The petition of Ennis Lapworth of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Trinity 1673
To the Right Hon[oura]ble his Ma[jes]ties Justices of ye Peace for ye County of North[amp]ton[shire].
The Humble Petic[i]on of Ennis Lapworth of Wellingborrough widow Relict of Richard Lapworth Deceased.
Humbly sheweth that yo[u]r Poore Petic[i]oner is a very Poore distressed widow, and hath Fower smale Children (two of w[hi]ch is very sorely afflicated w[it]h the Kings Evill) and hath nothinge to mainetaine them but her Labour (being very much impoverished in ye maintenance of her husband in ye tyme of his sicknes) who was formerinerly a souldier in the Regim[en]t of ye Right Ho[noura]ble James Earle of North[amp]ton in ye Late warr att Banbury Castle and had in his Life tyme A penc[i]on of Forty shillings a yeare in this County for his s[ai]d service till Easter last. [Several illegible words]
And yo[u]r poore Petic[i]on[e]r being in a very sad & deplorable Condic[i]on vnable to maintaine her s[ai]d Children w[i]thout releife humbly beseeches this Hono[ura]ble Bench if there bee any vacancy of Penc[i]oners by Death or otherwise that yo[u]r ho[nou]rs would bee pleased to graunt her such Penc[i]on, or other Releife as yo[u]r Hon[ou]rs Grave wisdomes shall seeme meete.
And yo[u]r Poore Petic[i]oner & her Childeren as in dutye Bound shall ever pray &c.
Ord[ered] yt this petition bee referred to Miles Fleetwood W[illia]m Washbourne Goddard Pemberton or any one of them to allow her out of the p[ar]ish what they thinke good if they see cause & yt Notice bee given to the ou[er]seers thereof