The petition of Nicholas Rake, Essex, 1675
<Essex>
To the hono[u]rable his Maj[es]ties Justices of the peace Now Sitting this Quarter Sessions
The humble petic[i]on of Capt[ain] Nicholas Rake &c.
Humbly Sheweth
That yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner was Capt[ain] of horse In his late Maj[es]ties Service A longe tyme vnder the command of the Right hono[u]rable Coll[onel] John Digbey in w[hi]ch service Although hee continewed Faithfull yet proved very much Insuccesfull to his greate damage (Since w[hi]ch tyme thorough beeing Indebted Haveing loste his Estate In his said Maj[es]ties service) was Arrested and ymprisoned in the sherriffes ward this three yeares And upwards, In which tyme hee hath by reason of his poverty hee hath susteyned much Misery Haveing most part of his ymprisonm[en]t, had very little For his Mainteynance but the Country allowance, And Lodged in strawe, which is very vnsutable For one of his Age to undergoe Off w[hi]ch said Loyall and Faithfull service hee hath produced Formerly to this hono[u]rable bench reall and ample Certificate w[hi]ch is now remaining in the Custody of Mr Henry Ruddle The Keeper of the Goaile of this County.
May it therfore please yo[u]r wor[shi]pps to commiserate yo[u]r poore petic[i]oners sad And deplorable condic[i]on And out of yo[u]r tender compassions graunte some releife to yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner As heretofore hee hath had by the order of this hono[u]rable bench, That soe yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner may bee Kept From Famishing And Alsoe yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner beeing Informed that hee may superseede All his [?acc[ommodati]ons] wherew[i]th hee is charged For three poundes doe humbly ymplore yo[u]r wor[shi]pps to enable him to sup[er]seede soe that hee may bee Freed From his miserable confynem[en]t And soe charges spared concerning his Manteynance, his lib[er]ty beeing procured And whatsoever this hono[u]rable bench in pitty to yo[u]r petic[i]oner, Hee doth humbly desire it may bee paied to
And yo[u]r poore petic[i]oner As in duty Bounde will for ever pray For yo[u]r prosperitye.
<The names of those w[hi]ch sent the certificate subscribed was>
<Coll[onel] Robert phillips one belonging to his Maj[es]ties Bedchamber>
<Major Benson and Captaine stephen Dyer } two of his Maj[es]ties officers belonging to his gaurds>