The certificate for Thomas Roper of Rodmersham, Kent, 1 March 1687
Wee whose names are vnderwritten doe hereby Certifie, and declare vnto all persons whom it may Concerne; That Thomas Roper of Rodmersham in the County of Kent Yeoman; (aged about Seventy two yeares) is a very honest man, and one that hath beene alwaies Loyall to his Kinge; For whom, he hath oftentimes ventured his life, beene seuerall times imprisoned, and many times plundered, and hath allwaies demeaned himselfe as a good Subject, liueinge in obedience to all his Majesties Laws: and therefore doe looke vpon him as a person fit to be encouraged, and to be put into a way of Tradeinge; (as Higlinge, or the like) That soe (now he is old) He may the better raise a Liuelyhood, and maintaine himselfe and Family w[hi]ch he cannot maintaine w[i]thout some such Imploy, beinge soe old himselfe, That he can doe noe other worke: and his wife soe old, and weake; That she cannot soe much as help herselfe: and in Witnesse hereof, we have herevnto set o[u]r hands, this first day of March, in the third yeare of the Reigne of o[u]r Soveraigne Lord Kinge James the second: Annoq[ue] Domini 1686:
Sam[uel] Symonds
John Batcheller Minister of Rodm[e]rsham
The [symbol: mark] mark of James Sanders Tho[mas] Lushington
Henery [?band] Step[hen] Smith W[illia]m: Slaughter
Rector of Kingsdowne
John Scott John Yonges
Math[ew] Nicholson Joshua May
William [symbol: mark] Punett
his marke
John Hillpott Cha[rles] Poole
Rich[ard] Tassell The [symbol: mark] mark
Nicholas [?Cards]