The petition of Sarah Bott of Stebbing, Essex, 1652
<Essex s[ession]s>
<Stebbing>
To the wor[shi]pfull the Justices of the peace of this County.
The humble petic[i]on of Sarah Bott vid[ua]
Humbly sheweth
That whereas the husband of yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner did voluntarily at his owne charge furnish himselfe with a horse and armes compleate and engaged him in the service of the hon[ou]rable state, in which service hee continewed two yeares compleate in England. And then Marched uppon the first expedic[i]on of Scotland. In w[hi]ch service It pleased god that presently after the first greate fight hee dyed Leaveing yo[u]r petic[i]oner w[i]th five small children in a very sad and deplorable condic[i]on destitute of necessary maynteyn[a]nce.
Yo[u]r humble petic[i]oner theerfore makes bould Humbly to addresse hirselfe unto yo[u]r wor[shi]ps humbly craveing yo[u]r wor[shi]ps to take the same into yo[u]r serious considerac[i]ons That soe by the blessing of god upon hir endeavor and yo[u]r wor[shi]ps allowance hirselfe and children may have a competent subsistance, And ever shall as she is in dut duty bound pray for to him that blesseth the wid[ow]s and the fatherlesse.
Wee theerfore the Inhabitants of the p[ar]ish aforesaid knowing yo[u]r petic[i]oner to bee Industrious in hir calling and liveing honestly doe in testimony of our desires that yo[u]r wor[shi]ps would graunt hir some reliefe subscribe our names.
John Fuller. Mnist[e]r
John Sorell
William [symbol: mark] Allisons
Josias Stanes
John [?Caudell]
William [?Pascall]
John Androws
<must get a Certificate in the [?meane ?five ?p[ar]ish] p[er] w[ee]ke if not able rec[eive] the [?p[ar]ish]>