The petition of John Hancock of Halberton, Devon, Michaelmas 1648
To the Right Wor[shipfu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of ye peace for ye County of Devon in this Session.
The humble petition of John Hancocke of ye p[ari]sh of Halberton in ye County aforesaid.
Humbly sheweth
That in ye beginning of these unhappy differences yo[u]r pet[ition]er did voluntarily put himself uppon ye service of ye Parlim[en]t as a private soldier in these p[ar]ts & continued in ye s[ai]d service, untill ye defeate at Stratton, wher yo[u]r pet[ition]er was taken prisoner & continued in that hard durance about half a yeer, when by ye mediation of my frends he was released, & not long after yo[u]r pet[ition]er engadged himself againe for ye service of ye Parl[ia]m[en]t in Ireland, wher yo[u]r s[ai]d pet[ition]er receaved a wound by a muskett shott in his right arme, utterly disabling him to employ himself in his calling for ye maintenance of himself wife & three children, whose only subsistance depended uppon ye hard labor & industry of y[ou]r pet[ition]er but now (w[i]thout yo[u]r wor[shi]pps chatitable relief) himself & poore family are like to perish.
Yo[u]r pet[ition]er therfor humbly prayeth that yo[u]r wor[shi]pps would take his sad condition into yo[u]r considerations, & afford him, such competent allowance out of ye collections yt are made in this County for reliefe of maimed soldiers as yo[u]r wisdoms shall thinke meet & yo[u]r pet[ition]er shall humbly pray for yo[u]r p[ro]speritye
[Overleaf:]
Joh[ann]es Hancoks Petic[i]on Mich[aelmas] 1648