The petition of Mary Strongethorne of Swettenham, Cheshire, Michaelmas 1651
<County of Chester>
To ye Wor[shi]p[fu]ll the Justices of the peace assembled at this present Sessions att Northwich.
The humble petic[i]on of Mary Strongethorne of Swettenham widow.
<Sheweth> that your petic[i]on[e]r[s] late husband William Strongethorne hath beene a souldier in the Parliam[en]t service ever since the beginninge of the late Warrs in England and hath behaved himself in the sayd service both faithfully and actively as is well knowne vnto most officers and souldiers of this County. And goeinge vpon the late expedic[i]on agaynst the Scotts vnder the Command of Captayne Walley was slayne by the sayd Scotts Army in a mount neare Worcester havinge left your poore petic[i]oner with five small Chilldren w[hi]ch shee is noe wise able to menteyne (havinge but a small Cote worth xx s. p[er] ann[um] and that out of Leas within this fower yeares, soe that your petic[i]on[e]r and her sayd five small Children are like to p[er]ish vnlesse yo[u]r Wor[shi]ps goodnes bee extended vnto vs.
Your poore petic[i]oner therefore humbly prayeth your Wor[shi]ps to take her sad & lamentable Condic[i]on into yo[u]r considerac[i]on and to admitt her to bee a penc[i]oner and giue her such an annuall allowance towards ye releefe of her Children as yow in yo[u]r wisedomes shall think fitt And your petic[i]on[e]r as in duty bound will ever pray for your Wor[shi]ps health and happines.
<the same>