The petition of John May 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 petic[i]on of John May 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 Foote Souldier, For seu[er]all yeares together vnder the Com[m]and of Major Saul, & after vnder Major Pollard, w[hi]ch service according to yo[u]r Petitioners allegiance & duty, he chearfully vnderwent, all the hardshipps and dangers that the power & malice of the enemies of the kingdome, could expose him vnto, never any way deserting the said Service; & therein amongst many other hurts and hardshipps received three seu[er]all wounds in his head arme & hand, against Lyme, w[hi]ch now in his old age are more paynfull & Grevious greivious then formerly
May it therefore please yo[u]r wor[shi]pps of yo[u]r wonted Clemency to grant yo[u]r petition[e]r, a penc[i]on of out of the County Stock, & yo[u]r petition[e]r as in duty bound shall ever pray
Wee doe verily beleive this petic[i]on to be true & doe certifie that the petition[e]r is well knowne to vs to be of an honest & peaceable conversac[i]on & yt wee doe not expect that a gratuety out of the County Stock shal be any ease to o[u]r parish of Okehampton, who have & still intend to p[ro]vide for the Petitioner but only for the petition[e]rs more cheerfull Sub Subsistance & our encouragem[en]t of loyallty
Tho[mas] Squire mayor John Hussey vic[a]r [Illegible]
Arthur Crosman } church Warden
Benjamjn Gayer
Christopher Yendall Ouerseares
John Gayer William Weekes
Ambrose Cunningham.
John Shebbeare
<Wee beleiue this Certificate to bee true.>
<Jo[hn] Battishill>
<Hen[ry] Northleigh>
[Overleaf:]
Wee believe this certificate to be true
Hen[ry] Woolcombe
Tho[mas] Wood