The petition of Raph Howcroft of Over Hulton, Lancashire, Easter 1678
The humble petishon of Raph Howcroft of Ouer Hulton to the right worshipfull his ma[je]st[y]s Justesses at this honorable Court,
I a poore and indegent dec[r]iped person and mamed and lamed in his Maiestis servis in the wars and now at present I haueing a wife w[hi]ch is not able to get aney thing towards maintaneing either herself or mee and wee haueing a Charge of Childeren beseids our selues to mentaine and haueing nothing to mentaine them one and haueing hitherto not beene Chareable nor trublesom to the towne whearein I doe live and being verie loath to be Charable [sic.] to them haueing had some litle alowance from his maiestie of the maimed souldiers pay w[hi]ch hitherto hath helped mee for being Chargeable or trublesom to the towne I doe dwell and now I being at greater nessesitie by reason of both my wife and my owne disabilliti I humbly in treat y[ou]r worships to grant mee an order to haue my maimed souldeers pay enlarged and augmented ac[c]ordeng to your worships discreation w[hi]ch may bee a gret helpe to mee for becomeng Chargable to the towne and soe desiering y[ou]r worships to Consider my weake [illegible] Condition I rest y[ou]r humble petishoner
Raph Howcroft of Ouer Hulton
5 s. Augmented
Intr[abit]