The petition of Anne Whitehead of Gravesend, Kent, April 1653
<Anne Whitehead>
To the right Hon[oura]ble the Justices of the peace assembled at Maidstone to keepe the Sessions for the said County.
The humble petic[i]on of Anne Whiteheade wife of John Whitehead late of Grauesend in ye County of Kent
<Humbly Sheweth>
That whereas yo[u]r poore petic[i]on[e]r did humbly shew vnto yo[u]r hono[u]rs the last Sessions here holden that John Whitehead her said husband beinge a foot souldier vnder the Com[m]and of Collonell George Compton Gou[er]nor of Tilbury Fort in Essex was by ye breaking of a great peice then latelie slaine at the said Fort in the seruice of this Com[m]onwealth w[hi]ch said John Whitehead was an Inha[b]itant of Grauesend aforesaid at the time of his death leaueinge in the said parish of Grauesend his said poore widdowe w[i]th twoe poore little children in great want who w[i]thout releife must ineuitablie perish as then appeared by certificate from the said Collonell and certificate of the truth of the said certificate from the Lord Gen[er]all Cromwell wherevpon the said Anne by the Tre[asure]rs at Ely house was by vertue of an act of p[ar]liam[en]t dated the 30th day of 7ber 1653 recomended to the Justices of the peace of this County to be p[ro]uided for according to the said Act as then by a passe alsoe appeared
In pursuance of w[hi]ch said Act yo[u]r Hono[u]rs were pleased at the said last Sessions to grant vnto yo[u]r said petic[i]on[e]r a weekly allowance dureinge the Continuance of the same Act After the expirac[i]on of w[hi]ch said Act yo[u]r said petic[i]oner made her sad Condic[i]on knowne vnto some of the wor[shi]pp[fu]ll the Justices of the peace neare the place where she is resideinge who were pleased to grant her an order to the Tre[asure]r to allowe to her the said Anne 2 s. 6 d. p[er] weeke for and towards the maintenance of herselfe and children w[hi]ch said order was to continue vntill this Sessions and noe longer.
May it therefore please this Hon[oura]ble Court to take premisses into Considerac[i]on and continue vnto yo[u]r said poore petic[i]oner her said weekly allowance or such stipend or allowance as you in yo[u]r wisdomes shall thinke fitt towards the maintenance & releife of herselfe and her said twoe children.
And yo[u]r poore petic[i]on[er] as in duty bound shall eu[er] pray &c.
Anne Whiteheade
<[Several illegible words]>
- Aprill. 1653
Ordered that the treasurer of the County Stocke doe pay unto the Petic[i]oner three pounds yeerly and ten shillings ouer & aboue now to be payd in hand