History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield ...

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Biographical Sketches. Armitage. 105
as appears by the Arbitration in writeing, and yet none of this
was performed that euer I heard off. This is the true state of
y^ case, as I hau beene acquainted with it from first to last, to
my best knowledge. Taken upon oath: 29 — 4° 71 [June 29,
1671.] W Hathorne, attest:" This, however, appears to be
simply the old, old case — "I owe but cannot pay — " and perhaps
involves no element to the especial discredit of Mr. Armitage.
We here copy an ancient document which will in these pages
be a number of times referred to as " The Armitage Petition "
a petition of the wife of Joseph for permission herself to keep
the ordinary, he having receded into the back-ground. It is
inserted not so much for anything of special interest it contains
as for the autographs of a number of the early settlers which are
appended, fac-similes
of which are given — among them that of
Godfrey, brother of Joseph. The petition itself, we have little
doubt, is in the hand-writing of Captain Robert Bridges,
To THE Right worll the Gouernor, Deputie Gouerno^ &
THEIR HONORED ASSOTIATS :
The Jiunible peticon of Jane, wife of Joseph Armitage
Humbly sheweth that whereas the indigent and low estate
of your poore peticonesse is evident not to a few, in as much as
her husbands labours & indeauo^'s haue beene blasted and his
ames & ends frustrated by a iust hand, beinge also made incapable
of such other ymploym' as hee is personally fitted for by
reason of the sensure vnder w'^'* for the p''sent hee lyeth & alsoe
being outed of such trade & comerce as might haue afforded
supportacon to his familie consistinge of Diuers p^'sons & small
Children in comiseracon of whom, togither with yo"" peticonesse,
the inhabitants of o"^ town were pleased (as farr as in them lay)
to continue yo"" poore peticonesse in the Custodie of the said
Ordinary & that benefitt w'='> might accrew from the same to
take towards makeinge of theire Hues the more comfortable ;
wherevpon & by reason whereof yo"^ peticonesse said husband
procured the most convenient howse in Lynn for the purpose
albeit itt was very ruinous & much cost bestowed respedlinge
his p^^sent condicon in repaireinge & fittinge vp of the same
accordingly : And also whereas some of his Creditor's haue of
their clemencie and gentle goodnes furnished him w*'' Comodities
apt for the mainteyning of an ordinary to the intent some
benefitt might redound towards the maintenance & liuelyhood
of his familie & reedifieinge of his ruined estate in case the same
may bee obteined : and that thereby wee may bee enabled to