The petition of John Holt of Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, 1656
To the Right Wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of the Peace att Hertford
The humble Petition of John Holt of Bovingdon Carpenter
Humbly sheweth.
That wheareas your Petition[er] for two yeares was a souldier in the Parliam[en]t Service under ye Comaund of Collonell Cox in which tyme by meanes of lyeing in abroad in the Cold and other hardshipps, gained such distemper in body that hee for a tyme had wholly lost the use of his Limbes and in such measure still continueth that hee is disabled to gaine a Livelyhood in the way of his Trade. Wheareupon this wor[shipfu]ll Bench did grant your Petition[er] a License to draw beere but at a meeting of the Justices afterwards for reasons known unto themselves then disabled your Petitio[ne]r from keeping of a Common Alehouse. And in Lue thereof they were pleased to p[ro]mise towards your Petitio[ne]rs maintenance a pension. Now your Petiti[ne]r doth humbly pray that this Wor[ship]full Bench would bee pleased to take the p[re]misses hereof into there serious and Grave Considerac[i]ons for the granting of a Pension for your Petitio[ne]r According unto your Wor[shi]pps discretions.
And your Petition[e]r shall ever pray &c.