The petition of John Moore of Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, 13 April 1686

To the Right Hon[oura]ble his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the Peace Now on the Bench att Pontefracte Aprill the 13th An[n]o Domi[ni] 1686:
The Humble Petic[i]on of John Moore of Shieffield lame soldier:
Sheweth That y[ou]r Petic[i]on[e]r being Aged almost Threescore & ten hath formerly served his late Majestie Charles the first of Blessed Memory in Leift Collonell Monke Regiment of Foot in Ireland, & in his owne Companie, That y[ou]r Peticon[e]r came from thence for England & was att Nantwich Fight where y[ou]r Peticon[e]r remained eleven weekes Prisoner your Peticon[e]r haueing received a very dangerous Shott into his left breast to his shoulder in the said Fight. And y[ou]r Peticoner when he was released & recovered Your Peticon[e]r served in the said service vnder the Command of Sir William Moretowne or Morton at the Castle of Shoodeley. And there y[ou]r Peticon[e]r was taken Prison[e]r by Sir W[illia]m Wallers forces in Glocestershire, And remained seven weekes in prison at Glocester After that y[o]ur Peticon[e]r In the service vnder Gen[er]all Monke Immediat[e]ly before his late Ma[jes]ties Restaurac[i]on Charles the second of blessed memory then y[ou]r Peticon[e]r being disbanded, y[ou]r Peticon[e]r served under Sir Ralph Knight & y[ou]r Peticon[e]r still continues his Ma[jes]ties Faithfull served soldier that now is Kinge James The second Whome God grant long may reigne &c.
Therefore y[ou]r Peticon[e]r Humbly Prayes yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps To consider and Commiserate y[ou]r poore peticon[e]rs low & weake condi[i]con, Y[ou]r Peticon[e]r not haueing anie Mechanicall trade whereby y[ou]r Peticon[e]r might relieue himselfe (if able to worke) But y[ou]r Peticon[e]r hath no reliefe whereby to maintaine himselfe from Starveing, vnless y[ou]r Peticon[e]r be relieved by some Worthy Gentlemen at some certaine dayes or times in the yeare as Christmas time &c Humbly prayes y[ou]r Wor[shi]pps to grant y[ou]r Peticon[e]r A yearely Pension dureinge his naturall Life, Or some other such like good & charitable reliefe on the behalfe of y[ou]r Peticon[e]r shall or may in the Wisdome of ye Justice in Pitty to y[ou]r aged peticon[e]r shall or may thinke moste meete & fitt.
And y[ou]r Peticon[e]r will for ever pray: John Moore:
Ordered 12 d. a weeke vnless cause shown to ye contrary next Private sessions at Rotherham.
W. S[impson]