To the Right Revd Father in God Stephen by Divine Providence Lord Bishop of Exon

We, the Minister, Church wardens, and Chief inhabitants of the Parish of Witheridge. in the County of Devon. do hereby certifie Your Lordship that the barer hereof John Pulsford, late of the Hamlet of Sandford, in the Parish of Crediton, hath the space of four months last past resided in our town and Parish of Withridge in quality of teacher of Reading writing and Arithmetick during which time he hath behaved himself peaceable and soberly and given due attendance on the servis of this Church of England and for ought we know or have heard holdeth nothing Contrary to the Articles of Doctrine of the same, and is well affected to his present Majesty King George and the established Government and farther do hope and believe with due submission to Your Lordships better judgement that he is a person qualified for and deserving of the licence he now petitions viz to teach to Read, write and Arithmetick, in the town and Parish of Witheridge none other beside him at present teaching, or that we know of having Lawful Licence for the same, witness our hands the 6th day of March in the year of our Lord God 1728-9

John Shebbeare, Vicar of Withridge
Robert Bidgood and John Grant, Wardens

John Thomas
Robert Tanner
John Radford
George Bodley
Thomas Greenslade
John Elworthy
Andrew Elworthy
Henry Stevens
William Commis

Fiat Licent S E

(The Bishop of Exeter accepts the Witheridge petition and grants (Fiat Licent) a licence to John Pulsford to teach reading, writing and arithmetic in Witheridge, dated 6th march 1729, after his four-month trial period).

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