The petition of Nicholas Bevan of Hereford (St John the Baptist Parish), Herefordshire, 1676
To the Right Wor[shi]ppfull Henry Caldicott Esq[ui]r[e] Major of the Citty of Hereff[ord] & to others the Wor[shi]ppfull Justices of the peace, & Com[m]on Councell of the said Citty,
The humble petic[i]on of Nicholas Beavan of the parish of S[ain]te John the Baptist within ye said Citty aged 70 yeares, & vpwards a poore day Laborer Chardged with a poore aged wife,
Most humbly supplicatinge The rather in regard, And for that your poore aged petic[ione]r haueinge bin a painefull Labrious day Laborer Liueinge within the said parish of S[ain]te John the Baptist, & All S[ain]tes in this Citty from his Nativity most daies of his life, and five yeares within the parish of S[ain]te John ye Baptist the place of his now Aboade being formerly imprest out of this Citty vpon the first northane expedition against the Scotts for his Ma[jes]t[ie]s Royall fathers seruice, persisting faithfull a Whole Yeare vpon that Account, & haueinge of late daies by an vnhappy Accident at worke thrashing in a barne within the Liberties of this Citty vtterly lost the sight, & vse of his right Eye, & in much doubt with the dolorous paine thereof to loose the vse of the other, Insoemuch That your poore petic[ione]r being impotent, very poore, aged, & thereby disabled to worke for relief is now constrained to Addresse himself to yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps for his preservac[i]on from perishing;
The pr[e]misses most favoureably Considered That yo[u]r wor[shi]pps wil be pleased to order your poore distressed petic[ione]r some certaine weekely Alloweance what in conscience you please out of the said parish of S[ain]te John the Baptist towards his relief; And thus for Gods love, And he shall allwaies pray for yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps & c.
6 d. p[er] weeke