The letter on behalf of Thomas Hart of Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, 26 June 1654
S[i]r
I must begge yo[u]r p[ar]don for not waitinge on yow att this Sess[i]ons beinge earnestlie pressed w[i]th some espetiall busines callinge me to Oxford this day; S[i]r I haue directed a poore maimed Souldier one Thomas Harte to attend yow w[i]th his petic[i]on, for a penc[i]on I haue both seene his Certificates & alsoe spoken w[i]th his Collonell Herbert, vnder whome he tooke vpp Armes att Wootton Bassett in Wiltes[hire], he hath my Lo[rd] Protectors order to the Justices of Wiltes[hire] longe since for a penc[i]on, but in regard he could not giue anie testimoney vnder anie Feild officers hand where he tooke vpp armes and alsoe of his hurts [illegible] the Justices would not grant him a penc[i]on, I see Maior Gen[er]all Skippon certifies for him, I thought fitt to signifie thus much in the poore mans behalfe, and shall leaue him to the Judgm[en]t of the yo[u]r selfe & the rest of the Justices, S[i]r yow will haue a busines about setlinge of a poore woman, betweene Netherhampton & Wilton, the case is a man vnsetled comes to his Sister at Netherhampton & brings his chest his clothes & lynnen to her howse, and giues her some smale recompence for his Sundayes dynner & washinge of his lynnen, and goes abroad, into Wilton & other p[ar]tes of the Cuntry to worke & returnes to Wilton Netherhampton Saterday night to his Sister, and continews thus neere 3 yeares & then gets a wench w[i]th child at Netherhampton & marryes her there, and not longe after runns a way, Netherhampton refusinge to receiue the woman on Mr Tookers order & myne, conceiueinge her fitt to be setled there, wee haue bound ouer to the ouerseers before yow this Sessions to receiue the opinion of the court & I thinke wee did settle her accordinge to the lawe but must submitt it to the Judgm[en]t of the Country, pray p[ar]don this longe epistle at this yo[u]r tyme of trouble, I rest
Yo[u]r euer lo[ving] Cosen
Fra[ncis] Swanton
<26th June 1654>
<3 li. 6 s. 8 d.>