Middx

At the GeneralSession of the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King holden for the County
of Middx at Hicks Hall in Saint John Street in the County aforesaid by adjournment on Friday the
twenty third day of February in the twenty sixth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the second
King of Great Britain etc before Luke Robinson< no role > Richard Chamberlayne< no role > John Dekewer< no role > Walter
Berry< no role > Esquires and other their Fellows Justices of our said Lord the King assigned to Keep the Peace in the
County aforesaid and also to hear and determine divers Felonies Trespasses and other Misdeeds committed
in the same County.

Whereas John Edleston< no role > Exhibited his humble Petition unto this Court at this present General
Session of the Peace holden for the County of Middx by adjournment on Tuesday the twentieth day of
February instant Setting forth That the Petitioner on the eleventh day of December in the Year of
our Lord One thousand seven hundred and forty six was bound an Apprentice by Indenture unto
John Tudway< no role > of the Parish of Saint Martin in the Fields in the County of Middx Tin Plate Worker
for the Space of Seven Years to learn his Art or Trade, in Consideration of which there was paid unto
the said John Tudway< no role > the Sum of fifteen pounds And that about three Weeks after the Petitioner
had entred upon his said Apprenticeship his said Master began to treat him very cruelly by
Horse whipping knocking him down with his Fist and striking him with other Blunt Weapons that
first came to his Hand in so much that the Petitioner was seldom free from Hurts and Bruises
And that the Petitioner on account of these Injuries applied himself to a Justice of the Peace for
his Warrant against his said Master and on his being convended before the Magistrate on promise of
better Behavior for the future towards the Petitioner the same was discharged and when the said
Tudway came Home he declared to the Petitioner that he had done the worst Days work he had ever
done in his Life and that if he could not punish the Petitioner one way he would the other by letting
him go like a Black Guard in Rags before he should have any better, on which amount the
Petitioner was in tattered Condition notwithstanding his said Master was obliged by the said
Indenture to provide and find for him all convenient and necessary Apparel during the said Term
of seven Years And that the Hours of working at the Petitioners said Trade are from Six in the
Morning till Nine at Night and when the Petitioner had left of Work at the Hours last mentioned and
he having served almost four Years of his time he sometimes went to see his Friends or Neighbours
with whom he might remain about an Hour and when he came Home about Ten of the Clock his
said Master ordered his Family not to let him into his House and to prevent the same kept the Key
of the Street Door in his own Possession so that the Petitioner hath been obliged to walk the Streets
all Night, for which reason the Petitioner was on the Complaint of his Master committed to the
House of Correction where he remained for the Space of eight Weeks and upwards And that the
Petitioner being tired out with such ill treatment did in the Month of June last outer himself as a
Sailor on board one of the King's Ships of War where after he had been some time his Friends
prevailed on him to return to his said Master which he accordingly did but his said Master
absolutely refused to receive or let the Petitioner come into his House to work at his Trade nor
will be either consent to turn the Petitioner over to another Master or give him up his Indenture
to be cancelled so that the Petitioner must unavoidably have been a Vagrant about the Street for
Six Months past and upwards unless he had been received and supported by his Friends And the
Petitioner therefore humbly prayed this Court that they would be pleased to take the premisses into
their Consideration and make such Order touching his said Masters receiving him into his said
Service for the Remainder of the said Term of Seven Years to learn his said Trade or turn the
Petitioner over to some other Master for that purpose and refund the said fifteen pounds so given with the Petitioner as aforesaid or
such part thereof as to this Court in their Discretion should seem meet Whereupon it was by