The petition of William Stockdale of Leicester, Leicestershire, c.1642 to 1643
To the right wor[shi]pp[fu]ll Mr Richard Ludlam Maior and the grave Aldermen of the Borrough of Leicester.
The humble petic[i]on of William Stockdale.
Sheweth
that yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner haveinge beene a souldier and imployed in many designes and expedic[i]ons lately in that of the Kingdome of Ireland where hee stayed for the space of one whole yeare (soe longe as hee was able to stay) and there groweinge very weake and impotent was by the Com[m]aund of authority transported over into the Kingdome of England (where nowe hee is) and haveinge lately had a sodaine and disastrous fyre by w[hi]ch he had his house burned and lost many of his goods to his great pr[e]iudice and vtter undoeinge and haveinge lately alsoe buryed his wife (being a midwife in the said Borrough) the staffe and stay his old age leaveinge behind her a very small Child is nowe altogeather left disconsolate and comfortles vnles yo[u]r wo[rshi]pps bee pleased to take his distressed Case into yo[u]r serious and grave considerac[i]ons.
May it please yo[u]r good wor[shi]pps the pr[e]misses considered to graunt the humble desire of yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner herein and hee as in duty bound shall daylie pray for yo[u]r wor[shi]pps health here and eternall felicity hereafter.
It is thought good that the peticoner shall have a gatheringe of the Parishes of the towne & that Mr Maior & ye Justices shall adde what some of money they shall thinke fitt to helpe him {illegible} the hospitall.