The petition of Richard Clough of Farleton, Lancashire, Midsummer 1658
To the right wor[shipfu]ll Justices of the peace & Quor[um], for the countie palatine of Lancaster
The humble petic[i]on of Richard Clough of Farleton of the p[ar]ishe of Melline in the county of Lanc[ashir]e
Sheweth:
That yo[u]r poore petic[i]on[e]r haueing bene 12 or 14 yeares a souldier in the states service, and now returneing home, haueing a poore wiffe and 4 [illegible] smale children is soe ou[er]charged, that he is brought in to debt & cast in prison where he was almost famished & sterued to death & being att last released, fell into a sore sicknesse w[i]th some of his Children also till they were almost dead, & now (being something recou[er]ed), is cast out of the house w[i]th his wiffe & children, the w[hi]ch he tooke for pay in w[hi]ch Towne & p[ar]ishe he hath liued nyne yeares and the paynes & Industrie of his poore wiffe in his long absence, hath kept the Children from being burdensome to any, And now being destitute of house & harbour, are all in danger to sterue & be lost
May it therefore please yo[u]r wor[shi]pps to take some course For theire harbo[u]r in the Towne where they haue so long remayned & to grant yo[u]r Order for that purpose, & yo[u]r poore petic[i]on[e]r, his poore wiffe & children shall pray etc:
Ch[urchwardens] & Ou[erseers] of Melling to Cont[iue] the paym[en]t of xviii d. a weeke
Ch[urchwardens] & Ou[erseers] to take Care & endeavo[u]r to get the Consent of Lord
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