The petition of William Leake of Barthomley, Cheshire, 7 April 1657
To the right Wor[shi]p[fu]ll the Justices of ye peace of the County Pallatyne of Chester assembled at this pr[e]sent Quarter Sessions houlden at Midlewich Aprill the seaventh 1657
<Shewinge>
That your petic[i]oner hath beene a souldier in the Parliam[en]t service vnder the Command of S[i]r William Brereton and others since the beginninge of the late Warrs in England, or not verry longe after, as may appeare by a certificate w[hi]ch your petic[i]oner hath to shew vnder the hand of the sayd S[i]r William, and that hee behaved himself verry stoutly & faithfully in his sayd service, and was maymed in the same by the Enemy in his left hand, insomuch as hee is not able to follow his trade to gett his liveinge. And your petic[i]on[e]r for his aforesayd fidelity to the Parliam[en]t haveinge all his goods taken from him by the enemy at Barthomley hath lives in such poverty euer since, that hee hath beene enforced formerly to moove your Wor[shi]ps to bee a penc[ion]er w[hi]ch yow weare pleased to condescend vnto But yo[u]r Wor[shi]ps settinge but 30 s. p[er] ann[um], and haveinge a weife and 4 small Children to menteyne and still running into further want and poverty.
Therefore humbly desires your Wor[shi]ps to take his sad condic[i]on into considerac[i]on, and to grant that his sayd penc[i]on may bee augmented that soe with his owne poore endeavi[u]rs and his wives hee may releeue his 4 small Children and keepe them from beinge burthensome to their neighbo[u]rs
And yo[u]r pet[itioner] shall euer pray &c
<10 s. augmented>
<Nil>