The petition of Lewis Jordan of Coldridge, Devon, 1685
To the right wor[shi]p[fu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the peace for the county of Deuon
The humble petition of Lewis Jordan of Coleridge in the county afors[ai]d husb[andman]
Sheweth
That y[ou]r petition[e]r haueing served his late Ma[jes]tie King Charles the first of euer blessed memory as a foot soldier vnder the com[m]and of Capt[ain] John Prideaux for many yeares togeather and near all the late vnhappy warrs neu[er] any way deserting the said service butt therein manifesting all possible loyalty & courage & vndergoing all the hardshipps incident to a warr as y[ou]r petition[e]rs duty & loyalty obliged him to doe. And upon due proofe thereof and of y[ou]r petition[e]rs receiuing a wound in the head, by haueing a bullett shott into his mouth w[hi]ch went thro & came out neer his left eare This honn[ou[rable C[ou]rt was pleased to graunt y[ou]r petition[e]r a penc[i]on of 40 s. p[er] annu[m] w[hi]ch y[ou]r petition[e]r rec[eive]d accordingly for some time Butt by meanes of a warr with the Dutch intervening and a multitude of other maimed soldiers then applying to this C[ou]rt y[ou]r petition[e]rs penc[i]on was reduced to 20 s. p[er] annu[m] Yett the Justices of ye peace by whose order the same was soe reduced were pleased to p[ro]mise to bee instrumentall in aduancing the said petition penc[i]on to 40 s. p[er] annu[m] as formerly, when by the death of other penc[i]on[e]rs or otherwise this C[ou]rt might bee better enabled to ord[e]r the payment thereof, Now y[ou]r petition[e]r haueing hitherto forborne to desire the renewing of his former penc[i]on or any way to apply to the Justices soe p[ro]mising their assistance therein & being growne aged and infirme & altogeather vnable to labour & there being v[e]ry lately a maimed soldier within the same p[ar]ish deceased named Brute pope who rec[eive]d 40 s. p[er] annu[m] vntill his death humbly prayes yt his form[e]r penc[i]on of 40 s. p[er] annu[m] may bee continued & y[ou]r petition[e]r as in duty bound shall eu[er] pray &c.
I haue examined the truth of this petition & beleiue the contents thereof to bee true & yt the p[ar]ish doe p[ro]vide for him
Bartho[lomew] Gidley
Hugh Stafford
[Overleaf:]
Jordans pet[ition] Captive allowed 50 s. respited till Mr Fitzwillams acc[oun]t be inspected 30 s.