The petition of Frances Leycester of Nether Knutsford, Cheshire, 8 October 1667
<Com[itatus] Ce[striae] s[ession]s>
To the Right Hono[ura]ble his Ma[jes]ties Justices of Peace at the Quarter Sessions held at Nether Knottesford the eight daie of October 1667.
The Humble Peti[ti]on of Frances Leycester of Nether knottsford widdowe.
Humbly Sheweth.
That yo[u]r peti[ti]o[ne]rs Daughters husband was a souldier vnder the Command of Col[one]l Daniell in his Ma[jes]ties service (that nowe is) and with that Regiment transported into Portugall where hee Dyed Leaueinge a weife and three smale Childeren and not any thinge to Mainetaine them; That since yo[u]r peti[ti]o[ne]rs Daughter: (mother to the said Children) is Dead. That the poore Childeren are very destitute not [illegible] [?haueing] any take care or Charge of them. That yo[u]r peti[ti]o[ne]r hath Mainetained and kept them; That shee beinge nowe ould and not able to labour & take paines as Formerly her small Estate exhausted and spent in Mainetaineinge the said Childeren That shee & they are likely to Indure greate hardship and misery if not p[er]ish and sterue for want of necessaries if not Reliued.
Thereffore Humbly praies yo[u]r Hono[u]rs will bee pleased to take into yo[u]r piouse Consideracion theire miserable and distressed Condicion and to graunt an Order from the Ho[noura]ble Bench for some weekely Alloweance from the Overseers of the Poore for theire Mainetenance or what otherwaies or meanes yo[u]r Hono[u]rs wisdomes shall thinke Fitt & yo[u]r peti[ti]o[ne]r will ever praie &c
Wee the Inhabitants of Nether Knottesford whose names are subscribed knowe the Contents of this peticion[er] to bee true and on the poore Chillderens behalf [and peti[ti]o[ne]rs] for theire Releife are yo[u]r humble peti[ti]o[ne]rs and servants.
<Referred to the ou[er]seers>