The petition of Elizabeth Drury of Watergate, Sussex, April 1685
To the Right Honorable and Worshipfull The Deputy Leiu[tenan]ts and Justices of Peace of Sussex.
The Humble Petition of Eliz[abeth] Drury
Humbly Sheweth
May it please yo[u]r Hon[ou]rs and Worships to accept of the poore tribute of my humble thanks for your benignity towards my deceased husband Christopher Drury in granting him a comfortable releife for his Loyallty to his Souerain, in whose Seruice he receau[e]d diuers wounds that so disabled him long from Labour, that without your pious bounty of allowing him A Pension, he had to the blushes of an English Gentleman born, been reduced to beggery or a shamefull Charge of the Parish, But since the Great God hath taken him out of this world and leaft me his aged and impotent Relict of Sixty fiue years old without any oth[e]r manner of subsistance but my lamentable Tears to deplore the loss of A Loyall Subject that was my Deare Husband, I most humbly Petition yo[u]r Hono[u]rs and Worships that you would be pleased to Extend your compassionate Charity to me (that haue in the course of nature but few painefull days to expire) and as you have been pittyfull to some other Widdows in my woefull circumstances, soe you would gratiously be pleased to continue the same Pension to me during my short and painefull life, w[hi]ch shall be spent in Pious prayrs to God for his Eternall blessing on you and yo[u]r posterity and your Petitioner shall euer pray etc.