The petition of Francis Donne of Ottery St Mary, Devon, 13 April 1675
The humble pettic[i]on of Frances Donne of the Towne of Ottery St Mary a distressed man
<Sheweth>
That yo[u]r poore pettic[i]on[e]r hauinge serued in the office of a Sergeant in the kinges Maiesties of pious memorie, his Armie in seu[er]all desperate feight & siedges & hee was neuer a souldier on the aduers side, yo[u]r pettic[i]oner searued first vnder ye Com[m]and of the Marquest of Hartford and afterwardes vnder the Com[m]and of Collonel Walker where hee receaued soe dangerous a shote In the head as app[ear]es, he was sent to the hospitall whare hee remayned a Longe time not abell to helpe himsealf but as others did feed him as an infant; & euer sithence yo[u]r pettic[i]oner remayned soe importent & feeble in body & weake seighted, that hee is not able to gaine his Liulihoud all w[hi]ch will bee Certified by Gentlmen & other Sufficent honest Liuers heare vnder named at w[hi]ch time hee had three peeces of his Skull Taken out by Captaine Tamsyn who then had yo[u]r pettic[i]oner in cur
All which your poore pettic[i]oner humbly beseecheth yo[u]r wor[shi]pps to to [sic.] take into yo[u]r pious Considerac[i]ons, Comiserate his distresed Condic[i]on & grant Such a Course whareby his necessitie may be relieued
Melch[isedech] Alford vicar
Gideon Haydon
I doe beleiue this Peticion to be true
[?Ed] [?Warde] Warwicke Ledgingham
Arthur Newton Tho[mas] Osmond
John Kerridge war[den] Thomas Hull head Constable
John Mosse John Lee Church Warden
Nathaniel Sweett Richard Jeape Const[a]ble
Henry Marker Walter Pulman
Will[iam] Ledgingham