The petition of Nicholas Palmer of Feniton, Devon, Michaelmas 1648
To the Ho[nou]r[ab]le & Wor[shi]pfull his M[ajes]t[y’]s Justices of the Peace for the County of Devon.
The humble petition of Nicholas Palmer of Fenyton in Devon.
Humbly sheweth that yo[u]r petic[i]oner out of his affecc[i]on & desire to advance the Parliam[en]ts service in the beginning of these troubles did putt himselfe into the garrison of Plimmouth and served there as a Muskettier, where in in discharging of his Muskett the barrell whereof breaking into splinters yo[u]r peticoners hand was therew[i]th much torne & hurted insomuch as no surgeon was able to cure it Untill at last for the p[re]servac[i]on of the petic[i]oners life his hand was necessarily enforced to be cut off and yo[u]r petic[i]oner being but a poore man having no other lyving but his labo[u]r to sustaine himselfe is heereby altogeather disabled & destitute of lyvelyhood.
In considerac[i]on whereof yo[u]r petic[i]oner doth humbly supplicate that acording to the law and the parliam[en]ts most pious and charitable declarac[i]ons yo[u]r petic[i]oner may be rewarded, releeved, comforted & supported by some p[re]sent contribuc[i]on to repaire his losses & sufferings since his maime and that some yearly maintenance [made] may be ordered for yo[u]r petic[i]oners lyvelyhood as yo[u]r grave wisdoms & goodnes shall thinke fit and agreeable to justice, equity & good conscience, And yo[u]r petic[i]oner shall ever pray &c.
Wee whose names are subscribed well knowing the petic[i]oner and his faithfull affecc[ion]s to the Parliam[en]ts service doe by o[u]r owne knowledge & by the informac[i]on of credible & well affected p[er]sons certify the truth of this petic[i]on
Jo[hn] Searle
Nathanyell Pole Tho[ma]s Saunders
Thomas Spratt
Rich[ard] Saunders
Peryam Pole
[Overleaf:]
Nicholas Palmers Petic[i]on, Mich[aelmas] 1648