The petition of Alling Cruse of Moretonhampstead, Devon, 1686
o the right wor[shi]p[fu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the peace for the county of Deuon
The humble petition of Alling Cruse of Moretonhampsteed in the county afors[ai]d husb[andman]
<Sheweth>
That y[ou]r poore petition[e]r serued his late Ma[jes]tie King Charles the first of euer blessed memory as a foot soldier for seu[er]all yeares togeather in the late vnhappy warrs and vntill the cessation therof vnder the Com[m]and of Capt[ain] Gidley neuer any way deserting the said service but constantly manifested his Loyalty to the utmost of his power and capacity in the said service being near 2 yeares togeather engaged in the seige ag[ains]t Plymouth and alsoe ag[ains]t ye Earle of Essex in Cornwall and altho y[ou]r petion[e]r was neuer hitherto any way burthensome to the county or any p[ar]ish hauing nottwithstanding had ten children yett now being growne aged and infirme And the hardshipps and sufferings w[hi]ch y[ou]r petition[e]r vnderwent cherefully when in the vigour of his strength now rendring him very infirme humbly prayes
That y[ou]r wor[shi]pps of y[ou]r wonted clementcy would bee pleased to graunt unto y[ou]r poor petition[e]r an yearly penc[i]on out of the county stock for his better subsistance in his old age & y[ou]r petition[e]r as in duty bound shall euer pray &c.
<The truth of this petic[i]on is certefied by Bartho[lomew] Gidley>
<Will[iam] Stawell>
Wee ye parishioners of Morton-Hamsteed doe beleive ye contents of this petition to be true
Rich[ar]d Southmead
<Lewes Sharpe>
John Dauy
Matthias Nosworthy
Richard Dauy
30 s. p[er] annu[m] & 5 s. in hand
[Overleaf:]
30 s. p[er] annu[m] & 5 s. in hand