The petition of Richard Greepe of Chagford, Devon, 1685
To the Right wor[shi]p[fu]ll his Ma[jes]ties Justices of the peace for the county of Devon
The humble petition of Richard Greepe of Chagford in the county afors[ai]d husb[andman]
Sheweth
That y[ou]r petition[e]r serued his late Ma[jes]tie King Charles the first of euer blessed memory in the late vnhappy warrs as a foot soldier for seu[er]all yeares togeather first vnd[e]r the com[m]and of Capt[ain] Dangerfeild in the Regiment of Col[one]l peircy and afterwards vnd[e]r the com[m]and of Capt[ain] Gidley and during ye s[ai]d warr was in the engagements and skirmishes att Banbury Reading and Hamme house in the seige against plymouth in the latter whereof y[ou]r poor petition[e]r was soe stal[e]d and blasted in his eyes with gunpowder yt hee is by yt meanes almost blinde & in a great measure disabled to follow his labour w[hi]ch togeather with many other hardshipps and sufferings w[hi]ch y[ou]r petition[e]r willingly vnd[e]rwent doe now in his old age render him the more infirme
now y[ou]r petition[e]r humbly prayes ye pr[e]misses considered as alsoe yt y[ou]r pet[itione]r neu[er] any way deserted his Ma[jes]ties service butt constantly manifested his loyalty & alleagiance therein & being maimed therein as afors[ai]d and haueing hitherto forborne to sollicite the favour of this C[ou]rt for his better liuelihood being now 70 yeares old & as hee beleiues a short time to liue desires y[ou]r wor[shi]pps of y[ou]r wonted clemency to graunt him a penc[i]on out of the county stock & y[ou]r pet[itione]r as in duty bound shall euer pray &c.
<The later p[ar]te of this petic[i]on I know to bee true & beleiue the Rest>
<Bartho[lomew] Gidley>
<I know the petitioner to bee almost blinde and beleive occasion[e]d as is sett forth in this petition>
<Rowland Whiddon>
20 s. in hand & 1 s. p[er] week to bee advanced by ye p[ar]ish
[Overleaf:]
Pet[itioner] of Chagford