The petition of Margerie Greenoth, Cheshire, 11 May 1644
To the right ho[noura]ble Collonell George Booth and the ho[noura]ble Counsell of warr att Namptw[ic]h
The humble pet[ition] of Margerie Greenoth widowe
Lamentablie sheweinge that yo[u]r pet[itioner’s] husband beinge by his trade a glover & sittinge vpon a greate Racked rent & forward in this Cause was slayne att the takeinge in Whitchurch to the vtter vndoeinge of yo[u]r pet[itioner] & her poore fyve smale infants nowe vpon her Charge,
That yo[u]r pet[itioner] att the tyme of his death was by bond indetted to pay to one Mr Henrie Trevis the some of xx li. w[hi]ch is now by him in a threateinge man[ner] Called for & the interest due for the same,
That ymediatlie after yo[u]r pet[itioner’s] said husband was slaine well Consideringe the detts by him oweinge & her greate Charge & noe meanes to subsist vpon pet[itioned] to the ho[noura]ble bord for Reliefe for her selfe & poore fatherles infants and had allowed ento her iij s. a weeke for the maintenance of her & her poore infants, out of w[hi]ch shee hath had weecklie from the Geholelehowse some Chesses & other vituals att halfe the rate & prise could be made of them if they had bene to be sould againe,
That the pr[e]misses notw[i]thstandinge or any pittie or Couns[id]erac[i]on had of yo[u]r pet[itioner’s] distressed estate or her poore infants, and Mr Keyley & Mr Henrie Rogers by warrant or vnder Colloer of a wa[rra]nt from yo[u]r ho[nou]r Collonell Booth did seise & take awaie from yo[u]r poore pet[itioner] & fatherles Children twentie hundredd waight of ould Cheses of theire owne rate of 23 s. 4 d. the hundred, w[hi]ch said Chesses yo[u]r pet[itioner] had purposed out of the price of them to haue paid the said Mr Trevis his said xx li. & interest & out of the rest to haue bought some Clothes & necessaries for herself & poore infants of w[hi]ch they now stand in greate neede,
Now for that yo[u]r pet[itioner’s] said husbands bond of 40 li. penaltie & her fatherinlawe a poore aged impotent man alsoe lyeinge vpon yo[u]r pet[itioner’s] Charge bound in the same, and the said Mr Trevis soe threteninge yo[u]r poore pet[itioner] & her father for the said 20 li. & interest that out of the forfeyture or penaltie he will make all paid, humblie praies yo[u]r ho[nou]rs to take the poore widdowes & fatherles Children into yo[u]r p[ro]tecc[i]on & in theire iust Cause to defend them, & that out of the moneys due for the said Chesses the said xx li. & interest maie be paid & the said bond Cancelled & deliu[er]ed vpp to yo[u]r pet[itioner] & the residue of the said money for the said Cheeses to be paid in money to y[ou]r pet[itioner] & alsoe humblie praies your expresse order to the treasurer to p{ay} yo[u]r poore pet[itioner] ii s. vi d. a weecke in readie money vpon eu[er]ie Satur{day} to p[ro]vide for the weecke followinge for our sustentac[i]on And the poore widowes & fatherles infants Cause of pet[ition] beinge his death in this warr shall eu[er] praie for yo[u]r ho[nou]rs And this for Christ sake,
That the Parrelem[en]t att the seige of this towne did take [?saxe] wine & hey in all to the value of 24 li. att the least for w[hi]ch yo[u]r pet[itioner] humbly praieth yo[u]r favorable Considerac[i]ons.
<May 11th 1644>
<The Comittee at Mr Sarings house are desired to consider of this peti[tio]n & deale therin accordinge as in Justice they shall thinke fitt.>
<Will[iam] Brereton>
<Geo[rge] Spurtow>
<Tho[mas] Croxton>
<Will[iam] Massey>
<John Daniell>
<November 12 1644>
<Wee conceiue it very necessary & reasonable that the poore woman bee paid the sum[m]e of 23 li. 6 s. 8 d. w[it]h what speed may bee; & that order bee giuen to the Tre[asure]r in that behalfe.>
<Tho[mas] Aldersell>
<John Wettenhall>
<Ric[hard] Leicester>
<Tho[mas] Walthall>