The petition of Anne Robinson of Lancaster, Lancashire, Michaelmas 1658
To the right woor[shipfu]ll the Justices of the peace and Quor[um] at this present genn[e]rall sessions of ye peace houlden at Lancaster:
The humble Peticion of Anne Robinson widowe the late wyfe of Robert Robinson deceased.
Sheweth vnto yo[u]r woor[shi]pps
That her said late husband was a souldier in the late Warres all the tyme thereof, for the service and of the Parliam{ent} and State, and beinge at Glasgow in Scotland in the states service there dyed about fyve yeares since, leavinge [illegible] one younge child about three yeares ould by him begotten vpon yo[u]r petic[i]on[er]s body, and she yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r great w[i]th childe of an other by him also begotten: both w[hi]ch said children as are liueinge, th[e] one named John Robinson and th[e] other Robert Robinson, the older whereof is about 7 yeares ould now, and the young{er} about 4 yeares ould. Yo[u]r woor[shi]pps may please to see ye certificate of his death. That both the said Children were borne in the Towne of Lancaster {and} haue beene there brought vp, through the painfull and honest la{bour} of yo[u]r Petic[i]on[e]r and her poore and aged father Robert Parkinson {not} beinge burthen some to the parish in any matter of moment.
That the said Robert Robinson the father left not any meanes where{by} to relieve his said poore Children, neither can yo[u]r Petic[i]on[e]r or her said {father} take any farther reliefe of them, her father beinge poore and aged a{nd} her selfe haueinge not wherew[i]th to relieve or mantaine her selfe and them but by her painfull hand labo[u]r in service soe that the poore infants are in danger to famish, vnlesse yo[u]r woor[shi]pps (out of yo[u]r wonte{d} goodnesse) grant them some competencie for their sustaintac[i]on as the lawe in such case requireth and alloweth.
May it therefore please yo[u]r good woor[shi]pps (out of the bowells of pitty and compassion) to give order to the Churchwardens and Oversee{rs} of the poore of Lancaster parish, to make some reasonable p[ro]vision for the reliefe of the said two poore infants by chargeinge the said parish, or as in yo[u]r wisdomes shall seeme most convenient. And yo[u]r Petic[i]on[e]r and her said poore aged father (as in duty bound) shall ever pray for yo[u]r healthes and happynesse long {to} continew.
Ch[urchwardens] & Ou[erseers] to take Care
[Illegible]