The petition on behalf of the children of John Goose of Winmarleigh, Lancashire, Midsummer 1652
To the Right Wor[shipfu]ll Collonel Richard Shuttleworth and to other his fellow Justices of Peace and Quorum now assembled for the houlding of the Quarter=sessi{ons} at Preston in Amundernes.
The humble petition of Jenett Cordox of Garstange widdow &c.
<Shewing>
That whereas one John Goose of Winmarleigh w[i]thin the Parrish of Garstange afforesayd listed himselfe a souldier in the Parliament service aboute two yeares agone, And hath ever since served in Scotland, But left here behind him two poore infants (th[e] one now aged aboute 5 and th[e] other aboute 3 yeares), Naked, starved and almost famished for some litle cloathing and naturall sustenance there Father beeing newly got out of Prison before his March into Scotland whose substance was totally consumed in the tyme of his indurance where vpon the Justices being informed of the sadd condic[i]on of the s[ai]d Orphants Ordered that the children should haue a competent allowance out of the Parish for their mainteynance and that the Overseers should take ca{re} therein according to there Office, And therevpon they tabled the sayd Infants w[i]th your poore Petitioner payeing weekely according to there agreemen{t} dureing there Office, The last Overseers alsoe payeing according to their age {illegible} quarterly dureing there office, But soe it is, that since a fornight before Easter l{ast} and since the new Officers weare ellected your Pet[itione]r never received penie although shee acquainted them w[i]th the custome and vsuage of former Officer{s} and of her owne inabilitie w[hi]ch they very well knew.
May it please your good Wor[shi]pps the pr[em]isses Considered, And for asmuch as your poore pet[itione]r can noe longer mainteyne the s[ai]d Infants {for} speedie remedie to grant and issue out y{our order} to the pr[e]sent Overseers for the discharge of yo{ur} Pet[itione]r soe long as shee hath keept them {illegible} and to allow them a sufficient compe{tency for} the future. And your Pet[itione]r as in d{uty bound} will ever pray.
Ch[urchwardens] & ou[erseers]