The petition of Richard Manning of Mells, Somerset, undated
To the right Wor[shipfu]ll the Justices of Peace nowe assembled at the Sessions holden at Taunton for ye County of Som[er]set
The humble Petic[i]on of Richard Mannings of the parish of Mells in the Countie aforesaid
Humbly sheweth
That whereas yo[u]r poore petic[i]on[er] being a maymed soldier hath for his mayntenance allowed him only a Pension of fortie shillinges p[er] ann[um] The w[hi]ch beinge soe smale yt your poore petic[i]on[er] vsinge his vtmost & best endeavours with the same is not able to subsist. And havinge made knowne the weakenes of his estate to such who had power to giue him a supply therein did promise that an Addition should be made to his Pension as soone as an Occasion should be offered. And forasmuch as there is nowe a fitt opportunitie for the doeinge thereof by reason of the death of one William Reynoldes of Phillips Norton a Pension[er] who whilst he lived had a pension of five poundes p[er] ann[um] w[hi]ch nowe is come to the Treasurers hand to dispose of
Wherefore yo[u]r petic[i]on[er] humbly desires yo[u]r wor[shi]ps to take into your grave Consideracons his meane estate and to be pleased to inlardge his pension that in some smale measure he may be enabled to live in these hard times And yo[u]r poore petic[i]on[er] shal be bound to praye for yo[u]r healthes & happines &c.
These are to Sartefie all whom thes may consarn that the aboue named Richard Maning was a soldear in the Regment of Col[one]l Allexander Popham
Samuell Perry
[Reverse:]
Manninge to bee a pencioner in the roome of Raignolds and to have 3 li.