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<p n="280">P adjorn Lune <rs type="date" id="LMSMGO40000_date39">19o. die Janry 1718</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_date39" type="date" value="17190119"></interp>
.</p>
<p n="281"> <note type="authorial" place="margin">Order for setting a<lb></lb>
watch for preventing <lb></lb>
blowing up of Gunpowdr<lb></lb>
houses in Tower Division<lb></lb>
& for makeing a Rate<lb></lb>
for defraying ye expence <lb></lb>
thereof,</note>
Whereas Upon reading the humble peticon of severall Inhitants of<lb></lb>
<rs type="placeName" id="LMSMGO40000_geo191">Wapping Stepney</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo191" type="placeName" value="Wapping Stepney"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo191" type="type" value="undefined"></interp>
, <rs type="placeName" id="LMSMGO40000_geo192">St. John Wapping & Aldgate</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo192" type="placeName" value="St. John Wapping & Aldgate"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo192" type="type" value="undefined"></interp>
in this County on<lb></lb>
behalfe of themselves & many thousand Inhitants in & about the<lb></lb>
said parishes exhibited unto this Court settingforth that the<lb></lb>
Number of Warehouses & Storehouses for keeping Gunpowder <lb></lb>
belonging to private persons in & about the <rs type="placeName" id="LMSMGO40000_geo193">City of London</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo193" type="placeName" value="City of London"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo193" type="type" value="undefined"></interp>
&<lb></lb>
Suburbs thereof are of late years very much increased to the<lb></lb>
great terror & danger of many thousands of his Maties Subjects<lb></lb>
And that in the two Parishes before named there are twenty<lb></lb>
or more such Warehouses or Storehouses wherein are Usually <lb></lb>
two or three thousand Barrells of Gunpowder at a time each<lb></lb>
<rs type="placeName" id="LMSMGO40000_geo194">Barrell</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo194" type="placeName" value="Barrell"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo194" type="type" value="undefined"></interp>
comonly containing about one hundred pound<lb></lb>
weight or more and that some of the said powder houses<lb></lb>
are contiguous to a Warehouse used for melting Tarr and<lb></lb>
are always in danger of being blown Up and were lately like<lb></lb>
so to have been And that accidents of fire have of late years<lb></lb>
been very frequent in & about the <rs type="placeName" id="LMSMGO40000_geo195">City of London</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo195" type="placeName" value="City of London"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo195" type="type" value="undefined"></interp>
and<lb></lb>
Suburbs thereof and should any such accident happen to<lb></lb>
any of the said powder houses the Petr. were informed that<lb></lb>
the rest of the said powder houses will blow up & destroy <lb></lb>
many thousand Familys and also destroy or very much<lb></lb>
endanger the Tower of London with great part of the City <lb></lb>
and severall publick Offices & Offices of Stores belonging to<lb></lb>
his Matie. and that the said Inhitants had peticoned the<lb></lb>
Right Honorable the House of Comons for redress therein & <lb></lb>
a Hill is prepareing in Parliamt. for that purpose But least<lb></lb>
any ill disposed person or persons (now the affair is become<lb></lb>
publick) should through prejudice goe about to set fire to<lb></lb>
those places The Petrs. (in consideracon of the dangers and<lb></lb>
fatall Consequences) aforesd humbly prayed that this<lb></lb>
Court would be pleased to order the High Constable of<lb></lb>
<rs type="placeName" id="LMSMGO40000_geo196">the Tower Division</rs>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo196" type="placeName" value="the Tower Division"></interp>
<interp inst="LMSMGO40000_geo196" type="type" value="undefined"></interp>
in this County forthwith to cause a<lb></lb>
strong Watch to be set in the most convenient places<lb></lb>
where the said powder is kept to prevent any Inconveniencies <lb></lb>
that may happen by fire the Inhitants adjoyning thereto<lb></lb>
being willing to contribute to such Rate as shall be made to<lb></lb>
defray the expence thereof whereupon by consent of the said</p>
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