The petition of Mary Coles of Chippenham, Wiltshire, 15 April 1656
<15 Aprilis 1656>
To the Wo[rshipfu]ll the Justices of the Peace for his Highnes the Lord Protector att this present Quarter Sessions Assembled.
The humble petic[i]on of Mary Coles of Chippenham widowe late wife of Gabriell Coles, late Ensigne vnder ye right Wo[rshipfu]ll Col[onel] Tho[mas] Eyre.
Humbly Sheweth
That yo[u]r pet[itione]rs said husband served (vnder the said Col[onel] Eyre) in the office of an Ensigne, by vertue of a Com[missi]on from the right ho[noura]ble the Lord Gen[eral] Fairfax
That there is due to him in Arreare 24 li. 6 s. as appeares by the annexed Certificate, vnder the hands of the Com[m]ittee.
That it pleased God to Visitt the said Gabriell w[i]th a long & lingring Disease, in and during w[hi]ch Sicknes he spent all that he had, and dyed leaving behind to yo[u]r pet[itione]r twoe small Children, to breed vpp, w[hi]ch she is vtterly vnable to doe.
The pr[e]misses Considered
Yo[u]r Pet[itione]r humbly imploreth yo[u]r Wo[rshi]pps to take her sad Condic[i]on into yo[u]r most Cristian & charitable Considerac[i]on, that therein (by yo[u]r goodnes) shee may Receaue some Releife either out of the Publiq Treasury for this Countie (towards her said Childrens breeding vpp) or otherwise as yo[u]r Wo[rshi]pp shall Conceaue Conscionable, for w[hi]ch (as in Duty bound) she shall allwayes Pray &c.
5 li. to be paid by the Treasurer of the North.