The petition of Katherine Pue of Kingsley, Cheshire, Easter 1666
To the right wor[shipfu]ll his Ma[jes]t[y]s Justic[e]s of peace Att the quart[e]r Sessions houlden at Northw[i]ch for the Com[itatus] of Chester.
The humble petic[ion] of Katherin Pue widowe Late wief to John Pue of Kingesley deceased.
Sheweth
That yo[u]r petic[ioner]s husband in his lief tyme faithfullie serued his Ma[jes]ti[e]s Father of blessed memorie and his nowe Ma[jes]tie in there warres & for the greatest p[a]rte of the tyme was an offic[er] vnder the the Com[m]and of Colonell Marrowe in w[hi]ch service he receaued many shott & desp[er]ate wounds to the great weakeninge & distrucc[i]on of his bodie for w[hi]ch he had a yearly stipend or allowance from his Ma[jes]tie of 30 s. w[hi]ch had bene dulie paid vntill half a yeare before his death w[hi]ch happened to be about 3 dayes after our Ladie daye Last past. That he dyed verie poore & much indebted & left yo[u]r petic[ioner] great w[i]th Childe; having 3 small Fatherles Children & nothing at all to manteyne them w[i]th but by selling of Ale w[hi]ch in respect of the Monethlie paym[en]t of 4 s. 6 d. to the excise (being Latelie & malitiouslie imposed vppon her said husband doble to what he form[er]lie paid yo[u]r petic[ioner] is neu[er] able to subsist not manteyne her poore Children without being exposed to the miserable Condic[i]on of begging her bread.
May it therefore please yo[u]r wor[shi]pps & that for gods sake, that yo[u]r petic[ioner] may not onlie receaue the some of 15 s. being the Arreare due vnto her husband but that the said yearelie paym[en]t may be continued to her for the releefe of her and her Children, and that yo[u]r wor[shi]ps wil be pleased to order or to [illegible] be a meanes to p[ro]cure the great vnsupportable burthen of the excise to be reduced to what yo[u]r petic[ione]rs husband form[er]lie paied.
And yo[u]r petic[i]on[er] will eu[er] pray &c
<to keepe her husbands arreeres till his death>
<ou[er]seers of the parish>