The petition of John Butcher of Wingfield, Wiltshire, 19 April 1653
To the Right Wor[shipfu]ll the Justic[e]s of Peace at the gen[er]all Quarter Sessions of the Peace holden at the Devizes Aprill 19th 1653.
The humble Petic[i]on of John Butcher of Winfeild Broadweaver.
Humbly sheweth, That whereas yo[u]r Pet[itione]r having served the Parliam[en]t in theire warres 4 yeares & a halfe, he Came afterwards to Winfeild, & there hath wrought at his trade these seaven yeares. And about Chrismas last he marryed a daughter of one Richard Hinton a Cottager in Winfeild, (he having noe other childe) And he dwelt in house w[i]th his said father in lawe.
And for that Cottagers may not keepe any Inmates, and yo[u]r pet[itione]r was warned by the Churchwardens Overseers and Tythingman there, to avoyd the said house. In obedience wherevnto, yo[u]r Pet[itione]r & his wife about fortnight since, dep[ar]ted out of the s[ai]d house from his father in lawe, & hath ben w[i]thout a house ever since; And cannot in any wise gett a house there, albeit there are three seu[er]all houses voyd in that Parish w[i]thout any Tenants in them, & albeit yo[u]r Pet[itione]r hath offered to bring one to stand bound w[i]th him for paym[en]t of his rent.
Yo[u]r Pet[itione]r humbly prayeth yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps to be pleased to graunt yo[u]r warr[an]t to the Overseers there, requiring them to gett some house for habitac[i]on in Winfeild for him & his wife to worke in, he paying his Rent, And he hopeth he shall never be chargeable to the parish; And shall ever pray for yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps health & happynesse.
<Absent when called>