The order for the children of Thomas Cowper of Cuerden, Lancashire, 6 October 1651 (reissued Easter 1655)
Att a Sessions of peace holden att Wigan in the County of Lancaster the sixt day of October in the yeare of our lord 1651
Forasmuch as informac[i]on is given to this Court that Thomas Cowp[er] a souldier in Scotland for the service of the Comonwealth of England and left behind him his wyffe and three smale Chi{ldren} to witt Katherin James and Thomas Cowp[er] and noe meanes f{or} there releeffe and Manteynance (and the said Alice his wyffe is since dead by reason whereof the said Children are in great danger to bee starved and cast away vnlesse some speed{y} Course be taken for there releeffe yt is therefore ordered by this Court that the Churchwardens and Overseers of the poore w[i]thin the p[ar]ish of Leyland shall furthw[i]th vpon notice hereof make p[ro]vision for the manteynance & sustentac[i]on of the said Katherin James and Thomas Cowp[er] Children of the said Tho[mas] Cowp[er] in some good and Competent manner soe as they shall not beg nor starve or otherwise vpon Compl[ain]t made to any Justice of peace w[i]thin this County a warr[an]t shal bee awarded ag[ains]t them to take them bound to answer there Contemts att the next Sessions here to bee holden
Rigbye
Exa[m]i[n]ed by Alex[ande]r Tompson deputed Clark of peace
vpon xx s. a pee{ce}