The certificate for Mary Huddy of Ottery St Mary, Devon, 1677
To the Right Hon[our]able S[i]r Thomas Carey K[nigh]t and the Rest of his Ma[je]t[y’]s Justices of the Peace of the County of Devon
These are Humbly to certifie your Hon[ou]rs that ye bearer hereof Mary Huddy of Ottery Ste Mary in ye County of Devon widdow relict of Henry Huddy Lately Deceased Formm[er]ly the Relict of one Thomas Cummons her first Husbond alsoe sithence Deceased that ye said Thomas Cummons being A Gun[n]er In ye Late vnhappy warrs in ye Lifetyme of & service of ye Late King Charles ye first of blessed memory was Killed in ye said Warrs & service att ye Last Siedge against Exet[e]r & Left ye said Mary w[i]th One Small Child in A very sad Deplorable & Distressed Condisc[i]on & after yt ye said Mary Jntermarried w[i]th th[e] aforesaid Henry Huddy whoe Likewise was A Souldier in his said Late Ma[jes]t[y’]s service dureing all ye tyme of ye aforesaid vnhappy Warrs & vpon ye said Henry Huddy his petic[i]on, obtained an yearly Penc[i]on from this hon[oura]ble Bench as a maymed Soldier to his great Comfort in his Lifetyme & on or about ye Tenth daye of Maye Last haveing not enioyed his said penc[i]on aboue Two yeares departed this Life Leauing ye said Mary w[i]th Seaven Children in A most Miserable & Deplorable condic[i]on & now haueing noe other way to Releiue herselfe & her said Children but by ye helpe & Charity of others Doth hereby humbly pray his Ma[jes]t[y’]s Hon[nour]able Justices of ye Peace for ye County aforesaid Att their Gen[er]all quarter Sessions for ye said County att ye Castle of Exon now assembled to Commiserate her sad and deplorable Condic[i]on by giueing her such a Gratuitie as to their Graue Judgem[en]ts shall seeme most meete & conueniant And she as in duty bound shall ever pray &c
Wee whose names are subscribed doe certifie & beliue ye Contents hereof to be very true
John Vaughan Melch[isedech] Alford vicar
Warwicke Ledgingham Will[ia]m Eueleigh
Will[iam] Colliford Tho[mas] Osmond
Henrey Marker
Edward Clode Gideon Haydon
[Overleaf:]
Allo[w]ed ye last quarter – Mary Huddy