The petition of Mathew Hindle of Knaresborough, West Riding of Yorkshire, 6 October 1685
To ye Hon[oura]ble his Ma[jes]t[y]s Justices of ye peace at the Generall Quarter Sessions att Knaresbrough.
The humble petic[i]on of Mathew Hindle of Knaresbrough a Linnen weaver.
Humbly sheweth,
That your Petic[i]on[e]r was a Souldier for his late Ma[jes]tie of ever blessed memory dureinge the late Civill warres vnder ye Command of Captaine Ralph Banister in S[i]r Richard Huttons Regiment. And for his good Service had a pention form[e]rly ordered him of Twenty shillings a yeare towards his Mainteynance w[hi]ch sayd penc[i]on was long since taken of & suspended.
That yo[u]r said peticon[e]r is now fallen into poverty and growne very old beinge above seaventy four yeares of Age, And alsoe afflicted w[i]th greate Infirmityes of his body and his sight soe weake & defectiue that he cannot see to worke vpon his trayde, nor to vndertake any other labour for a liuelyhoode And beinge in this sad Condic[i]on hath requested some succour & reliefe from ye Inhabitants of the sayd towne, who refuse to allow him any, soe yt yo[u]r poore peticon[e]r is likely to perish if some Charitable course be not taken for his reliefe.
Yo[u]r peticon[e]r therefore humbly prayes That yo[u]r hon[ou]rs wil be pleased to take ye pr[e]misses into Considerac[i]on and order him such weekely or Monthly allowance from the s[ai]d towne as yo[u]r hon[ou]rs shall thinke Convenient for his reliefe.
And yo[u]r poore pet[itione]r as in duty bound shall dayly pray &c.
Ordered sixpence weekly vntill further order. W. S[impson].