The petition of Stephen Lea of Checkley cum Wrinehill, Cheshire, Trinity 1662
To the Ho[noura]ble the Justices of the Peace in the County Palatine of Chester
The humble Petic[i]on of Stephen Lea of Checkley in Wrinehill
<Sheweth>
That yo[u]r Petic[i]on[e]r in the beginninge of the late warrs came himselfe w[i]th a man and two horses compleatly armed to the troope of Captaine Richard Walthall Esq[ui]r[e] Captaine in w[hi]ch Troope hee was inlisted as eldest Corporall in the Regim[en]t of Colonel John Marrow in the service of his Ma[jes]ties father that now is of euer blessed and glorious memory and continued therein till Naisby Fight where the kinges forces were defeated and yo[u]r Pet[itione]r taken pr[i]son[e]r to London and there lay a longe time in a sad condic[i]on till at the last hee vsed meanes to some freindes there, who p[ro]cured his inlargm[en]t; afterwardes he return’d into this County but was soe pursued by the Rebellious party that hee was either constrayned to liue obscurely or to ouer run his natiue Country, that hee hath very little to menteine himselfe and family, onely his hand Labour & Industry, & never during all the late times of Rebellion and Vsurpac[i]on deserted his Ma[jes]ties or his royall fathers service, and now yo[u]r Pet[itioner] being informed that his Ma[jes]tie that now is hath bin pleased of his Royall favour and goodnesse by Act of Parliam[en]t to allow some releife to all such souldiers that were euer faythfull & Loyall and his condic[i]on beinge Indigent.
Therefore yo[u]r Pet[itione]r humbly prayes that yo[u]r hon[ou]rs will be pleased to take his necessitous condic[i]on into yo[u]r serious considerac[i]on and so to Countenance Loyalty as to allow to yo[u]r Pet[itione]r who was Euer faithfull an annuall penc[i]on towardes the releife of him and his poore family
And as obliged hee will Euer pray &c
<Wee whose names are Subscribed & being Captaine and Leiften[a]nt to the Pet[itioner] and knowing this Petic[i]on to be true humbly desire hee may bee releived accordinge to Act of Parliam[en]t>
<Yo[u]r hon[ou]rs most humble servants>
<Richard Walthall>
<Alexander Weld>
soldyor