The petition of Mary Burden of Corsham, Wiltshire, 19 April 1653
To the Right Wor[shipfu]ll the Justic[e]s of Peace at the gen[er]all quarter Sessions of the Peace holden at the Devizes Aprill 19th 1653.
The humble Petic[i]on of Mary Burden of Corsham widowe late wife of Captayne William Burden.
Humbly sheweth, That whereas yo[u]r Pet[itione]rs husband served the State in theire warres, & dyed in theire service in Ireland. And he being at the tyme of his death very farre from his Quarters, he lost 120 li. in money w[hi]ch was made of goods & m[er]chandizes w[hi]ch he Carryed over w[i]th him besides 100 li. more w[hi]ch he (Coming newly to his Troope) layd out in horses for the State for w[hi]ch he was never satisfied. And yo[u]r Pet[itione]r cannot safely stay at home, to manage any maner of dealing, for feare of being arrested for those goods w[hi]ch were soe carryed over; Of w[hi]ch goods & m[er]chandizes yo[u]r Pet[itione]r never received p[ar]te nor p[ar]cell, nor yet of any the moneyes made thereof, nor of any other the goods or estate of her said husband in Ireland.
And whereas, vpon petic[i]on made of the pr[e]misses by yo[u]r Pet[itione]r vnto his Excellency the Lord Cromwell, his Lo[rdshi]pp taking into Considerac[i]on her distressed estate, made a subscription vnder his hand beneath the said Petic[i]on, directed to the Justic[e]s of Peace for this Countie for a Competent maintenance to be by them allowed vnto her, vntill such tyme as the Parliam[en]t should settle vpon her some yearely Livelywhood. As by the said Petic[i]on & Subscripc[i]on, (remayning in the hands of Mr Swanton) it may more at large appeare
Yo[u]r Pet[itione]r humbly prayeth yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps to be pleased to allow her something for pr[e]sent; to be forthw[i]th paid vnto her, towards the maintenance of herselfe & her family. And yo[u]r Pet[itione]r shall ever pray for yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps health & happynesse &c.
<Wilts[hire]>
At the gen[er]all Quarter Sessions of the Publike Peace held at the Devizes in the County aforesaid.
The Th[reasur]er of the north Part of this County for maymed souldiers & marryn[e]rs is requ{ired to} paye to the Petic[i]on[e]r (after that all the Penc[i]on[er]s & other orders for{illegible} granted at this Sess[ion]s be fully satisfyed & payd) the some{illegible} Pounds And this to be his dischardge for the same (she haveing {illegible} in Mich[aelmas] Sess[ion]s Last x li. by order of this Court form[er]ly
<by the Court>