The petition of Ralph Pycroft of Openshaw, Lancashire, 19 January 1655
To ye Right Wor[shi]pp[fu]ll The Justices of the Peace; At the Session at Manc[heste]r Jan[ua]ry 19o 1654.
The humble peti[ti]on of Ralph Pycroft
Sheweth
That yo[u]r peti[ti]oners Father Richard Pycroft was slayne in the service of the Parliam[en]t at Namptwich Battell, that your peti[ti]oners mother, living late in Openshaw w[i]thin this parish is also Dead; That by the help of a collection in Openshaw aforesaid &c your petitioner was bound apprentise; That yo[u]r peti[ti]oners Master is now become altogether insufficient to performe his part of ye agreem[en]t whereby your petitioner is enforced to wander; yo[u]r peti[ti]on[e]r
Humbly prayeth That through yo[u]r wor[shi]pps care and the mercy [sic.] some smal moneys may bee allow’d to yo[u]r peti[ti]oner, to bind him apprentise to another good and sufficient Master, who is ready to accept of him, whereby yo[u]r petitioner will bee no further charge or burden at all to ye parish and will bee bound for ever to pray &c.
Ch[urchwardens] to take care to bind him