The petition of Richard Cartwright of Church Coppenhall, Cheshire, 15 April 1656
To the right Wor[shi]p[fu]ll the Justices of the peace of the County Pallatyne of Chester assembled at this their pr[e]sent Quarter Sessions houlden at Midlew[i]ch Aprill the 15th 1656.
The humble petic[i]on of Richard Cartwright of Churche Coppenhall laborer.
<Sheweth.>
That your petic[i]oner dureinge the tyme of the late warrs in this Common wealth was a souldier in the p[ar]liam[en]t service and thearein was both active vallyent and faithfull, and since the tyme that hee layd downe his Armes, hath lived vpon a rack rent, and by his care paynes and industry hath kept and menteyned himself his wife and 3 small Children without beinge burthensome to his neighbo[u]rs, but ye rates of ground beinge greate, and the prices of such commodities as your petic[i]on[e]r had to sell verry small hath soe impoverished him, that now hee is not able to take a habitac[i]on for the menteynance and succor of his aforesayd weife and Children.
Yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r therfore humbly prayes that yow will bee pleased to commisserate yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]rs sad Condic[i]on, and to grant him yo[u]r order that hee may haue a small Cottage erected in some convenient place on the wast in Church Coppenhall wheare yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r his sayd weife and Children weare all borne (hee p[ro]cureinge and obteyninge lycece from the Lord of the wast for that purpose)
And yo[u]r pet[itione]r shall euer pray &c
<Referred to Capt[ain] Denton Randall [?Snugly] & Anderton or any 2 of them to view the place>