The petition of Gowther Butterworth of Rochdale, Lancashire, 20 January 1659
To the wor[shi]p[fu]ll Justices of peace at the quarter Sessions houlden at Manchester one Thursday the xxth of Janaurie 1658
The humble peticion of Gowther Butterworth heretofore souldier of Col[one]l Thomas Birch of Birch his foot Regiment
Sheweth, That yo[u]r peticioner sometyme a Clothier of competent estate wholie lost the same in the begining of the late Warr by bad debtors: hath don faithfull service during his Souldierie as by Certificat vnder hands of his Captaine & other th[e] officers herevnto affixt app[ear]eth: who further certifie, That by the night watches & other p[er]formances of dutie hee contracted & yet hath diseases whereby hee is disenabled to follow anie Calling or employment to mayntaine himselfe & houshoud [sic.] w[i]thall – having manie children – whereof 6 are living & the most of them so yong as not yet able to worke and therefore are all at want of necessarie subsistence, That hee purposed heeretofore in due tyme to have travelled to London for Reliefe as to a sick souldier (so as aforesaid disenabled) & then became more sick & weake & therein failed.
May it therefore please your good wor[shi]ps (the p[re]misses considered) by your order of this Sessions to commend yo[u]r peticioner over to the Churchwardens & ou[e]rseers of the poore of the parish of Ratchdale – where yo[u]r said petic[i]on[e]r was borne & constantly inhabiteth & lived – for Relief & susten[a]nce in some good measure p[ro]porcionable to his said Charge w[i]th considerac[i]on of his great infirmitie & povertie, And hee will eu[e]r pray &c.
<Ch[urchwardens] & ou[erseers]>
<[Illegible]>