18 Records of the Rising in the West, A.D. 1655. 
That havinge Lost her Husband by your Highnesses Justice ; shee hopes shee 
may find A subsistence for herselfe and children by your Higknesses Mercy. 
And therefore shee humbly Prostrates herselfe at your Highnesses feet,where 
her necessity will presse her doune,to lye till your Highnesses Clemency Rayse 
her by a Remission and forgivenesse of the forfeiture of that estate w., must 
in part maintain the Lyfe of your Petitioner and her 7 small (untymely made) 
orphans. ; 
May your Highnesse therefore bee graciously pleased to shut your eye to her 
Late Husbands offence and open your Eare to the sad Complaint of the widowe 
. and the fatherless. And like Heaven (whose Minister you are) soe Relieve that 
(as nowe the prayers) soe you may for ever acquire the thanks of your Petitioner 
and her 7 children who shall perpetually Pray for and Acknowledge your 
Highnesses Clemency. 
ARUNDELL PENRUDDOCK.” 
Here come letters to others of influence :— 
Mrs. Penruddock’s Letter to Colonel Fitzjames. 
“¢ Good cousen, 
The perusall of yours to my cosen Bowman makes me confesse soe great 
an obligation that my weak pen cannot returne a suitable acknowledgement 
much Lesse a requitall. You have hitherto acted as if you had known my misery 
more than by hearsay, and I beseech you desist not nowe since the neereness of 
relation will not let me hide my distresses from you. 
My husband’s estate in Dorset was settled a good while before his unhappy 
actinge for the payment of his many debts, which were contracted long since with- 
out the Least Relation to his there undertaking, what his estate was I shall un- 
willingly for my owne sake and son’s discover, but it comes short of what the world 
believes, but I would not, because of my relations (whatever in truth I am) bee 
thought a poore widdowe least I should invite the contempt of the world, having 
scorn enough allready, but really cousen, the death of my poore husband hath 
rendered me and mine soe miserable that there need not an addition of severity 
to take that little which we now petition for, and which in Lawe my husband 
before his conviction might have disposed off, had it not been by force detained 
from us, and for the begging whereof I have spent almost £200. But I shall 
not undertake to justifie our right. If I can by your sollicitation obtain the 
charity of his Highnesse and the counsell In which I hope Coll Sydenham will 
assist you will for ever engage mee what I must allready confesse. 
Your oblige Kinswoman 
Dec’. 23 1656. to serve you 
ARUNDELL PENRUDDOCK. 
Direct your letter to mee 
to my cosen Bowman at 
Salisbury.” 
Mrs. Penruddock’s Letter to My Lord Richard Cromwell. 
“My La, 
Could I have put on any other dresse, but griefe, or had any other 
attendants but misfortunes I should have waighted on you myselfe, and have 
been the messenger of that gratitude w™. nowe I send for your charitable en- 
deayours in the behalf of my Poore children, But, my L*. the calamityes ofa 
