The petition of Icabod Crooke of Darcy Lever, Lancashire, Easter 1659
To the right wor[shi]p[fu]ll the Justices of peace att the Generall Sessions holden att Manchester
The humble petic[i]on of Icabod Crooke of Darcy Leauer in the said County of Lanc[aste]r
Humbly sheweth vnto yo[u]r good wor[shi]pps That whereas yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner hath Liued in Darcy Leauer for the space or terme of 10 yeares and vpwards haueinge a wiefe and Sixe Smale children to mainteyne, likewise was a souldier in these late tyme of Warrs for the publique Seruice and was wounded, & thereby much prejudiced to his greate detriment and nowe att this present is soe feeble that hee is not able to worke, & now more to encrease this yo[u]r poore petic[i]oners sorrowe the Landeslord of his poore cottage hath giuen yo[u]r petic[i]oner warninge to remoue att maie daie next & but about sixe weekes tyme, w[hi]ch is neither suffitient Warninge neither yo[u]r poore & humble petic[i]on[e]r able to prouide for himself & poore wief and sixe smale children haueinge Sould the most parte of his goods to paie his rent withall & still willinge to doe what hee is able & haueinge beene sore visited w[i]th sicknes since Bartholomew daie last & still contineweinge sore visited is like to bee starued both for want of habitac[i]on & releeffe & further the trueth is that his eldest sonne who was a greate helpe to him is over runn him for want of present necessaries in soe much as now for habitac[i]on & releefe yo[u]r petic[i]oner att Maie daie next together with his poore children & family is like to Starue & famishe but through the redresse of yo[u]r wor[shi]pps in that case prouided.
In tender Commisserac[i]on maye it please yo[u]r good wor[shi]ps to take the pr[e]misses into yo[u]r serious Considerac[i]on and accordinge to yo[u]r accustomed clemencie & in pittie & pietie to grant order to the overseers of the poore that yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner for himself his wief and children maie haue a place of habitac[i]on or els some cottage errected within the wasts of Darcy Leauer to preserue their Liuely hood hee beinge a man though poore yett of honest conversac[i]on & one that feareth god & is iust in all his poore callinges & if yo[u]r wor[shi]pps would grant yo[u]r order for the errecc[i]on of a Cottage yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r were as in dutie bound to praie for yo[u]r wor[shi]ps heal{th} & hapines &c
<att Wishet Hill[ary] as p[er] Ed Ashton certifcat>
<Ch[urchwardens] & Ou[erseers]>
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