The petition of Christopher Ambler of Winmoorside, West Riding of Yorkshire, 9 April 1685
To the Right worship[fu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of peace at th{e} generall Sessions of the peace holden at Pontefract Apr[il] 9. 168{5}
The humble Petic[i]on of Christopher Ambler of Winmoore side in the parish of Barwicke in Elmett within the weapontake of Skiracke
<Humbly sheweth>
That after yo[u]r Pet[itione]r had for many yeares served his late Ma[jes]tie of ever blessed memory in the late vnhappy warres in England, where he received many wounds and suffered much imprison[en]t without ever revolting, hee returned home, where for the most part ever since his employment hath been in Cole ingines whereby (through Gods blessing) hee maintained himselfe and his family, and brought vp eleaven children without being chargeable to any, but so it vnhappily fell out, that about Mich[aelma]s last being at worke in a Cole pitt, some earth & Rubbish fell vpon him whereby hee was very badly crushed & bruized, and altogether disabled to doe anything towards his and his poor wife’s maintenance and your pet[itione]r and yo[u]r petit[ione]r being aboue 70 yeares of age and disabled as aforesaid, and having nothing left of his owne, nor any reliefe from the parishioners of the p[ar]ish aforesaid, hee and his poore wife (if no care be taken of nor p[ro]vision made for them) are inevitably like to perish.
Wherefore yo[u]r Pet[itione]r humbly implores yo[u]r good worships to take the pr[e]misses into yo[u]r tender Considerac[i]on, and according to y[ou]r wonted clemency in the like Case, to grant to y[ou]r Pet[itione]r yo[u]r gracious order that hee may have some reliefe from the parish of Barwick aforesaid as his and his poor wife’s necessitous & deplorable Condic[i]on call for, and as to y[ou]r grave wisdomes shall seem convenient, and y[ou]r pet[itione]r shall ever pra{y}
<The truth of this petetion is certefied by us>
<W[illia]m Harpam>
<Jno. Wightman>
Ordered to haue four shillings a month weekely paid untill cause showne to the next Justice of the Peace.
W. S[impson]
Ordered yt ye Tre[asure]r of ye poore bee now ordered [illegible] ye next Justice to the [illegible] why hee did not [illegible]