The petition of Alice Caraway of Rode, Somerset, Hilary 1659
To the right wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of the peace at this pr[e]sent Quarter Sessions assembled
The humble petic[i]on of Alice Caraway relict of John Caraway late of Roade in the Countie aforesaid Broad weaver
Sheweth
That yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]rs husband about thirteene yeares Since being a souldier to this Parliament of England in the Garrison of Woodhouse and being there with many others beseiged by a great force then vnder the Comaund of that blody tyrant S[i]r Francis Dorington It pleased God after (after [sic.] many sharp conflicts had betwixt the beseeged and the beseegers) to deliuer vp yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]rs husband & the rest of the beseeged into the hands of theyre bloudthirsty enemyes whoe in a barbarous Manner vpon Coole bloud put yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]rs husband to yt most shamefull death of hanginge to the vnspeakeable & vtter vndoeinge of yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r wherevpon yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r being in great want & necessity addressed her her [sic.] self to the then Standinge Comittee of Som[er]s[e]t for some releife in the pr[e]mises whoe Comiseratinge her distressed condic[i]on were there vpon pleased to Order that shee shold receive of the estate of the said Dorington five pounds a yeare As by an Order dated 24th of October 1648 vnder the hands of Richard Trevillian, Thomas English, Henry Bermer & John Preston Esq[uire]s & others may appeare, w[hi]ch yearely Some yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r received from the Sequestrators of the said Doringtons Estate for some short tyme: But nowe soe it is may it please yo[u]r wor[shi]ps that the Estate of the said Dorington being since sold & the sequestrac[i]on thereof discharged yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r is debarred of her Annuitie formerly paid her out of the said estate, whereby yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r & her child (whoe haueing bine very weake and sickely ever since the death of its father) are like to perish through want & peniury vnless yo[u]r wor[shi]pps favoure be herein Extended In tender Considerac[i]on whereof
May it please yo[u]r wor[shi]pps to Order that yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r may receiue out of the maymed Souldiers money or other money raised for the publique stocke of this Countie some yearely penc[i]on towards her releife & maynetenance her Misery being acquired by her husbands indeavours to aduance the publique good of this Countie & Comonwealth
And yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r shall day [sic] pray &c
To be allowed xx s. quarterly to bee p[ai]d by Tre[asure]r for maymed soldiers &c for ye South p[a]rte &c