The petition of Elizabeth Greenhagh of Entwistle, Lancashire, 3 May 1655
To the right wor[shi]p[fu]ll the Justic[e]s of peace & quor[um] att their generall Sessions of the peace houlden att Manchester on Thursday the iiid of Maye 1655
The humble petic[i]on of Elizabeth Greenhagh of Entwisley Widow.
Sheweth that whereas yo[u]r petic[i]oner hath beene an Inhabitannt in [illegible] Entwisley & Quarnton being hambletts w[i]thin the Towneshipp of Edgworth in the parish of Bolton for the space of xiiiine yeares last past: and that your petic[i]oners husband about five yeares since entring into the States service in Scotland & there dying, left your petic[i]oner a great Charge of Children, soe that shee hath beene hard bestead to mentayne her selfe & Children & provide habitac[i]on & discharge house rent for them Though through her great Industry shee hath hitherto done itt; yet now of late they all feareing that your petic[i]oner will not be able to discharge her house rent as formerly in regard that itt is now apparent her husband is dead. They all refuse to affoord her any house of habitac[i]on and shutt the doores against her & that for the space of a month or six Weekes now last past shee hath lyen forth att doores Wherby shee is now all most starved for want of an house of habitac[i]on for her selfe & Children.
May itt therefore please your Wor[shi]ps to graunt & give order to the Church Wardens & oversiers of the poore for the parish of Boulton to provide for your petic[i]oner some fitt house of habitac[i]on w[i]thin Entwisley where shee hath lived for many yeares together now last past & where there is sufficient of Empty house wherin none Inhabit That soe shee be not vtterly lost for want of habitac[i]on And your petic[i]oner as in all duty bounden will pray &c
<by law Ch[urchwardens] & ou[erseers] to p[ro]vide>
to bee sent to John Smith in Bolton p[ai]d draw it full