"Bridget Lewis described herself as a poor, desolate, impotent, aged widow of the age of 100 years & upwards, being dark of one of her eyes. She had dwelt in the City of Hereford for upwards of 40 years in good demeanour & conversation – with no aspersions of lewd life, theft, pilfering, robbery or other notorious crime. Yet the Corporation’s officer John Jones, Sergeant at Mace, & some of her malicious neighbours were defaming her & scandalising her good name with opprobrious speeches, to her great discredit & discomfort. Furthermore, since the new overseers came in to office on Good Friday the 17th of April, they had refused to pay her usual weekly allowance of 6d which she much needed to buy her food & bread."

Source: Herefordshire 1700-1820

The above is part of a petition outlining Bridget Lewis' circumstances addressed to Simond Traunter esq (Mayor), Thomas Geers esq (one of the Burgesses & Deputy Steward) & the rest of the Justices circa 1684.

The petition ends with the request: "Firstly that the Mayor &c to order her adversaries to a peaceable temper according to Law so that she might live quietly & peaceably amongst them in her declining winter years. Secondly, that the Mayor &c order the new overseers to pay her the arrears of 2s 6d and to pay her the usual weekly allowance of 6d."

Many such petitions can be viewed online at the above link.