The petition of Hellen Crutchley of Halton, Cheshire, Epiphany 1663
To the R[igh]t Wor[shi]p[fu]ll his Ma[jes]t[y’s] Justices of the Peace now sitting at the Gen[era]ll Quarter Sessions held in the Castle of Chester for the County Pallatine of Chester.
The humble petic[i]on of Hellen Crutchley of Halton a poore distressed widow.
Sheweth
That yo[u]r poore pet[itione]r hath bene a most deplorable & distressed widow these tenne yeares & vpwards her late husband George Cruchley late Quarter=Master to Major Phillips his troope in his late Ma[jes]t[y’]s service (of ever blessed memory) and by reason of his wounds & distempers in the said service dyed leaving yo[u]r pet[itione]r and three Orphanes in a sad Condic[i]on.
That yo[u]r pet[itione]r further sheweth yt whilest she had any estate for maintenance of her selfe & poore Orphanes she had was not troublesome to yo[u]r Wor[shi]ps nor any other persons, but now is enforced humbly to Craue yo[u]r pious considerac[i]on of her distressed condic[i]on,
Wherefore she humbly prayeth yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps serious considerac[i]on of the pr[e]misses, & that yow wil be charitably pleased to admitt her one of his Ma[jes]t[y’]s pentioners, or otherwise to releeve her as to yo[u]r worpsh[i]pps wisedome shall seeme meet or els vndoubtedly she & her said Orphanes will in a short time p[er]ish for want, And had long since suffered for sustenance, if the charity of good Christians had not releeved their hungry & naked bowells.
And yo[u]r pet[itione]r &c
We whose names are herevnto subscribed certifie yt the contents of this petic[i]on is trueth and we doe recom[m]end the pet[itione]r & her poore Orphanes to yo[u]r considerac[i]ons as fitt obiects to be admitted his Ma[jes]t[y’]s Pentioners, or otherwise to be releeved according to yo[u]r wor[shi]pps wisedome.
William Finmore parson of R
Thomas Chesshire seni[or]
Thomas Chessire Junier