The petition of John Northam of Sampford Courtenay, Devon, 1681
To the Right Wor[shipfu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the peace for the County of Devon now assembled at their gen[e]r[a]ll sessions at the Castle of Exon.
The humble petic[i]on of John Northam of Sampford Courtney in Devon husbandman.
<Sheweth>
That your said poor petic[i]oner served his Late Ma[jes]tie King Charles the first of ever blessed memory, in the late vnhappy wars, vnder the Command of Capt[ain] George Yeo in the Regiment of Col[one]l Richard Arundell of Terrice in Cornwall and afterwards in the Regiment of Collo[ne]ll Lewes Tremaine, in which time your petic[i]oner served his said Ma[jes]tie in the Siege against Taunton & Plymouth in which places and in many others your petic[i]oner endured many hardships both by day & night some whereof are still visible. During all which war, your petitioner never deserted his said Ma[jes]ties service but still according to his allegiance and duty continued Loyall & stedfast in his said Ma[jes]ties service as your petic[i]oner is ready to proue to this honorable court by sufficient testimonie.
Now your petic[i]oner being grown aged, and by means of his sufferings & hardships in the said war, as also having both his hands very much scald, is disabled to get his living by his labour as otherwise he might as to your wor[shi]ps may Evidently appear. May itt therefore pleas your wor[shi]ps of your wonted clemencie to Commisserate your poor petic[i]oner, & to grant him such allowance as your wor[shi]ps vpon due Consideration of the pr[e]mises shall think fitt. And your petic[i]oner Shall ever pray &c.
<30 s. p[er] annu[m] & 4 s. in hand>
I beleiue the Contents of this petition to bee true
Fr[ancis] Seymour
[Overleaf:]
Northam pet[itioner] per penc[i]on