<Countie of Chester>

To the right Wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of the publique Peace at this pr[e]sent Quarter Sessions assembled.

The petic[i]on of Margaret Pratchet of Namptw[i]ch wid[ow].

<Humblie sheweth>

That whereas yo[u]r peit[i]o[ne]r (when the towne of Namptw[i]ch was a Garrison by the order of the then Gou[ver]nor & others then in authority) did quarter diuers wounded & maymed Souldiers in her house w[hi]ch did not onely spoyle much of her beddinge to her great Losse and hind[e]rance, but also were much in arreare and vnpayd for their quarters to the summe of 46 li 9 s. 6 d. And whereas at the Assises held at Namptw[i]ch in the yeare 1648 yo[u]r said petic[i]o[ne]r obtained orders from the Cheife Justice, and the then deputy Leiu[tenan]ts, (w[hi]ch she hath to showe) that the then Sequestrators of Namptw[i]ch hundred shold, pay her vi li. eu[er]y halfe yeare vntill all the said Arreeres were satisfyed, And in pursuance thereof the said Sequestrators payd her 4 paym[en]ts: But the Sequestred Rents in this County beinge ordered to bee payd to the Treasurer at Goldsmiths hall, London, she hath had nothinge payd her suite, And soe there is remayneinge vnpayd vnto her the sume of 22 li. 9 s. 6d., And forasmuch as yo[u]r poore petic[i]o[ne]r beinge about 80 yeares of age, and hath taken great paynes and spente much money about gettinge her arreers, haueinge beene 7 tymes at Chester, twice at Knuttesford, and once at Middlewich and all on foote about this busines, and this money now in arreere beinge the substance of what muste keepe her on in her old age, And if not payd her, she must either liue vpon the Charity of her freinds, or els begg for her releige, yt hath form[er]ly liued in good fashion releiued others: And haueinge had incouragm[en]te from some of yo[u]r wor[shi]ps to prevaile in her request haueine a Certificate of her Condic[i]on to ye Comittee of Gouldsmith Hall vnd[e]r the hands of three Justices of Peace.

She humbly beggs that the sadnes of her condic[i]on and the importunacy of her Crye may bee taken into yo[u]r serious Considerac[i]on; that (in yo[u]r wor[shi]ps wisdome) some Course at length may bee found out for her satisfacc[i]on herein either by yearely pension or otherwise that she that hath refreshed the bowells of soe many wounded souldiers and Indigente p[er]sons herselfe; may not bee brought to Liue vpon Almes & Charity in her extreame old Age. And she will eu[er] pray &c

<done>