The petition of John Cornelius of Bishopsteignton, Devon, 1672
To the right Wor[shipfu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the Peace At the generall quarter Sessions held for ye County of Devon now assembled.
The humble peticon of John Cornelius of Bishops Stenton.
Humbly sheweth
That whereas yo[u]r pet[ition]er in true loyaltie faithfully served his late Ma[jes]tie of famous memory in the late unhappy Warre, Under the command of S[i]r Henry Cary Kn[igh]t; And continued therein from the beginning unto the last period thereof, And had the honor to be a Comission Officer as a Liuetennant therein, untill his said Ma[jes]tie was inforced to leave Oxford, and fly to the Scotts for succor. That in the said Service, and many Skirmishes, yo[u]r pet[itione]r shewed good Testimonie of his loyaltie and valo[u]r, witnessed by receiving therein two severall Shotts in his side, One Shott in his neck, One other shott in his legg, and a cut in his head, And alsoe was imprisoned by the Enemy.
That after his said Ma[jes]tie had resigned himselfe to the Scotts, yo[u]r pet[itione]r was inforced (for his safety) to fly into Flanders w[i]th Sir Stephen Hawkins, where he remained above Two yeares in great indigency and misery, And from thence returning whome into England was here soe hunted and vexed by the Adverse p[ar]tie, as he was inforced to leave his native land, and to goe to the Barbadoes for his livelihood, where he remained untill his p[re]sent Ma[jes]ties happy restoration to his Kingdome, when yo[u]r pet[itione]r returned againe to his native p[ar]ish aforesaid, where he hath ever since remained in a very sad and mahaymed condicon, by reason of his many wounds received in the said Warr, And hath been there relieved by his parents, whose indigency is become such, as they cann no longer bare the burthen thereof, And yo[u]r pet[itione]r (by reason of the p[re]misses) is not only decripate, But hath alsoe lost the use of his reason, by his greife, and is utterly uncapable to work or gett any thing towards his subsistence.
Hee therefore humbly prayeth, That yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps would be pleased (in tender regard to the p[re]misses) To order yo[u]r pet[itione]r some considerable yearly penc[i]on during his life, to be paid out of his Ma[jes]ties Treasury ordained for mahaymed souldiers, for his better subsistence in this his decripate & sad condicon.
And he shall ever pray &c.
<John Eastchurch>
<John Risdon Vicar>
<Nicholas Cove>
<Tho[mas] Whitborne Con[sta]ble of ye hun[dred]>
<Rich[ard] Whitborne Jo: Narramore>
<Richard Cornelius>
<Mark Bracker>
We believe the contents of this petition to be true
Tho[mas] Reynell
Sam[uel] Sainthill
Will[iam] Bogan
[Overleaf:]
The petitioner to have 40 s. by the Tr[easur]er for maymed souldiers & Exeter Justices to consider of the petition