The petition of Peter Chester of Hooton, Cheshire, Easter 1679
To the R[igh]t Hon[oura]ble his Ma[jes]t[y’]s Justices of the peace and quorum at the Q[uarte]r Sessions holden at Chester the [blank]
The humble petition of Peter Chester of Hooton in the Countie of Chester Laborer
<Sheweth>
That yo[u]r pet[itione]r in the late warrs did both actually and faithfully serve the kings Ma[jes]tie of late blessed memory as a souldyer vnder the com[m]and of Capt[ain] Hurlston, in Col[one]l Astons owne Regim[en]t in the Battell at Midle Wich where yo[u]r pet[itione]r had part of his left hand cutt off and was sore wounded in the head.
That by means thereof such an extraordinary pain and weaknes is lately come into that hand, that he hath lost the p[er]fect vse thereof, and is thereby vtterly for ever disabled to worke and follow his vocation of a daily laborer as formerly to his vtter ruine and impoverishm[en]t haueing a wife and nyne weakly children, and destitute of all meanes of a livelyhood whatsoever.
That yo[u]r poor pet[itione]r did alwayes continue his loyaltie to his Ma[jes]tie and did never adhere to the enemyes of his Loyall Sou[er]aigne.
He therefore humbly imploreth yo[u]r hon[ou]rs to take the premisses into yo[u]r graue and tend[e]r, considerac[i]ons, and be charitably pleased to admitt yo[u]r poor pet[itione]r one of his Ma[jes]t[y’]s pentioners otherwise yo[u]r pet[itione]r his wife and children will be exposed to great want and penury
And yo[u]r pet[itione]r shall pray &c
We whose names are subscribed being of the neer neighbourhood, and knowing the vndoubted truth of the pr[e]misses and the sad condic[i]on of yo[u]r pet[itione]r his wife and children doe together w[i]th him humbly intreat you his Ma[jes]t[y’]s Justices for the Countie aforesaid to admitt him one of his Ma[jes]t[y’]s pentioners.
George Beckett vicar de Eastham
Rich[ard] Spanne }
Rob[er]t Edmonson } Church wardens
Daniel Washington Clarke
Richard Yates
<to bee admitted next vacancy>