The petition of James Potter of Chagford, Devon, 1683
To the right wor[shi]p[fu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the peace att the gen[er]all Sessions of the peace held att the Castle of Exon
The humble petition of James Potter of Chagford in the county afors[ai]d
Sheweth
That y[ou]r petition[e]r served his late Ma[jes]tie King Charles the first of euer blessed memory for seu[er]all yeares togeather in the late vnhappy warrs vnd[e]r the com[m]and of Capt[ain] Gidley and continued in his said Ma[jes]ties service vntill ye cessation of armes in all w[hi]ch time y[ou]r petition[e]r behaved himselfe as a loyall subject and valient soldier and was nott only often exposed to all ye dangers of a warr w[hi]ch y[ou]r petion[e]r according to his duty and Alleagiance willingly vnd[e]rtook butt by suffring of excessiue colds and other hardshipps and by meanes of seu[er]all wounds and bruses w[hi]ch y[ou]r petition[e]r then rec[eive]d seu[er]all whereof are yett apparent yo[u]r petition[e]r is in a great measure disabled to gett his liuelihood & his labour as otherwise hee might and y[ou]r said petition[e]r being euer loyall and neuer deserting his said Ma[jes]ties service humbly prayes this hon[ou]rable C[ou]rt to consider the pr[e]misses and to graunt y[ou]r petition[e]r such yearly penson out of the county stock as y[ou]r wor[shi]pps of y[ou]r wonted clemency shall thinke p[ro]p[er] and y[ou]r pet[itione]r shall euer pray &c.
I know yt the petition[e]r was for seu[er]all yeares in the late warrs vnd[e]r my com[m]and & yt hee was constantly loyall & beleiue hee rec[eive]d some wounds
Bartho[lomew] Gidley
<Rowland Whiddon>
I beleive the Contents of this petition to be true
John Hore
30 s. p[er] ann[um]
[Overleaf:]
Potters pet[ition] a soldier 30 s. p[er] annum