The petition of Cibbel Steiphenson of Fradswell, Staffordshire, April 1651
To ye ho[noura]ble ye Justices of ye peace & Quorum for ye County of Stafford at this pr[e]sent Q[uarte]r Sessions.
The humble petit[i]on of Cibbel Steip[h]enson, a poore widowe, late ye wife of Francis Steiphenson of Frodswell in the said County, deceased.
Humbly sheweth, That her said late husband (haueinge beene a Souldier about 30: yeares vnder ye late Earle of Essex in Germany, ye Lowe Countries & ye North of this Kingdome, as also vnder ye Com[m]and of ye Lo[rd] Cromwell (now Earle of Ardglass) in ye expedition of Count Mansfield, in w[hi]ch seruices, and ye train’d band for this County, he bore ye office of Sargeant, & for about 2 yeares ye Office of Lieutenant in Ireland, since ye begining of theise late and still continuing distractions there: where receiuing dangerous wounds, (to many others he had in former services) he was forced to returne back againe into this Kingdome & thier since (till his late departure out of this life) he hath (by reason of his wounds & losse of much bloud) continued in a languishing condition, in consideration of his seuerall seruices, ye Lords, & others, ye Justices of this ho[noura]ble Bench (as by their Order may appeare) weare pleased to appoint a yearly pension of 40 s.: And yo[u]r petit[io]ner further sheweth yt her sonne, Edward Steiphenson, hath for 5: or 6: yeares spent his time in ye parliament and States seruice, both at ye Sieges & gaineinge of ye two Citties of Chester and Litchfield, besides other seruices, & went at ye beginning of this late Expedition into Scotland, where (as yo[u]r supl[ican]t heareth) he is lately slaine; Soe as yo[u]r poore Oratrix beinge now (in her old age) depriued of the comfort & helpe both of a husband & sonne, & destitute of subsistence or Liuelyhood, and ill able to get her liueinge, She humbly prayes this hono[u]r[a]ble Bench (in tender com[m]iseration of her great losse, pr[e]sent & sad condition) to be fauo[u]rably pleased to order (for her future mainetenance) that ye said pension of 40 s. p[er] Annu[m] formerly graunted to her said husband, may be continued to her, dureing ye remaynder of her pilgrimage here, (w[hi]ch cannot be longe to) and ye same to be paid yearlie in such manner as to yo[u]r graue Wisdomes shal be thought fittinge.
And yo[u]r poore pet[itione]r shall euer pray &c.
Wee (of ye Inhabitants of the Towne of Frodswell) being assured of ye truth of ye aboue petition, and desirous ye contents thereof may not onely gaine ye effects of credit, but be answeared accordinge to ye petiti[o]ners humble request by way of testimony are bold to subscribe our names
[?W] Cromwell
Tho[mas] Donnaghe
Henry Tompson Minister
William [?Looth] John Spooner John Hall
Bryan Boucher Christopher Willet