The petition of Nathaniel Jefford of Dunsford, Devon, 30 September 1679
The humble petic[i]on of Nathaniel Jefford of Dunsford in the County aforesaid Husbandman.
Shewing
That yo[u]r pet[itione]r was a soldier in his Maj[es]ties seruice King Charles the first of euer blessed memory vnder the Comaund of Major Fulford in the Regim[en]t of Collonel S[i]r Henry Cary Kn[igh]t, from the very beginning of the late rebellion vntill the end thereof & was for seuerall yeres a Corporall in the said Company, and in the said seruice rec[eive]d many wounds & first at Waymo[uth] was shot in the shoulder, & at Hill Bishopps was shot in the necke & knockt in the head w[i]th a stocke of a musket & was left for dead, as is testifyed by seu[er]all yet liueing who were in the same seruice, & was also engaged w[i]th the said Maior when hee was taken at his owne house at Fulford, & was also taken & brought Prisoner to the Citty of Exeter & was kept a Close Prisoner 17 weeks, & vnderwent much hardship & cruelty, & by the wound in his necke euer since lost the liberty of his speech, w[hi]ch hath byn imp[er]fect euer since, & also since his Maj[es]ties restaurac[i]on was ymprest in the warrs ag[ains]t the Dutch & was conveyed to Portsmouth, where falling sicke (through the defect of his Body by his old wounds) was discharged & returned in great weaknes
That notwithstanding yo[u]r pet[itione]r haueing a stocke of moneyes, & able to labour was contented & euer since hath continnued w[i]thout seeking any penc[i]on or releife
But so it is may it please yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps that age & weaknes fallen on him, & haueing vtterly wasted his stocke & what hee had in baring the charge of a wife & children & bringing them vp is now vnable longer to subsist
Humbly prayes yo[u]r wor[shi]pps to comiserate his condic[i]on & to bestow on him the fauour of his Maj[es]tie in a penc[i]on for his support & comfort in this his aged & impotent condic[i]on
And yo[u]r pet[itione]r shall euer pray &c
Wee belieue this peticion to be True
Hen[ry] Northleigh
John Hore
30th of September 1679.
[Overleaf:]
Nath[aniel] Gifford to have 50 s. p[er] ann[um] & 10 s. in hand w[hi]ch Mr Cler[k] of ye peace laid out this to be Entred next Sessions