THE CASE Of the Inhabitants of the Hamlet of Wapping, in the Parish of St. Marry White-Chappel in the County of Middlesex.  
Humbly presented to the PARLIAMENT of England.  
THE Parish of White-Chappel, being very Populous about the Year 1617., the Inhabitants of Wapping (being a Hamlet by themselves, choosing all their own Officers, maintaining their own Poor, and being charged for all King's Taxes, as if they were a Parish) did by a Voluntary Contribution Erect a Chapel in Wapping aforesaid, which was duly. Consecrated; and the Inhabitants and their Successors have ever since repaired it, and by free Collections have maintained a Minister there, without the Allowance of one Penny to the said Minister from the Rectors of the said Parish.  
And yet during all this time, the Inhabitants of Wapping have paid to the several Rectors of White-Chappel, the full Rate of Tithes, in respect of their Houses which was formerly paid, although they have had no benefit of their Cure, and also have been assessest rather higher towards the repairs of the Parish Church than any other of the Inhabitants.  

* Buried in the whole City of London the last Year 2740.  The whole Parish of White-Chappel consists of more than 4000 Houses, and the Inhabitants by the lowest computation are between Thirty and Forty Thousand Souls; so that the said Prish has many more Inhabitants in it then One Third part of the whole City of London, which is 97 Parishes.  
The Hamlet of Wapping has formerly been esteemed One Third part of the whole Parish, 
In the Parish of White-Chappel 1048.  but now by the Building of Goodmans-Fields and other places, in which have been Erected Six or Seven Hundred Houses within Ten Years last, and by a moderate computation above 150● Houses within about 30 Years, and this all in the upper part of the Parish; so that the Hamlet of Wapping (which cannot be increased by new Buildings (having no ground to Build upon) is now not one Fourth part of the whole, and yet notwithstanding is charged as One Third part.  
Within 24 Years last passed, there have happened five dreadful fires in Wapping, which totally consumed 500 Houses, with Goods, Merchandizes etc. to the value of One Hundred Thousand Pounds, which decayed divers of its Inhabitants, and ruined more; and since this present War, the Inhabitants being chief Seamen, and depending on Sea Trade, are greatly Impoverished, and being burdened with many Widows and Orphans, they are unable to pay Rate Tithes, to the Rectors of White-Chappel (of whose Cure they can have no benefit, by reason of the great distance of the Church from them; and the vast numbers of the Inhabitants, which are so great, that the Parish Church cannot conttain One Tenth part of them) and maintain their own Minister and support their own Chapel as formerly: So that the Inhabitants will be constrained to let their Chapel fall, and shall thereby become destitute of Divine Service, Sacraments, and other Religious Offices there for the future; which must necessarily throw them into a Defection from the Church in particular, or to all Religion in general, which God Avert.  
And for prevention of it, they beg the Assistance of this present Parliament, praying they may be made a Parish distinct by themselves.  
Obj. 1. Perhaps it may be Objected, That if Wapping be made a Parish, this will become a damage to the Rectory of White-Chappel, and in particular to the present Rector?  
Ans. If Wapping be made a Parish, yet White-Chappel, through the Advantage of the New Buildings (most of which are fair and large Houses and Inhabited by Persons of great Wealth) will still be made better than it was 30 Years ago with Wapping, and will (its verily believed) be worth with the Perquisites, above 400 l. per Annum.  
Obj. 2. If Wapping be made a Parish, this will Exempt them from contributing to the Repairs of White-Chappel-Church and Highways?  
Ans. 1. White-Chappel without Wapping, will better be able, through the increase of their Inhabitants, to repair their Church and Highways (of which Wapping have no benefit) then formerly they could with Wapping.  
2. Wapping has been at above 700 l. Charge of late Years in paving their own Ways, which were formerly unpaved,  
3. They have been of late Years at many Hundreds of Pounds Charge in enlarging the outlets of the Common-Sewers, and are still at great cost in maintaining them, which do receive and convey the greatest part of the Water of White-Chappel into the River of Thames, notwithstanding to which White-Chappel contributes not one Penny; all which are great Advantages, but no Charge to White-Chappel.  
4. The Hamlet of Wapping are to have one Third part of all Public Charities given to the Parish at large, one Third part of the Rent of the Parish Houses, one Sixth part of all offerings, which (if they are made a distinct Parish) they shall utterly lose.  
All which considered will much more than compensate their present Charge to the Church and Highways.   

THE Hamlet of Waping White-Chappel 's CASE.