THE
CASE
OF
THE
Undertakers
and
Promoters
of
the
Bill
for
the
Courts
of
Conscience
for
the
Borough
of
Southwark
,
the
City
and
Liberties
of
Westminster
,
the
Tower
Hamlets
,
and
the
remaining
Out-Parishes
of
the
County
of
Middlesex
within
the
Weekly
Bills
of
Mortality
.
THat
Mr.
Thomas
Pretyman
with
others
,
have
been
for
several
Years
last
past
concerned
in
endeavouring
to
obtain
an
Act
for
Erecting
a
Court
of
Conscience
for
the
several
places
above-mentioned
,
and
have
Expended
great
Sums
of
Money
,
besides
loss
of
Time
,
and
great
Attendance
in
carrying
on
the
same
;
And
in
order
to
the
Accomplishing
thereof
,
in
the
Year
1685
,
did
bring
in
a
Bill
to
the
then
Parliament
to
that
effect
,
and
after
the
first
Reading
did
pay
their
full
Fees
(
as
by
Acquittance
will
appear
)
in
order
to
a
second
Reading
;
but
by
the
sudden
Adjournment
,
and
afterwards
Prorogation
and
Dissolution
of
the
said
Parliament
,
it
could
take
no
effect
,
to
the
great
damage
of
the
said
Undertakers
,
who
now
upon
a
fresh
Encouragement
,
and
at
the
Request
of
several
of
the
Inhabitants
of
the
Borough
of
Southwark
,
and
others
of
the
County
of
Middlesex
,
as
likewise
of
several
poor
Prisoners
that
have
lain
long
in
Prisons
for
small
Debts
under
Forty
Shillings
(
as
by
their
several
Petitions
to
this
Honourable
House
may
appear
)
have
brought
in
a
second
Bill
to
the
same
purpose
,
and
after
the
first
Reading
paid
in
their
full
Fees
in
order
to
a
second
Reading
,
which
is
since
done
,
and
the
Bill
referred
to
a
Committee
,
where
they
have
likewise
continually
attended
,
and
paid
all
Adjournment
Fees
,
and
all
other
Expences
whatsoever
to
this
day
.
That
the
Bill
being
now
likely
to
take
effect
,
there
are
several
Persons
(
unknown
to
the
Undertakers
)
Petitioning
,
and
making
their
Applications
to
have
their
Names
inserted
as
Clerks
and
Registers
of
the
respective
Divisions
,
though
they
have
never
been
at
one
Penny
expence
,
nor
taken
the
least
pains
in
the
Management
of
it
.
The
Undertakers
therefore
do
humbly
refer
themselves
to
the
Honour
and
Justice
of
this
Honourable
House
,
where
they
cannot
but
hope
,
as
a
Recompence
of
their
Trouble
and
great
Charge
,
and
an
Encouragement
to
others
to
undertake
things
of
the
like
nature
for
the
Publick
Good
,
they
shall
have
the
benefit
of
having
their
Names
inserted
in
the
several
Divisions
as
Registers
and
Clerks
,
with
the
Powers
thereunto
belonging
,
preferable
to
any
others
,
so
long
as
they
shall
behave
themselves
well
in
their
respective
Places
and
Employments
.