The petition of John and Ellin Hall of Nantwich, Cheshire, Trinity 1651
To the right wor[shi]p[fu]ll the Justices of Peace assembled att the Quarter Sessions houlden at Namptw[i]ch
The humble Petic[i]on of John Hall and Ellin his wife
Humbly shewe
That yo[u]r pet[itione]rs eldest sonne John Hall was ever firme to the Parliam[en]t and did good seruice at and before the seige at Namptw[i]ch for the same vnder Maior Malbon and afterwards served in the Irish warres for the p[ar]liam[en]t vnder Colonell Venables in w[hi]ch service he is latelie slaine as the pet[ition]ers are enformed by intelligence from twoe of their sonnes w[hi]ch are now in the same service vnder the said Colonell Venables and alsoe from others that came thence, That the said John Hall at his departure out of Namptw[i]ch did leaue his twoe children John and Margerie Hall motherles orphants w[i]th yo[u]r poore pet[itione]rs to keepe whoe are aged 80 yeres a peice whoe haue nothinge to susteyne them & the said Orphants w[i]th but theire daylie labor w[hi]ch they are not able to vndergoe by reason of the their ould age and ympotencie, soe that the poore Orphants are likely to p[er]ish for want of liuelyhood vnlesse yo[u]r wor[shi]ps be pleased to yeild them releife.
The pet[itione]rs humbly praie that you would take into considerac[i]on the poore Orphants deplorable condic[i]on and to graunt them such allowance for their maintenance as in yo[u]r wisdome shal be thought fittinge And to cause the same to be paid vnto the pet[itione]rs by whome yow shall appoint towards the poore Orphants susten[a]nce that they maie not vtterly p[er]ish And this for Gods loue and zeale of Justice And yo[u]r poore pet[itione]rs accordinge to their bounden duties will ever praie &c.
Wee conceiue that these children are fitt obiects of compassion to extend yo[u]r charitie vnto that they are in a misarable Condic[i]on that wee thinck their father is dead in the p[ar]liam[en]t service in Ireland and did his best service[?] vpon all designes whatsoever from the first beginninge of these troubles & at the seige at Namptw[i]ch & that the pet[itione]rs are very poore and thus wee leaue them vnto yo[u]r wor[shi]ps iudicious considerac[i]on
John Oakes Gabriell Wetenhall
Robert Willye J[ohn] Bromhall Thomas Malbon Jun[io]r
Geo[rge] Gleaue
Raphe Burrough John Acton
<to bee respited till shee make it to appe[ar]>