The petition of Marie Burden of Corsham, Wiltshire, 7 October 1656
<Wiltes[hire] s[ession]s>
To the right wor[shi]p[fu]ll the Justices of the Peace of the Publique Sessions of the peace held at Marleborough in and for the Countie of Wiltes[hire] the seaventh day of October 1656
The humble Petic[i]on of Marie Burden of Corsham in the Countie afores[ai]d widdow
Sheweth that whereas yo[u]r Pet[iti]o[ne]rs late husband Captaine William Burden dyed in the Parliam[en]t service in Ireland and that he left behind him, your Pet[iti]o[ne]r and many Children in a very poore Condition and that he first took vp armes in the Countie of Wiltes[hire] the truith whereof his highnesse the Lord Protector of the Commonwelth of England Scotland and Ireland and the dominions therevnto belonging being satisfied withall was pleased by his order beareing date the fowerth day of Julie 1655 Order that the Justices of the peace for the Countie aforesaid should allow vnto yo[u]r Pet[iti]o[ne]r a competent penc[i]on for the mainten[a]nce of her selfe and Children as in and by his said highnesse order remaining in this Court more at large appeareth And your [illegible] Pet[iti]o[ne]r further sheweth vnto yo[u]r wor[shi]ps that you weare pleased at Easter Sessions last to allow vnto yo[u]r Pet[iti]o[ne]r a penc[i]on onely of fower pounds p[er] ann[um] which yo[u]r poore Pet[iti]o[ne]r humbly conceiveth cannot be a Compitent penc[i]on for the mainten[a]nce of her selfe and Children But true it is that she your Pet[iti]o[ne]r ought to haue a p[ar]cell of land in Ireland which she was p[ro]ffered six score pounds for but never received any proffitt thereof as yet by reason it is violently deteyned from her the value of which six score pounds and more yo[u]r Pet[iti]o[ne]r standeth now indebted by reason of many grevouse suits in law that yo[u]r Pet[iti]o[ne]r hath been forced to defend and likewise very tediouse sicknesse that it hath pleased God to inflict vppon her famlie
The humble desyre therefor of your Pet[iti]o[ne]r is that yo[u]r wor[shi]pps will be pleased the premisses seriousely considered to augm[en]t the said fower pounds p[er] Ann[um] and to graunt vnto yo[u]r Pet[iti]o[ne]r a Compitent penc[i]on according to his said highnesse order and yo[u]r Pet[iti]o[ne]r shall pray &c
John Sparrowe
Dauid Wood
John Comley
John Bey
<Col[onel] Will[ia]m Eyre to cons[ider] what moneyes she shall haue for the pr[e]sent not exceedinge 5 li.>