The petition of William Woodfine of Acton, Cheshire, Epiphany 1675
To the R[igh]t Wors[hi]p[fu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the peace for the County of Chester.
The humble Petic[i]on of William Woodfine of Acton aged Sixty Six yeare.
<Humbly Sheweth>
That whereas yo[u]r Petic[i]o[ne]r hath ever since Edgehill battle been a Souldier for his now Ma[jes]tie and for his Ma[jes]tie Kinge Charles the first of ever blessed memory And yo[u]r Petic[i]o[ne]r was Souldier vnder the Com[m]and of John Lord Vicount Saviage and afterwards was a Souldier vnd[e]r the Com[m]and of S[i]r Gilbert Gerrard the Governor of Worcest[e]r & yo[u]r Petic[i]o[ne]r hath been & still is ever since his now Ma[jes]ties Resoration a Traine Souldier for the Towne of Acton within ye hundred of Edesbury vnd[e]r the Com[m]and of Capt[ain] Done.
The pr[e]misses tend[e]rly consid[e]red & forasmuch as yo[u]r Petic[i]o[ne]r by reason of his loyalty to his now Ma[jes]tie & his s[ai]d late father hath been a greate Sufferer in ye late vnhappy warrs & hath not any Estate att all left him to liue vpon & by reason of yo[u]r Petic[i]o[ne]r greate age is become vnable to gett his liueing for him selfe & wife by his hand labor yo[u]r Petic[i]o[ne]r therefore humbly prayes yo[u]r Wors[hi]ps to take into yo[u]r Consid[er]ac[i]on his poore Condic[i]on and to grant to yo[u]r Petic[i]on[e]r such allowance towards a livelyhood as to yo[u]r Wors[hi]ps shall seeme most meete & yo[u]r Petic[i]o[ne]r as in duty bound will ever pray for
yo[u]r Wors[hi]pps health and happinesse
<referred to the Justices of Nampw[i]ch hund[re]d till a vacancy>