The petition of William Jolly of Culcheth, Lancashire, Midsummer 1665
To the Right Wor[shi]p[fu]ll his Mai[es]ties Justice of the peace & Quor[um] att the generall quarter sessions houlden att Ormeskirke.
The humble petic[i]on of William Jolly of Holcroft within Culcheth in the County of Lanc[aste]r husb[andman]:
Sheweth that whereas yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r haveing beene Scoutmaist[e]r generall of this County vnd[e]r ye Com[m]and of ye right hono[ura]ble James late Earle of Derby in his late Mai[es]ties service dureing A certaine space of the late vnhappy warres did of late by vertue & in pursueance of the Act of parliament made for ye reliefe of poore & maimed offic[e]rs & souldiers obtaine A certain pension of Thirty shillings p[er] Annu[m] which sithence vpon considerac[i]on of yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]rs late estate & possession of & in A certaine messuage & Ten[e]mente w[i]th th[e] app[u]rten[a]nces in Holcroft afores[ai]d was abridged & diminished vnto Tenne shillings p[er] Annu[m] onely But now soe it is that yo[u]r s[ai]d petic[i]on[e]r being since the diminution of his said pension as afores[ai]d forceably Evicted forth & out of the said messuage & Tenement by Thomas Holcroft Esq[uire] and not able as yett eith[e]r to releive his said injury by Lawe or to mantaine & provide for himselfe his wife & small children habittac[i]on or manteineance competent for A poore livelyhood
Hee therefore humbly praieth (the pr[e]misses considered) yo[u]r Worships will be pleased to graunt him An augmentac[i]on of his s[ai]d pension something more equivalent to his s[ai]d indigency And as y[o]w in yo[u]r discrec[i]ons shall conceive fit. And yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r will ev[e]r pray &c
x s. ag augmented