The poor Prisoners Petition for Charity against Christmas.
To the right Honourable, the PARLIAMENT now sitting at WESTMINSTER.
The humble Petition of the miserable poor Prisoners in Woodstreet Compter, and in behalfe of the rest of the poor Prisoners in and about London,
most humbly begging your Charity and pity against this blessed time of Christmas.
THat wheras the preceding Parliaments were graciously pleased to take into their charitable consideration, the miserable condition of poore Prisoners, and thereupon granted the five pound Act wherein was exprest that all those Prisoners who were not able to pay fees, and Chamber rents, their own security was to be taken: and since that another gracious Act was granted, which tended as much to the good of Creditors, and poore Prisoners as could be expected, and yet for all this, the poore Prisoners must now be kept in Prison to the endangering life there, for want of food; unlesse they can find money to satisfie the unreasonable Jaylor.
May it please this honorable Parliament to vouchsafe a charitable consideration of your poore Petitioners, and to give their following humble Remonstrance, but a favourable aspect, then with confidence wee may expect that charity, that pitty from Salters Hall which wee never yet found.
To the honorable the Judges sitting at Salters Hall. The humble Remonstrance of very many poore Prisoners, that have been and now are sufferers in the Compter in Woodstreet London, by the Tyrannicall oppressions long since continued and now practised by the power of the Master of the said Prison and his sherking Officers.
I THat all drink they use there in generall, is strong Beere and Ale, which must be bought by the Prisoners in the house, at the masters price which is as deere as in any place of England, being two pence the flagon; besides nick and froth, and generally very bad, and not any leave is there all [...]wed to the poore Prisoner, to send out of doores for what hee wants, although he may have it better and cheaper for the same money abroad, and onely lives upon ch [...]rity.
II. That all exactions are there used to Prisoners and friends, visitants that possible may be in any place, for there they must pay for Tobacco, Pipes, and Candle, and be cheated too in the reckoning [...]f not carefull.
III. That in there Chamber Rent there is as much oppression as may be in generall, for the Prisoner payes all alike when he hath a bedfellow, and none, and so likewise he that hath a Chamber to himselfe, and he that hath a mate.
IV. That all Garnishes are basely extorted, which is a thing altogether unlawfull, to the extreame abuse of many a Prisoner by the sharking Officers if not paid.
V. That those that are not able to pay Chamberrent at the day, are most barberously dealt withall, for without any resp [...]ct of person he must from the bed to the bare plankes, let the weather bee never so cold, and many times endangers life there, yet when he or they are to goe off, the Master calls for his Chamber rent and makes them or their friends pay to a penny, [...]s if they had never layed in the hole upon Charity, or else keepes them Prisoners untill legacies come about, and then payes himselfe or else no liberty.
VI. That every single Chamber on the Master side, and the least of all though but a Garret Roome, without a Chimney in it, is five shillings the weeke to one alone, and if hee hath a Mate he payes as much more, and they have their Chambers from ten shillings the week, to twenty shillings the week besides.
VII. That all that lodge on the Masters side, though in a three bed Chamber, must pay six pence a night at least, besides 12 pence for sheets, and some more lying single or double.
All that is herin mentioned the poore Petitioners will maintaine to be true.
The Petitioners further Humbly offer to your Honors these ensuing proposalls.
I. VVHether is it not fitting that the Prisoners there should have as much accommodation in a civill way as in any other Prison.
II. Whether it be not fitting that Prisoners there should have liberty to buy at the best hand, what they dayly want without controle.
III. Whether is it not fitting that the Prisoner having paid for his sheets should quietly enjoy his Bed, and not be subject to every sh [...]ke Officer, to bee turned out of his lodging for want of money to pay them their unlawfull Garnish.
IV. Whether it be not fitting that every Prisoners own engagement should be sufficient for his Chamber rent for a convenient time, and not be subject to be turnd to a worser or baser place then many a dogkennel is.
V. Whether is it not fitting that every Prisoner that hath a bedfellow should be eased the one halfe of his Chamber rent.
VI, Whether six pence a night bee not sufficient for any one to pay that hath a Chamber to himselfe.
VII. Whether is it not fitting that the Prisoners there should find as much honesty for their money as at the Upper Bench, or Fleet, where they have their drinke in generall, at five farthings the quart, and there is little or no difference in the measure as they usually fill.
VIII. Whether is not fitting that the poore Prisoners in the hole there should have their drinke as good cheape as the poore, in the Warde of the Upper Bench, where they pay but one penny the quart for the best strong beere.
IX Whether is it fitting that the poore Prisoners there should be stopped for Chamber rent, or fees when unable to pay.
X Whether is it not fitting that your Honors now appointed to relieve the poore and oppressed Prisoners, should be fully satisfied, how all Legacies and charitable monies appointed for that place are disposed of and not abused (as they say) by the Master there and his sherking Officers.
XI. Whether is it not fitting that there should not be one or more persons of honesty and indifferency appointed for that Prison, that upon all just occasions of complaint should see the Prisoners have present remedy,
And lastly your poore Petitioners most humbly beseech your Honors that you will bee pleased to regulate the excessive Fees and Chamber rent of the said Prison, according to the late Act, impowring your honors thereunto, whereby all oppression may be removed, and the poore and honest Prisoner may be relieved.
This humble Remonstrance was presented to the Honourable the Judges sitting at Salters Hall, about the sixt of March last past, and they promised that the Prisons should speedily bee visited, and that the poore Prisoners should have redresse, but it seemes multiplicity of businesse or some other reason prevented their good intentions therein.
ANd upon the twenty eight of March addresse was made unto Deputy HOVIL being then a constant sitting Judge at Salters Hall, in the behalfe of the miserable poore Prisoners; his Worship answered that hee had seene the humble Remonstrance before, for they had it at the Hall, and for Mr. HACKET the Master of the Prison, they understood him to bee a very honest civill man, but pressing his Worship farther to be mindfull of the misery of the Prisoners, his Worship answered that he doubted they hardly should have leasure to do any thing in that businesse, because they should be so extraordinary busie about selling of Lands; but as it prooved he and they were very much disappointed.
God send us more honesty and lesse Honor.