The petition of William Nickolls of Nateby, Lancashire, Michaelmas 1666
To the Right wor[shipfu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of Peace & Quor[um] at theire gen[er]all Quarter Sessions at Preston
The Humble Petic[i]on of William Nickolls
Sheweth
That yo[u]r petic[i]on[e]r about sixteene yeares since comeinge from Nateby to Preston markett was in his Jorney w[i]thin Mierscough then pr[e]ssed by George Toppinge then Constable to goe into Ireland there to fight ag[ains]t the then Comon enemy ye w[hi]ch yo[u]r pet[itione]r weere forced to doe & after his comeinge thither was placed vnder ye Comand of Col[one]l Venables gou[er]nour of ye p[ro]vince of Munster Vlster & yt yo[u]r pet[itione]r did in Ireland serve as a souldier vnder by ye space of twelve yeares at least whoe and duringe his stay maried a wife & hath by her two Children & yo[u]r pet[itione]r further sheweth yt hee haveinge a desire to retorne into his owne Country now at his retorne haveing noe certaine place of aboade
Yo[u]r pet[itione]r humbly praies yt hee beinge a shoomaker by trade & haveinge a stocke of leather to ye value of tenn pounds at least besides linnen Cloath & other goods to an indifferent vallue & yt Garstange beinge a m[ar]ket towne & noe Shoomaker theere resideinge & yo[u]r pet[itione]r able in his [callednge] calling hee yo[u]r pet[itione]r his wife & two Children may bee setled there for his moneys hee not (at pr[e]sent) beinge in a Condic[i]on to give security & further yo[u]r pet[itione]r humbly praies yt ye town of Mierscough may bee ordered to give security to ye towne of Garstange for theire indempnity for yt yo[u]r pet[itione]r haveinge soe longe adventured his life for ye said towne & yo[u]r pet[itione]r as in duty bound shall dayly pray &c
to bee setled in Natesby where his last sestlem[en]t [sic.] was
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