Letter from the distressed ladies in Dublin

fol. 27r

212
No 7

To the honorable the knights Cittizens & Burgesses in the Comons house of Parliament assembled in the kingdome of England
The severall vndernamed dispoiled & distressed Ladyes & Gentlewomen now resideing within the Citty of Dublin, & others in the kingdome of Ireland/
In humble manner represent theire miserable Condition
Sheweing, that of your suppliants some have by gods great mercy & goodnes with the great hazard of their Lives & the vtter Losse of theire whole estates, escaped the fury of the Irish rebells, whose vnparalled cruelty exercised on such as fell within theire power doth sufficiently appeare
Some of them although resident in & about the Citty of Dublin yett had their estates lying further off in the countrie possessed by the rebells
The whole Livelyhood also of others consisting in certaine somes of money being the legacies Left vnto them by theire deceased parents, all being either in the hands of such as now are in actuall rebellion or of such others as were by the rebells slaine or wholly stripped out of all, and therefore disenabled to answere the necessityes of your suppliants
By all which your peticioners are destitute of all meanes of releife and now readie to perish, some of them being reduced to such extremities that the selling away of theire ordinary attire, & necessary wearing apparell at great vndervalues is the greatest part of their present supply./.
And whereas of your peticioners many are of honorable condition & others of the better ranke of gentlewomen, whereby they are vncapeable of the ordinary provision already by your charitable & pious care designed for the other poore of the inferiour sort, and therein your suppliants Left destitute, & Laid open to apparant ruine if not taken into your consideration
May it therefore please your honors among others your Acts of charity to comiserate the most distressed condition of your peticioners in thinking on such wayes & meanes for theire present sustenance & subsistence as in your wisdomes shalbee thought fitting./
That by adding hereof to your other great workes of pietie, you may also add vnto your List & oblige to bee in the nomber of your daily votaryes, vs whose names are here subscribed
Anne Docwra
Anne Docwra Hars Leigh Anne Blayney
Eliza Docwra Ann Edgworth Jane: Moore:
Ma: Wylouby Allice Moore Elizabeth Roper
Martha Culme Marie Blayney
Rebecka [mark] Hewetson Alce Hammilton
Rebecka Hewetson fil: Mary Butler
Mari Beare
Elyza: Wirrall
Dorthy Moigne
Mary Arundell
Alice Hammilton
Vallentin Hammilton
Joaeth Allen

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