The petition of the widows, maimed soldiers, and orphans of Bolton, Lancashire, Midsummer 1653
The Humble petition of the poore widdowes, Maymed Souldiers & Fatherles Childeren whose husbands or parents were slayne att ye surprizall of Boulton by Prince Rupert his Forces
Sheweth That yo[u]r petitioners haueinge severall times ymportuned this honorable Bench, layinge Foarth their greivous necessities, still waiting vppon yo[u]r wor[shi]ps Clemencie & goodnes, In ye seeinge in some measure their misseries redressed & wants supplied, yet our expectac[i]ons beinge soe longe delaied, That our hopes are as it were Frustrated (except) yo[u]r wor[shi]ps bee pleased to afford at pr[e]sent the Three Moneths pay ordered For vs, The most of yo[u]r petition[e]rs wil bee enforced to begg by reason of ye decay of tradeinge, w[hi]ch wee conceive yo[u]r wor[shi]ps are not ignorant off. Farther yo[u]r humble petition[e]rs doe noe litle admire that those in other hundereds whose meanes Farr exceed ours who are resident in or aboute Boulton, And our Losses haueinge exceeded theires, And yet as we are enformed they receive more then double pay to your petito[ne]rs, Yo[u]r petitio[ne]rs are [illegible] not in anie wise willinge to offend yo[u]r wor[shi]ps neither by too much ymportunacie nor Complaints, But in all submissive & humble manner desiringe yo[u]r worships to take their deplorable condic[i]ons into yo[u]r Judicious & serious considerac[i]on For their pr[e]sent releiffe who otherwise are like to starve And yo[u]r petition[e]rs shall as in duety bound now & ever pray &c.
this day fortnight is appointed desired for a gen[er]all meeting at Preston and in the meane tyme the Ch[urchwardens] & Ou[er]seers of the poore to make p[ro]vision for them