The petition of Elizabeth Blease of Nantwich, Cheshire, Trinity 1651
To the Right Wor[shipfu]ll the Justic[e]s of Peace, for and within the Countie of Chester.
The humble Petic[i]on of Elizabeth Blease widowe, late wife of Christofer Blease, late of Wich Malbanke in the said Countie Shoemaker deceased.
Sheweth
That yo[u]r Petic[i]oners said late husband, being a Soldier in Namptwich vnder the Co[m]mand of Captaine John Delves, was there slayne, leaveing behind him two Children viz: one Sonne, and one Daughter to the care and charge of yo[u]r poore Petic[i]oner (his Relict) who (since his death hitherto) hath with her dayly greate paynes and labor, (not haveinge els, wherew[i]th to subsist) endeavored to the vtmost of her abilitie, to keepe and maynteyne, both herselfe and her said two Children, w[i]thout being burdensome to any, And yo[u]r Petic[i]oners said sonne, haveinge served as an Apprentice Shoemaker, and being nowe Freeman, hath by his dayly labor) bin a greate comfort and stay vnto yo[u]r Petic[i]oner, (nowe waxen ould and not able (as formerly) to take paynes, thereby to maynteyne her selfe and Family) Vntill the last March against ye Scotts, att w[hi]ch tyme he enlisted himselfe a Soldier, in the Regyment of Colonell William Daye Danyell, and is nowe in actuall service there, soe that yo[u]r Petic[i]oner is now left destitute of Comfort.
The p[re]misses considered: yo[u]r Petic[i]oners humble request is that yo[u]r Wor[sh]ipps would be pleased to take her deplorable Condic[i]on, into yo[u]r judicious and pious considerac[i]on, and to allowe her an yeerely stypend, to be payd her quarterly for her maynteyn[a]nce, in this her comfortlesse & distressed Condic[i]on, as for others in the like case, hath bin and is p[ro]vided, and as yow in yo[u]r grave wisdomes shall thinke fitt.
And yo[u]r Petic[i]oner, as in dutie bound shall ever pray &c.
<[illegible] Forty shillings a yeare till further order>
Wee whose names are subscribed doe hereby certifie, that the Petic[i]oners allegac[i]ons, above menc[i]o[n]ed are true, and doe conceive her to be a fitt Object of Comisserac[i]on
Grff: Mynshull
Richard Jackson Rob[er]te Wright J[ohn] Bromhall Jo[hn] Delues
Rob[er]t Burroughs Thomas Malbon Jun[io]r
Roger Combarbach Ran[dle] Sparrow
Will[iam] Beckett