The petition of William Backe of Glasgow, Scotland, Epiphany 1665
To the R[igh]t Wor[shi]p[fu]ll his Ma[jes]t[y]s Justices of the Peace & Quorum now sitting at the Gen[era]ll Quarter Sessions held for the County Pallat[ine] of Chester in the County Castle of Chester.
The humble petic[i]on of William Backe a prison[e]r in ye Castle of Chest[e]r
Humbly sheweth
That yo[u]r pet[itione]r is a native borne in the Kingdome of Scotland & an Inhabitant in the Citty of Glaiscoe where he hath resident a wife & 7 small Children both of them discended from hon[oura]ble families, and yo[u]r pet[itione]r during all the late times of rebellion & usurpac[i]on a most loyall and faithfull subiect to his most sacred Ma[jes]tie that now is, & actually served him in Scotland & at Worcester fight & never revolted nor deserted his Royall service, being one of his Life=Guard then Com[m]aunded by his Grace the Duke of Buckingham for w[hi]ch his Loyalty & due obedience he was vtterly impoverished in his estate,
That since his Ma[jes]t[y]s happie restraurac[i]on to his Royall Crownes, iust rights & dignities, yo[u]r pet[itione]r in Considerac[i]on of his losses & faithfull services obteyned his Ma[jes]t[y]s most gratious pattent signed w[i]th his Royall hand & affixed w[i]th his privy seale to buy Tanned Leather all England over & to transport the same into Scotland, w[hi]ch pattent he hath readye to produce yet soe it hapned (may it please yo[u]r good wor[shi]ps) that yo[u]r pet[itione]r about 3 moneths past being in pursueance of his said lawfull occasions & having a packe of goods to the value of 22 s. sterl[ing] hapned in some evill affected p[er]sons companie who intending to defraud yo[u]r pet[itione]r of his goods mallitiously tooke oath before Thomas Marbury Esq[ui]r[e] yt yo[u]r pet[itione]r was cast into prison where he lyes languishing for want, farr distant from his freinds & acquaintance, & his goods lost ye Constable Thomas Jackson of Northw[i]ch who seized his packe of goods being rune away & therby his goods lost & now meanes to subsist on.
The pr[e]misses Considered yo[u]r pet[itione]r humbly supplicates yo[u]r wor[shi]ps yt he may be dismissed & enlarged & the rather because he never spake any seditious words ag[ains]t his Ma[jes]tie yt the Constable is runne away w[i]th his goods; & all his adversaries enemies to his Ma[jes]tie.
And yo[u]r poore pet[itione]r shall eu[er] pray &c.
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