The certificate for Edmund Stephens of Salisbury, Wiltshire, 26 October 1650
Theis are to Certifie all whom it may concerne that Edmund Stephens of New Sarum Clothier aged sixty nyne yeares hath beene in the Parliam[en]t Service vnder the Earle of Essex in the Traine of Artillery a Conductor all the tyme that his Excellency was forth and by reason And by reason of hard vsage by the Enemie in Cornwall strippinge him naked hath beene ever since decayed in his limbs & sight to his great losse and Impoverishment hee therefore desiers a place in Ely house for his Releife in this his necessity And is a most fitt obiecte of mercy to bee setled there or in some other hospitall And I request the Com[m]ittee & Governours that are to take care for the Releife of distressed souldiers to Order him some Releife dated vnder my hand this 26th of October A[nn]o d[o]m[ini] 1650
Ri[chard] Deane