The petition of Adam Ramshiere, City and County of Canterbury, 1656
<Ramshere.>
To the right wor[shipfu]ll the Major Aldermen and Com[m]on Councell of the Cittie of Canterbury now assembled in Burghmote
The humble petic[i]on of Adam Ramshiere of the said Cittie Currier.
In all humble manner sheweth that yo[u]r petic[i]o[ne]r did in the first begining of the late warres enter himselfe a volunteere in the said service in the Lord Generall Essex his owne Regiment, and was in the Fight at Edgehill, and did continue in the said seruice vnder the said Lord Generall, and vnder the Lord Generall Fairfax vntill after Oxford was surrendred, and in ye said seruice receaued much hardshipps and one wound in the thigh: which ag[ains]t change of weather doth much paine and trouble yo[u]r petic[i]o[ne]r.
That yo[u]r petic[i]o[ne]r coming afterwards to this Citty to vse his said trade did marrie with the widow Bennett whose former husband died in the said service, and yo[u]r petic[i]o[ne]r having now setled himselfe in this Citty desires heere to exercise his said Trade wherein yo[u]r petic[i]o[ne]r is envied by the other men of the same Trade because yo[u]r petic[i]o[ne]r is not a Freeman of the said Cittie.
May it therefore please yo[u]r wor[shi]ppes the premisses being considered to grant him the Freedom of his Cittie hee being a poore man not worth Fiue shillings his iust debts being paied. And hee shall euer pray &c.