The petition of John Thomas of Hereford, Herefordshire, 1661 to 1662
To the wor[shi]ppfull James Lawrence Esq[ui]r[e] Maior of the Citty of Hereford & to others the wor[shi]pfull Magistrates, and Justices of the peace of the said Citty
The humble petic[i]on of John Thomas a poore blind man,
Humbly Craveinge, That your wor[shi]pps wil bee pleased according to your order p[er] Cur[ia] att a late Generall Sessions of the publique peace held for the said Citty the third day of october last 1661 for settling your poore petic[ione]r in the next vacant hospitall of any p[er]son deceaseing within this Citty; For that yo[u]r petic[ione]r was reall, and faithfull in his late Ma[jes]t[y]s seruice, & his Ma[jes]ties that now is both in the Kingdome of Ireland & this Kingdome of Engl[and] haueing by indureance of much hardshipp lost his sight in the said seruice, That yo[u]r wor[shi]pps wil bee pleased to graunte yo[u]r petic[ione]r a speciall order, & pr[e]sent settlem[en]t in the place, steed, house, & hospitall of ould Pritchard lately deceased according to yo[u]r wor[shi]pps former order & graunte herevnto annexed, yo[u]r petic[ione]r being in a very sad condicon harborles noe way able to pay rent or subsist but by Charity.
And this Considered yo[u]r poore petic[ione]r will daily pray for your wor[shi]pps &c.
<Comitatus Heref[ord]>
At a Sessions generall Sessions of the peace held the third day of October 1661 for the Citty of Heref[ord], it was then ordered that John Thomas beinge a poore blind man and noe way able to helpe him selfe should shall have the next Almese house that Falleth
p[er] cur[ia]
[illegible]