The petition of Raph Tilsley of Bolton, Lancashire, 16 October 1684
To his Ma[jes]ties Justices of Peace & Quor[um] att Manchester Sessions ye 16th of Octob[e]r 1684
The humble petic[i]on of Raph Tilsley of Bolton
Humbly sheweth
That yo[u]r petic[i]oner is fourscore yeares of Age and very poore and vnable to worke, This Court formerly granted [illegible] an order yt ye Parish officers should relieve him, which officers refused to give obediance, vntill at a private sessions the Justices there p[re]sent did certifie in the bottom of the aforesaid ord[e]r that his necessities required six pence a week which was for some tyme paid him but Now the pr[e]sent Overseers withhold one halfe from him so yt hee is almost starved, yo[u]r petic[i]oner had formerly a Competent allowance as a Maimed Souldier which allowance being now fallen hath reduced him to this Extremity of poverty, The pr[e]sent church wardens and overseers does refuse to releeve him according to his former allowance
Yo[u]r petic[i]oner therefore humbly beggs yo[u]r order to confirme the aforesaid allowance of six pence a weeke and to allowe him the arreares which have beene w[i]theld from him
And y[ou]r petic[i]oner will pray &c
the first ord[er] confirmed & the arreares to bee p[ai]d & war[ran]ts ag[ainst] Ch[urchwardens] & Ou[erseers] for Contempt
[Illegible]