The petition of Francis Whilye and Katherine Caswell of Tettenhall, Staffordshire, 14 July 1657
To the honoured the Justices of the Peace for the County of Stafford
The humble petic[i]on of Frances Whilye & Katherine Caswell widdowes of the p[ar]ish of Tettenhall in the County of Stafford.
Humbly
Sheweth that your Petic[i]oners two very poore Widdowes whose husbands dyed in the States seruice in Scotland about six yeares past, they haueinge bin Constantly Souldiers in the Parl[i]ament seruice from the begininge of the Warr in w[hi]ch tyme and before did mainetayne their wiues and a great charge of Children in a very sufficient maner but after they dyed then they weare in want, and the Justices weare pleased to graunt that they should receiue forth of the Maymed Souldiers pay Fortye shillings a peece yearely w[hi]ch hath bin dulye payd unto them, vntill the last Sessions and then the one halfe therof was retained from them.
<The Justices will con[side]r of this Pet[ition]>
Theire Humble suite therfore is that you would be pleased to take their sayd sad Condic[i[on into your Considerac[i]ons and to graunt that they may receiue the Forty shillings a peece yearely as formerly they did, otherwise they and their poore Children will be in great want and miserye.
And your poore petic[i]oners shall euer pray &c.
Wee whose names are vnderwritten beinge of the Inhabitants of the p[ar]ish of Tettenhall aforesayd doe Certifie the pr[e]misses to be true & doe verylie beleiue that the petic[i]oners are in as mutch want as most of the penc[i[oners that are in the County.
Alex[ander] Wightwick
Walter Fowler sen[ior] Fr[ancis] Wrightwicke
Walter Fowler jun[ior] Lewis Hayward} Rich[ard] Hancoxe
William Derrye Richard Crydon} Churchward[ens]
Alexander Elmbrok
William Pasey John Siddowne Constable Thomas Hickes
John Foxall John Creswell John Perry
John Hansworth
Alex[ander] Bache
William Flyming