The petition of Elizabeth Hayhurste of Haighton, Lancashire, 10 January 1650
To the Right wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of peace and quor[um] at the generall Sessions of peace houlden at Preston the 10th daie of January 1649.
The humble peticon of Elizabeth Hayhurste widowe
Sheweth
That yo[u]r peti[ti]o[ne]rs husband about halfe a yeare since listed himselfe a souldier vnder the comand of Captaine Potter in the Regiment of Colonell Moore for the service of Ireland, who sithence is slayne by the enemy there, and hath left behynde him yor pet[iti]o[ne]r and Four smale Fatherles children, who are all of them destitute of meanes for their subsistence and liuelyhood but are necessitated to beg for theire relieffe.
That yo[u]r said pet[iti]o[ne]r and her Children have lived for almost foure years last past within the towneshippe of Haighton, but now are destitute of houseroome wherein to inhabite and are necessitated many tymes to lye without doores for wante of lodginge.
That John and Anne Hauhurste 2 of yor pet[iti]o[ne]rs eldest Children (the one beinge about 12 yeares old and th[e] other being about 11 yeres old) were borne within the towne of Chippinge, and that Margaret Hayhurst yo[u]r said pet[iti]o[ne]rs third Childe (beinge about 9 yeares of age) was borne within the towneshippe of Ribleton, and Ellen Hayhurste yor pet[iti]o[ne]rs other daughter being about 5 yeares old) was borne within the towneshippe of Fulwood.
That your said pet[iti]o[ne]r and her Children have noe frends or kindred which are [illegible] (to theire knowledge) by lawe compellable to provide for them or any of them.
The premisses considered shee beg humbly prayeth that the several Churchwardens & overseers of the poore within the severall & respective towneshippes of Chippinge Kibleton & Fulwood where all her said Children were borne may bee by yo[u]r worships ordered to provide competent manteynance for them. And that the Churchwardens & Overseers of the poore within Haighton aforesaid (beinge the towneshippe wherein yo[u]r said pet[iti]o[ne]r & her children have for about 4 yeares last past inhabited) may provide a convenient house of habitacon wherein shee & her poore children may inhabit for the [?] & shee or otherwise as in discretion to your good worships shall seeme meete & your pet[iti]o[ne]r will daily pray &c.
Ch[urchwardens] & ouerseers of Broughton parish to provide for them