The order for the children of Thomas Cowper of Cuerden, Lancashire, 6 October 1651
<Thomas Cowper his Order.>
Att a Sessions of peace holden at Wigan in the County of Lanc[aster] on munday to witt the 6st day of Octob[e]r 1651.
Forasmuch as Informac[i]on is given to the Court that Thomas Cowper of Cuerden husb[andman] is (gone (A Soldier) into Scotland in the service of the Comonwealth of England, and left behind him Alice his wife & three smale Children, to wit Katherin James & Thomas Cowp[er] (& noe meanes for theire releefe & Mainteyn[an]c[e] And that the said Alice his wife is since deade by reason whereof the said Children are in great danger to be starved & cast Away vnlesse some speedy Course bee taken for theire Reliefe. It is therefore ordered by this Court that the Church Wardens & Overseers of the poore w[i]thin the parish of Leyland shall furthw[i]th vpon notice hereof make p[ro]vision for the Mainteyn[an]ce & sustentac[i]on of the said Katherine, James & Thomas [illegible] Cowp[er] Children of the said Thomas [illegible] Cowp[er] in some good & Comp[e]tent manner soe [illegible] as they shall not begg nor starve Or otherwise vponn Complaint made to any Justice of peace w[i]thin this County a warr[an]t shal bee awarded against them to Take them bound to answer theire Contempts at the next sessions here to bee holden
Rigbye
<This order to stand & to be borne by the whole p[ar]ishe>
Exa[mi]ned by Alex[ande]r Tompson deputed Clarke of peace
<to enter this into the booke.>
Entred accordingly
Wee require you to take notice of the order w[i]thin written and to make provision for the children therein specified or elce to certifie vs of yo[u]r doeinges therein att the Privy Sessions of the peace to bee holden att Euxton Burgh on Wensday the last day of March 1652.
Ri[chard]: Standish
Rob[er]t Mawdesley
<To the Churchwarden & overseres of the poore of Clayton Whitle & Curden.>