The petition of Edmund Stephens of Salisbury, Wiltshire, Hilary 1651
To ye right Wor[shipfu]ll ye Justices of ye peace for ye County of Wilts[hire] & now setting at this gen[er]all sessions of ye peace for ye County afores[ai]d.
The humble petic[i]on of Edmund Stephens of ye Cittie of New Saru[m]
Humbly sheweth.
That yo[u]r wor[shi]ps poore pet[itione]r haveing byn a Clothier w[i]thin ye saied Cittie keepeinge many poore people at worke, through ye falce dealeinge of divers, and ye great losses w[hi]ch he receaved by trusting of his goods & wares, as alsoe by his losses and hinderances [several illegible words] fell into great poverty & danger of his Creditors violence ag[ains]t him. Soe yt he entred himselfe in ye Parliam[en]t service vnder ye Right ho[noura]ble ye Earle of Essex in ye Traine of Artillery wherein he was a Conductor all ye tyme yt his Excellencie was forth, And by reason of hard vsage by ye Enemy in Cornewall stripping him naked hath byn ever since decayed in his lymbs & sight to his great losse & ympou[er]ishm[en]t (as by a Certificate herew[i]th shewed yt doth & may appeare) & never since hath had ye p[er]fect vse of his eyes, but at this pr[e]sent being very aged is like to lose his sight & is alsoe in extreame want to releive himselfe wife & familie
In tender Considerac[i]on whereof May yt please yo[u]r wor[shi]ps to com[m]iserate yo[u]r pet[itione]rs destressed estate and order yt he may for & in considerac[i]on of his saied service, (where he receaved ye defect of his body and sight) be allowed a penc[i]on yearely towards his succour & releife,
And yo[u]r pet[itione]r shall as in duty bound ever pray &c
5 markes in hand & 5 marks [per] yeare, to be paid by the Tresurer the South p[ar]te