The petition of Elizabeth Drue of Weldon, Northamptonshire, October 1674
<North[amp]ton S[ession]s>
To the Hon[oura]ble his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the Peace for ye County of North[amp]ton[shire]
The Humble Petition of Elizabeth Drue widow & Relict of Aristotle Drue late of Weldon deceased
Sheweth – That wheras in Consideration of ye good & faithfull seruice done to his late Ma[jes]tie of blessed memory in ye late Warrs by her said late husband Aristotle Drue this ho[oura]ble Bench was pleased to grant unto him a Pension of fifety shillings p[er] an[num] to be paid by ye Tresurer of ye East Diuision of this County, and haue since (as to others) lessened ye same and reduced his said Pension to Thirty shillings p[er] an[num], by ye help of w[hi]ch s[ai]d Pension and his labour in his Calling, himself your Petition[e]r & their children haue hitherto been supported w[i]thout being necessitated to depend upon ye charitie of Others; but now by reason of his late Death yo[u]r Petition[e]r w[i]th fiue small children are reduced into so sad poor & necessitous Condic[i]on, that they are like to be exposed to a very great hazard of Perishing vnlesse some help & relief be afforded to them. In consideration wher[e]of
your Petition[e]r most humbly prayes this Hon[oura]ble Bench so farr to Comisserate her sad Condic[i]on as to grant your Order for ye Continuance of ye said Pension of Thirty shillings p[er] an[num] to yo[u]r Petition[e]r (as in some like cases it hath formerly been done) towards the Relief and support of y[ou]r poor petition[e]r and her children
And your petition[e]r shall pray &c:
<We doe desire that this poore petitioner may be admitted to her husbands pention:>
<Cullen>
<R[oger] Norwich>
<L[ewis] Palmer>
Wee whose names are hereunto subscribed inhabitants of Weldon aforesaid doe hereby Certifye our belief that this poor Woemans Case is herein truly represented, and we humbly conceiue she is an Obiect deserving the fauour of this Hon[oura]ble Court
Geo[rge] Jeffreys John Ekins: Rector
Edward Robinson
W[illia]m: Gooile: James Williams
John Grimbold
Francis Winsalt
John Elmer
Int[rabit]
<Ordered yt ye ou[er]seers of the poore of Weldon allo doe pay ye pet[itione]r 1 s. p[er] weeke till further order>
<Mr Jecland>
<pray you pay to this bearour twenty shilling for the arreares due to her husband in ye year 1667,>
<I am>
<yo[u]r lo[ving] freind>
<R[oger] Norwich>