Samuel Sheafe was a London stationer; Joseph Caryll was a London linen draper; Stephen Foster was a London warehouseman. Alexander Merreall was a London merchant, brother and heir of Benjamin Merreall, sons of Alexander Merreall and grandsons of George Merreall the elder. John Applebee was a London printer and bookseller from at least 1711 to 1724.

A release from Mr. Sheafe to Mr. John Applebee of 13 messuages in Southwark (clerk's gloss). The contract was executed to settle debts owed following the bankruptcy of Mr. Alexander Merreall of London, whose brother, father, uncle and grandfather are also named. Also named in the contract are the members of the Kings Majesties [sic] Commission who inquired into the bankruptcy; they were Maurice Kellett and Phillip Tullie, esquires and Thomas Dowse, Charles Bateman and Richard Butler, gentlemen. Six of the messuages [rental properties] were located on the east side of Bermondsey Street in the parish of St. Mary Magdalene, London. The tenants of those messuages were Samuell Jobson, Anna Howard, Thomas Mackerell, John Walker, James Price and Nicholas Bold. The remaining seven messuages were located in the same parish on Blackboy Alley; their tenants were Thomas Luggrove, Thomas Deller, Margaret Sharpe, Edward Deale, William Engleton, Thomas Ffarren and Thomas Clare.