The first petition of Humphrey Briscoe of Newton juxta Chester, City and County of Chester, Epiphany 1661
To the R[igh]t Wor[shi]p[fu]ll his Ma[jes]t[y]s Justices of the Peace now sirring at the Quarter Sessions at North=wich houlden for the countie Pallatine of Chester.
The humble petic[i]on of Humphrey Briscoe
Sheweth
That yo[u]r pet[itione]r was a soldier vnder the Com[m]and of Capt[ain] Leche in the Army late vnder the Conduct of the R[igh]t hon[oura]ble S[i]r George Booth & was enlisted in the said Capt[ain]s Company for the towneship of Newton iuxta Chester, & was promised by the Constables there, yt in case he were maymed & wounded there should be reliefe and future maintenance allowed him out of the s[ai]d Towne: wherevpon yo[u]r pet[itione]r was encouraged to proceed, & shortly after at the rowte at Winnington Bridge he was dangerously wounded at Winingto w[i]th a brace of bulletts in his right shoulder: Of w[hi]ch s[ai]d wound he was vnder the Chirurgeons hands from Aug[us]t 1659 till September 1660, to his vtter ruine & impou[er]ishm[en]t: haueing noe allowance from the said towne, & disabled thereby to follow his p[ro]fession of a webster as formerly; as by the certificates annexed more at large appeareth.
He therefore humbly prayeth yo[u]r wor[shi]ps most serious considerac[i]on of ye pr[e]misses, & to graunt an order yt the s[ai]d Towneship of Newton may allow him some penc[i]on for his future subsistence, or a Competent sume of money for his charges & great expences expended in that time of his Cure & sufferings, or otherwise as to yo[u]r wor[shi]ps wisedome shall seeme meet.