The petition on behalf of Nicholas Pledger, Sussex, January 1652
To the Right Wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of the peace assembled at the Quarter Sessions at Arroundell in the County of Sussex.
The humble Petic[i]on of Elizabeth Dasey a poore Distressed widdowe.
Humbly Sheweth, vnto your good Wor[shi]pps That yo[u]r poore Petic[i]oner haueinge at the last Quarter Sessions houlden at Chichester since Michaellmas last, Petic[i]oned yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps for some Allowance to bee made vnto her for the keepinge of a poore Fatherlesse and Motherlesse Childe, whose Father was killed by Accident in the Service for the Parliament,
Now may it please yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps, Yo[u]r Petic[i]oner haueinge kept the said Childe from its Infancye vntill this present tyme, w[i]thout haueinge any Allowance made vnto her from any Parrish or otherwayes, (the Childe not beinge aboue Fower yeares of Age and a very Weake and Sickly Childe, And allsoe yo[u]r Petic[i]oner, beinge an Aged and very poore Woman, and not able to keepe the said Childe any longer, w[i]thout some Allowance made vnto her for the keepinge thereof.
In tender Com[m]iserac[i]on of the said Petic[i]on, yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps weare pleased to graunt an Order at the last Sessions of the peace houlden at Chichester the Sixt day of October last, Referringe the Considerac[i]on of her Petic[i]on vnto any two of the next Justices of the peace as appeares by the said Order heerevnto Annexed, Wherevppon it was Ordered at a Monthly meetinge at Chichester by Mr. Boughton and Mr. Humfrey, That the Churchwardens and Ouerseers of the Parrish of Oveinge should Allowe vnto yo[u]r Petic[i]oner xii d. by the Weeke, Vntill some Further Allowance should bee made at this Sessions for the keepinge of the said Childe, of w[hi]ch Allowance from the Churchwardens and Ouerseers of Oveinge as aforesaid, yo[u]r Petic[i]oner hath Receiued noe more then iii s. of them since the grauntinge of the said Order, They beinge very Vnwillinge to Allowe any more Monney vnto yo[u]r Petic[i]oner, towards the keepinge of the said Childe.
Now yo[u]r poore Petic[i]oner most humbly prayeth yo[u]r good Wor[shi]pps to make some Further Allowance vnto her for the keepinge of the said Childe, eyther out of the Stock for the Maymed Soldiers or Charritable vses, as to yo[u]r graue Judgments shall seeme fitt, And yo[u]r Petic[i]oner shall bee dayly bound to praye for yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps &c.