Right wor[shipfu]ll

After all due respects of my bounden dutye & service humbly pr[e]sented vnto yo[u]r good wor[shi]pp &c yo[u]r vnwoorthie servant vppon yo[u]r pr[o]mis heretofore made made [sic.] vnto mee (a poore widdow Ann Lighe of Northwich formerlie yo[u]r wor[shi]pes tenant) that if ever I should {?have} occation to vse yo[u]r good wor[shi]ppes assistance you would doe mee good & therevppon I haue enboldned [sic.] my selfe to write vnto you in behalfe of my daughter in law Mary Lighe a poore distressed widdow whose late husband hath beene a faithfull officer in the p[ar]liam[en]t service ever since the warrs began & the p[ar]liam[en]t is in arreare for his s[ai]d service about a 100 li. & hee hath not Rec[eive]d any pay for ye same but onely 40 s. & hath taken vppon his Credid about 30 li. W[hi]ch hee hath spent in mentayninge himselfe in ye s[ai]d service And soe it is may it please yo[u]r good wor[shi]pp that hee went ensigne vnder Capt[ain] Holford to the late expedition & was kild in the terible fight at Worcester, and hath left my poore daughter in law in debted in ye s[ai]d sume of 30 li. spent as aforesaid & 3 yong Children & very smale meanes either to pay the s[ai]d debt or for ye livelihood & education of her Children And therefore yo[u]r good wor[shi]pps far vnworthie servant doth most humbly beseech yo[u]r wor[shi]pp to open & make knowne vnto the Right wor[shipfu]ll Bench of Justices the poore distressed widdowes deplorable Condition, And you & [?they] out of yo[u]r bowells of pittie & Compassion to soe fitt an obiect of pittie to give & grant to the bearer hereof Mary Lighe (who hath lost an vnvaluable a treasure as her husband by whose Care & p[ro]vidence hee & his lived as will discharge his debt he engaged him in & spent as aforesaid for herselfe such a qu[art]erly pention as other poore widowes shall haue whose husbands bee kild & haue done the like faithfull service that this poore widdowes husband hath done & so Cravinge p[ar]don for my tediouse boldnes I Comend yo[u]r good wor[shi]p & the whole Bench of Right wor[shipfu]ll Justices to the blessed guiding & p[ro]tecc[i]on of god & shall ever remayne dureing life to pray for yo[u]r wor[shi]pps

Yo[u]r good wor[shi]pps bounden (but vnworthie) servant

Anne Lighe

<Northwich 20^th>

<January 1651>

<Post: some hee owes money vnto the [illegible] & excise of officers threaten to take the bed from vnder her.>