The petition of Mary Ayrington and Alice Stirsaker of Lancaster, Lancashire, Easter 1656

To the Right wor[shipfu]ll Justices of the Peace of the Quarter Sessions at Lancaster
The humble petic[i]on of Mary Ayrington widowe and Alice Stirsaker in th whose husbands dyed in the States seruice
Sheweth
That wheras yo[u]r petic[i]o[ne]rs hath beene formerly payed and now of late getteth noe paie at all, nor hath had anie this two yeares and vpward, the said Mary, being an ould woman, and the said Alice Stirsaker haueinge two smalle Children w[hi]ch shee had by her deceased husband Ed: Winder for to mentayne, Soe yt yo[u]r petic[i]o[ner]s is in great want for the non paym[en]t theirof.
May it theirfore please yo[u]r wor[shi]pps for to take the pr[e]misses into yo[u]r good Considerac[i]ons and to assigne yo[u]r petic[i]o[ne]rs how they may come to their areares that is behind, and they as in dutye bound will euer pray.
Ch[urchwardens] & O[verseers] of poore to p[ro]vide for Mary Ayrington of Lanc[aster]
[Illegible]