The petition of Richard Lonsdall, Lancashire, 27 August 1661
To the right wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of peace w[i]thin the County of Lancaster
The humble petic[i]on of Richard Lonsdall
Humbly sheweth that whereas yo[u]r petic[i]oner in the late vnfortunat warres betweene the Royall p[ar]ty and the late Parliam[en]ts p[ar]ty here in England was a Souldier for his Maj[es]tie accordinge to his allegiance and dutie vnd[e]r the Com[m]aund of S[i]r John Girlinton kn[igh]t in w[hi]ch seruice yo[u]r Petic[i]on[e]r lost his Right eye and was shott into the head beinge thereby in great danger of death, the bullett beinge yet in his head to the great weakeninge of his boddy and Impaireinge of his sight & heareinge besides for that he was on his Maj[es]ties p[ar]te he had taken from by the adu[er]se p[ar]ty and lost neare 300 l[i.] Now forasmuch as yo[u]r petic[i]o[ne]r by reason of the said hurts and losses is not able to takeinge any thinge in hand by buyinge and sellinge horses and other quick good as he was heretofore accustomed to doe for his better liuely hood by reason that neither his sight nor heareinge is good nor seruiceable for that purpose, The p[re]misses therefore Considered may it please yo[u]r wor[shi]pps to grant vnto yo[u]r Petic[i]on[e]r some yearely penc[i]on or allowance as yo[u]r Wor[shi]pps shall thinke fitt towards his maintainance to be paid vnto him by ye Treasurer of the County and yo[u]r Petic[i]o[ne]r shall daylie pray &c.
August the xxviith 1661.
We whose names are subscribed haueinge Examined the trueth of the pr[e]misses doe [know] beleiue the Contents of his Petic[i]on to be true and therevpon wee doe recom[m]end vnto yow his poore & deplorable Estate and Condic[i]on, intreatinge yow that he may haue yo[u]r lawfull fauours in helpinge him w[i]th such allowance [illegible] as the Statute affords.
Philip Musgraue John Lowther
Aban: Bellinge James Duckett