The petition on behalf of Mary Ratcliffe of Burscough, Lancashire, 19 January 1663
To the right wor[shipfu]ll his ma[jes]ties Justisses of the peace and Quoru[m] at a generall Sessions houlden at Wigan Ja[nuary] the 19th 1662
The humble petition of Mary Ratcliffe of Burscough daughter to Mullineux Ratcliffe deceased; Capt[ain]:
Sheweth
Whereas your petitioner beinge a blind woman, and not haueinge any meanes nether can shee doe any worke at all towards her Liueing, makes bould (craueinge pardon) to p[re]sent her Sad Condic[i]on to this hon[oura]ble bench, her late father being verie well knowne by those weare acquanted with that princely house of Lathom, where and in his ma[jes]ties Service there lost both his liffe and all his estate, to the vtter vndoeing of al his Children for ever and your petitioner being thus by gods p[ro]vidence deprived of the glory and Comforth of this morttall Light and lefte Comfortlesse
Therefore for Christ his sake, good yo[u]r wor[shi]pps be pleased to take the pr[e]misses into yo[u]r Favorable and pious Considerations, soe that if it would please this hon[oura]ble bench To alowe this poore blind woman Some p[ar]te of reliffe, where and howe yo[u]r wor[shi]pps shall best determine, and yo[u]r poore petitioner will as in dutie no otherwise ever bound praye &c
<viii d. a weeke>
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This may certifie That wee the Inhabitants of Burscough know ye peticion[e]r & her petic[i]on to bee very Just
Henrye [?Satch]
Will[ia]m Withington
{R}ichard Walker
{Illegible}lland