The petition of Elizabeth Drie of Preston, Lancashire, October 1678
To the right wor[shipfu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of peace assembled in their Quarter Sessions at Preston in ye Countie of Lanc[aste]r
The humble petic[i]on of Elizabeth Drie widdowe ye late wife of William Drie deceased
Sheweth yt yo[u]r petic[i]oners husband Drie [sic.] deceased in his life tyme was a souldier for his Ma[jes]tie that nowe is and for his late Ma[jes]tie Kinge Charles ye first of blessed memorie in ye Companie of Captaine Bradley in ye regim[en]t of S[i]r Tho[mas] Tildesley & sent forth by ye Township of Newton cu[m] Scales That youre petic[i]oner is lame & by reason therof is verie poore & by reason of her povertie yo[u]r wor[shi]pps did admit her into ye list of ye widdowes of indigent souldiers yt had faithfullie served his Ma[jes]tie in ye warrs And by that meanes yo[u]r petic[i]oner received 13 s. 4 d. yearlie from ye Treasurer for the maymed souldiers w[i]thin this hundred But soe it is maie it please yo[u]r wor[shi]p[s] yt the town of Preston where yo[u]r petic[i]oner inhabiteth did vn[der]take & agree (as yo[u]r petic[i]oner hath heard) to p[ro]vide for yo[u]r peitc[i]oner w[i]thin them selves as formerlie & by yt meanes to bee exempt from contributing to ye meymed souldiers or to theire needy widdowes but yo[u]r petic[i]oner cannot get from ye towne of Preston ye former allowance but make yearlie abatem[en]t to yo[u]r pet[itione]r 2 s. 8 d. In soe much as yo[u]r petic[i]oner being now more infirme then formerlie cannot subsist but is in danger to bee loste vnles yo[u]r wor[shi]pp bee please to extend yo[u]r helpe to yo[u]r petic[i]oner.
Maie it please yo[u]r wor[shi]pp to appointe yt yo[u]r pet[itione]r maie for ye future have her allowance from ye Treasurers of ye Countie as aforesaid w[i]th some smale adic[i]onall allowance to pr[e]serve yo[u]r pet[itione]r from perishing And shee will dailie praie.
till evening
Here begins Preston Sessions Oct[ober] [16]78