Petitions to the Derbyshire Quarter Sessions, 1632-1770.
This free content was born digital and sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The cost of photographing the petitions was funded by an Economic History Society Carnevali Small Research Grant: ‘Seeking Redress in Early Modern England: Petitions to Local Authorities, c.1580-1750’, the cost of transcribing eighteenth-century items was funded by a later Economic History Society Carnevali Small Research Grant: ‘Poverty, Taxation and Regulation: Petitions to local magistrates in Eighteenth-Century England’; and the other costs, including transcription of seventeenth-century items and editorial work, were funded by an Arts and Humanities Research Council Research Grant: ‘The Power of Petitioning in Seventeenth-Century England’ (AH/S001654/1). CC-NC-BY.
In this section
Elizabeth Aplebee of Tissington, widow. Q/SB/2/523 (1695)
July the 16 1695
To his Majestie Justices the humble petition of
Elizabeth Aplebee of Tissington in the County
of Derby widdow humbly as sheweth
Whereas your petitioner being aged about eighty seaven yeares
or thereabouts so that by reason of her old age is not able
to doe any thing towards a livelihood and haveing no children
that will doe anything for her but one only daughter who
hath a child and [illegible] herselfe to maintaine Therefore is not able
to sustaine with the allowance and your petitioner being so old
and decripte desires this worshipfull bench to ogment the said
allowance which is but two shillings six everye moneth
and that being so small to maintain her on humbly desires
that you will be pleased to grant her such a weekly
stipend as you in your judgment shall thingk convenient
and in soe doeing your peitioner will be ever bound to pray
for your worshipps long life and happinesse And this is her
request to you and craves releife
Elizabeth Aplebee
Hellin Staley of Wirksworth. Q/SB/2/524 (1695)
To the Worshipfull Bench, and his Majesties Justices
of the peace for the County,
These to aquint your Worships that hear
your humble petitioner Hellin Staley
of Wirksworth being poor and very low
and haveing two small children and nothing
wherewith to mentain them on, and her
husband haveing left her through extream
want to serve his majesty and ever since she
your humble petitioner hath been exposed
to a great deal of hardship, and is further
like to be unless your worships doe
soe far stand her friend she is likly to
suffer extreamly and doe earnestly beg
your asistance, and for soe doeing she
will be bound to pray for your worships
whilst she is your humble petitioner
and till Death
Hellin Staley
July the 16th. 95
George Fletcher late of Derby, apothecary. Q/SB/2/1305 (1695)
To the Worshippfull the Justices of Peace for the County of Derby
The humble peticion of George Fletcher late of Derby apothecary
and Licentiate in Phisick Sheweth
Providence this juncture of time hath brought him
the siad George Fletcher from Ireland, aged, and in meane
state tho healthy active, welknowne times past
to many for his publick workes to his cost etc
The master of the house of corecion in Derby
being vacant by the death of Mr: Thomas Walker,
The prayer is that Your Worshipps will settle
your suppliant to be keeper of the said house
of correcion in Derby to doe, And receive
all that legally belongeth to the said employ
And your peticioner shall pray for your healths and
happynes etc
I doe not doubt but to have had his Grace the
Duke of Devonshires recomendacion to this employ
had I an oppertunity upon the account of that
service his Grace was pleased to put upon
mee in the late revolucion.
James Cowper of Bagghousess, a prisoner for debt. Q/SB/2/525 (1696)
Derby Ss
To the Honorable his Majestis Justicess off the Peace att the
Generall Quarter Sessions off the Peace holden att Derby
The fowreteenth day off Janewary in the seiventh yeare off
The Raigne off our Soveraigne Lord King William the
Third over England etc Anno Domini 1695/6
The humble pettion off James Cowper off Bagghousess in the
parish off Chappell in Le Frith in this County: now a prisonor
his Majestis Goale in Derby for debt humbly sheweth That
your poore pettioner hath a wiffe and two small chillderen
and nothing to maintaine them with: And desires that this
Honerable Bench will be pleased to take into your pious
and searious concideration: his and his wiffe and small chillderens
most sad and deplorable condistion and grant an order for
some weekely allowance to be paide by the overseares off the
poore off the said parish towardes the maintance off your
poore pettioners wiffe and chillderen and your poore pettioner as
in duty bounden will ever pray for the Honerable Bench etc
Ralph Higget of Worksworth. Q/SB/2/560 (1699)
Ss x month January 1698 vo
To the right Worshippfull his Majesties Justices of
the peace for this County of Darby
The humble Petition of Ralph Higget of Worksworth
sheweth
That your Peticioner haveing been a prisoner in Darby Goal
above twelve monthes hath had several actions laid upon
him unto his great damage and impoverishment And have-
-ing a wife and five small children (one whereof she lyeth
in childbed with at this present time) for maintenance
and nourishment whereof and to pay and defray debts and dues unto
the Church the King and his subjects, He haveing been for-
merly a supporter of the poor and born the publique office of
constable in Works-worth afforesaid, Hath been enforced
to ex[pose?] to sale, (this dear and chargeable time) most part
of his goods, insomuch that he hath not wherewith to
support his family;
Doth therefore humbly crave your Worships
grave and charitable considracion and the allowance of some-
thing for their sustenance in this weake and deplora-
ble condition as in your wisdome you shall think fitt
For which as in duty bound your peticoner shal
ever pray etc
ff
2s weekly