The petition of James Woodman of Okehampton, Devon, 1691
To the Right wor[shi]p[fu]ll their Maj[es]ties Justices of the peace for the County of Devon, the humble petition of James Woodman of Okehampton in the County aforesaid husbandman Sheweth,
That yo[u]r petitioner served his late Maj[es]tie King Charles the First as a foot Souldier for seu[er]all yeares togeather first vnder the command of Colonell Trevannian and afterwards Colonell Blewet & Colonell Lewes Tremayne which Service according to yo[u]r petitioners allegiance & duty he cheerfully vnderwent all the hardshipps & damages that the power and malice of ye Enimies of the Kingdome could expose him to, never any way deserting the said Service, and therein amongst many other hurts and hardsheps hardshipps, received two Shotts one in his Soulier Shoulder & his other in his belly & two Cutts in his head & was taken prisoner by S[i]r Thomas Farfaxes Army att great Torrington in the County aforesaid, w[hi]ch Shotts & Cutts now in his old age are more paynfull and greivious then formerly
May it therefore please yo[u]r wor[shi]pps of yo[u]r wonted Clemency to grant yo[u]r petitioner a pention out of the County Stock & yo[u]r petitioner as in duty bound Shall ever pray
<We verily beleive this petition to be true & doe certifie that ye petitioner is well knowne to vs to be of an honest & peaceable conversation & that we doe not expect that a gratuety out of the County Stock shall be any ease to our parish of Okehampton but only for the petitioners more cheerfull Subsistance & an encouragement of Loyalty.>
John Gayer May[o]r
John Northmore
Benjamjn Gayer
Tho[mas] Squire
John Hussey vic[ar] John Nosworthy
Edward Redaway John Ellacott John Shebbeare
Phillip Merriman } Christopher Yendall
Will[iam] Weekes } Ouerseares for the poore
Ambrose Cunningham
John Yendall
[Overleaf:]
10 s. in hand