The petition against John Walpole of Skillington, Lincolnshire, 1683
To the Right Honorable the Earle off Lindsey
May it please your Lordship, and this honorable Court, to repeal this order of sessions, which we suppose was surruptitiously obtained For theise reasons following
First he did Falsly informe this honorable Court, that by reason of his Age he was past his worke, and Could get none For that little he could doe (when in truth he refused A seruice, through lasines) and said he Could get more by the halfe by beging
2 he now is and then was as able to doe, as sufficient Service as most laborours in our parish
3 Nothwithstanding a long and vexatious suit he had with his own Neuew, wherby ye said John was decayed in his estate, yet through perswation his said Cozen was Content to take and provide For one of the said Johns Children: the which Offer, the said John vtterly regected: and scornefully replyed he was as able to mainetaine his Children, as his Cozen.
4 the inhabitants allwayes hath and is willing to supply the said John with Corne or mony Conuenient, to support himselfe and famaly when they really have beene in want
5 Immediately after his obtaining this order of sessions, seuerall off the Inhabitants went to the said John, and told him they was willing to releeue him so far as they thought was Needefull: or else they would stand to Any Justeses award that the said John thought ffit to Nominate: to which he Answered that he ought Mony, and he would haue it to pay his debtes withall: to which we reioyned that we hoped that None off this honorable Court would Inioyne vs to pay his debtes and Mainetaine him allso, but that they would heare our Just Complaints
In short he hath all along the Course of his life beene A turbulent Crosgrained [blank] he went a King katching to Woster, A searcher For Armes vnder old Noll, An assistant to one Thorp a sequestrator, a trooper in ye time of Rebellion, a Contentious person.
wee hope this honorable Court duely waieing ye abouesaid, Cannot but Concieue that this person haueing acted so many parts in the tyme of rebellion, would lay vp some hurd to weather of a storme: And that not he, nor any such may tiranyse ouer vs with his pretensiue Inabilityes. May it please your lordship that Notwithstanding all the abouesaid resons we are willing most humbly to submit to the Judgment of his honorable Court.
Will[iam] Denton
Thomas Christian
Thomas Denton
Robert Christian
Randolph Ewerdine
John Hewit
Charles Saywell
John Greenham
John Ranken
Henry Christian
Henry Simons