The petition of James Saunders of Little Leigh, Cheshire, 21 October 1656
To the right wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of Peace assembled at the Quarter Sessions held at Knotsford Octob[er] 21 1656
The humble petition of James Saunders of Little Leigh in the sayd County labourer
Sheweth
That for as much as your Petitioner hath for the space of twenty eight yeares last past beene an inhabitant within the Towneship of little Leigh aforesayd, haueing the charge of his wife & seauen children now liueing, and hath noethinge to mainteyne them with but what hee gets by his dayly had labour, and haueing formerly beene a souldier for the state in the late warres whereby hee his wife and children haue beene reduced to much [illegible] pouerty,
The premises considered
Yo[u]r petitioner humbly prayes, yt in regard alsoe out of meere charitye to your Petitioner his wife & children the Lord of ye soyle in little Leigh aforesayd hath licenced {you}r petitioner to erect a Cottage there soe farre as the {la}we permitteth, Your petitioner may bee authorized to {ma}intaine uphold and continue the same Cottage by {th}e Order of this Cort And yo[u]r petitioner as in duty bound shall euer pray &c
James Saunders
[Illegible]