Jemaica in Queens County upon Long Island Sheweth That your jiumble petitioner having served the town of Jemaica in the work of the minister for the space & term of Ten years late past, hath sufiferd much wrong upon ye account of a certain sallary engaged by y^ inhabitants of y® said Town to be paid unto liim yearly for his labour, y* a considerable part of his sallary is unjustly withheld from him through ye defect of severall Iniiabitants denying to pay their proportion levied by yearly rates though no priviledg or advantage of my ministry hath been denyed to them. Wherefore your humble petitioner makes his application to yoiu' Excellency and Honourd Councill for Relief and Redress as you shall see meet ; not doubting of your Readines to doe Avhat ever shall apear to be Rationall & just ; and cause it also to be done by others, but hopeing y* your excellency togetlier with your Honored councill considering the circumstances of ye premisses will take the most effectuall care and order that what is due to your petitioner by contract & agreement for y« time past may be hcnestly payed and performed to him (without trouble and constraint by course of Law which would be unpleasant and discomendal^le on all hands) your petitioner wilhngly submits to your pleasure tlierein being persuaded that youi" Excellency will not allow y* after your petitioner b.ath (to liis disadvantage) served a people ten years upon ys account of a firm contract he should be defrauded and deprived of a considerable part of his reward engaged, nor necessitated to desert his cahng and the collony to prevent ye like abuse which would unavoidably carry some reflexion upon those in "whose power it is & remaines to prevent or redres such wrongs.