The petition of John Howells of Hereford, Herefordshire, 1668 to 1669
<1668-9 Ja[me]s Wellington mayor>
<Petitions 1668-9>
To the wor[shi]ppfull John Smith Esq[ui]r[e] Major of the Citty of Herefford, & to others the wor[shi]ppfull Justices of the peace of the said Citty:
The humble petic[i]on of John Howells of this Citty of Herefford taylor Aged sixty seauen yeares, and vpwards a poore decayed freeman of the said Citty:
Humbly Craveinge, in regard, and for that your poore aged petic[ione]r is become impotent his sight altogeather faileinge him, & a poore indigent maimed faithfull soldier vpon Actuall Adventures in the seruice of our late sou[er]aigne Kinge Charles the first of ever blessed memory deceas’d, in the Regiment of the late Hono[u]r[a]ble S[i]r Ralph Dutton vnder the Com[m]aund of Lieutenant Collonell Hawkins att the Fight of Edgehill, ould Brainford, Newbury, Naseby, Bristoll, Ciceter, & vpon the siedge against the Scotts here; & in div[er]se other fights elsewhere within this Kingdome, wherein yo[u]r poore petic[ione]r hath receiued diuerse hurts, bruises, wounds, and maimes as by inspecc[i]on might appeare in his late gracious Ma[jes]ties seruice, & beinge a poore indigent faithfull maimed soldier for his Ma[jes]tie borne, & bredd within this Citty in a very miserable, & lowe Condic[i]on haueinge a great defect in his sight yo[u]r petic[ione]rs Comission[e]rs, & field officers beinge all sithence dead (but the Clarke of the Hono[u]r[a]ble S[i]r Ralph Duttons Regiment, yet liueinge, & some of the marchinge soldiers liveing in this Citty where yo[u]r petic[ione]r first tooke vpp Armes; whose names are herevnto subscribed are ready (if occasion be upon oath to Attest yo[u]r petic[ione]rs fidelity, & constancy in his Ma[jes]t[y]s seruice.
That yo[u]r good wor[shi]pps wil be pleased According to his Ma[jes]t[y]s most gracious Act; & ye Statute in that behalfe made, & prouided to Admitt yo[u]r petic[ione]r a graunte of ye next vacant Hospitall of any poore Allmesman deceaseinge within this Citty beinge alltogeather disabled to worke for a Livelihood to pay rent any longer; And yo[u]r poore petic[ione]r shall continually pray for your good wor[shi]ps &c
<Wee whose names are subscribed are ready to Attest ye petic[ione]rs fidelity in his late Ma[jes]ties seruice>
<Owen Greenely Clarke of the Company & Regim[en]t;>
<Francis Rawlins one of the Gentlemen of ye Pyke>
<Thomas Whitney>