Reign of
Our Sovereign Lord George the Second King of Great Britain Etc. and in the
Year of Our Lord 1747. was bound an Apprentice to James Woolsey< no role >
Surgeon of London (but of the Parish of St. George in the East in the County
of Middlesex ) for the space of Seven Years in Consideration of 20, Guineas
as is therein mentioned, and undertook to make him free of sd. City tho' not so himself.

That Yor. Petrs. since the time of his binding hath been rather more
Employed by his said Master in making Candles than Surgery And hath
been often times Severely beat by him for not weighing the Tallow as it
came in, and the Greaves or Dross thereof as it went out to the End he might
the better know what he gained by making his own Candles, Duty Free,

That on the 5th. day of Decemr . 1749. Yor. Petr. geting up at 6. of
the Clock in the Morning, as his said Master required, It being then very dark
in the Shop, he lighted up two Candles for which his said Master when he got
up very unmercifully Horse whip'd him.

That on the 10th. day of June following his said Master for no Offence
given him (known to Yor. Petr.) Struck Yor. Petr. with great force and Violence
upon his Forehead which beat him almost down to the Ground and Stun'd
him very much.

That on the 12th day of December last his said Master beating
Yor. Petr. again Struck him a very desperate blow on his left Eye, which
bruised it very much and caused a great Swelling and blackness for a
Fortnight, And on the 7th. of January following with his Closed fists gave
Yor. Petr. several blows upon his breast and Stomach so that thereby he
was almost deprived of his BreathAnd very sorely bruised
And That his said Master hath at divers and Sundry other times so cruelly
and unmercifully beat and bruiesed Yor. Petr. that he hath almost despair'd
of his Life.

Yor. Worships Petr. therefore Humbly Prays
Yor. Worships would be pleased to take his Case
into Your Consideration, And Discharge him
from his said Master And make such
further Order touching the Premisses
As to Yor. Worships shall seem meet

And Yor. Petr. as in Duty
Bound Shall ever Pray.

Wm. Rooke< no role >