The petition of Richard Landon of Hereford (St John the Baptist Parish), Herefordshire, 1674
To the Right Wor[shi]ppfull Thomas Symonds Esq[ui]r[e] Major of the Citty of Hereff[ord], and to others the Wor[shi]ppfull Justices of peace of the said Citty:
The humble petic[i]on of Richard Landon of the parish of S[ain]t John the Baptist within the Liberties of the Citty of Hereff[ord] a poore man of the Age of Fowerscore yeares, or thereabouts.
Humbly Imploreinge The rather, in regard and for that your petic[ione]r in the prime of his Age, beinge bound Appr[e]ntice to a smith within this Citty duly, & faithfully serueing out his tyme free of the trade was in the time of the Majrolty of John Powell late of this Citty Alderman decease[d] Imprest a Com[m]on souldier (amongst others for his late Royall fathers Majesties seruice, sent, & Conveyed, into the dominions of Ireland to fight against the Rebbells there, beinge in the late troublesome times in this Realme reduced with the whole Regiment vnder the Com[m]aund of the late hono[u]r[a]ble Coll[onel] Meend hither to serue his Ma[jes]tie Was at Ridmarley shot, and maimed in his lefte Arme, haueing euer since vtterly lost the vse thereof, a liueing within this Citty Forty years, & vpwards; beinge an Inhabitant fowerteene yeares within ye parish of S[ain]te John the Baptist being now past worke, maimed in his Ma[jes]t[y]s seruice, his sight altogeather faileing him, long, & as yet sicke & weake like to perish & starue for want of reliffe.
The pr[e]misses most favourably Considered That yo[u]r good Wor[shi]pps wil be pleased to order the Churchwardens, & overseers of the poore of S[ain]te John the Baptist to pay yo[u]r poore maimed aged petic[ione]r some certaine weekely Allowance towards his releffe in [illegible] pay his rent, vntill he might be prouided of an Hospitall According to his Ma[jes]t[y]s Act, And yo[u]r poore aged maimed petic[ione]r shall allwaies pray &c.